Will Reisman

Pursuit of cheap gas clogging traffic

Idling cars waiting to buy inexpensive gas at a Fell Street station are causing traffic snarls for motorists and endangering bicyclists who travel along the busy artery. Cars at the Arco at Fell and Divisadero streets force bicyclists, pedestrians and fellow motorists to maneuver around them into swift-moving traffic, according to Michael Helquist, a member of the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association. Now, neighbors want a solution to the problem. Helquist said the situation has existed for nearly a decade, despite repeated pleas for safety upgrades at the site. The Municipal Transportation Agency met with community members last week and unveiled a set of eight options designed...

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Glide Foundation founding member still serving the homeless

Poet, editor and community activist Janice Mirikitani is a founding member of the Glide Foundation, a local organization that assists the homeless and impoverished. Both Mirikitani and her husband, the Rev. Cecil Williams, will be at Glide Memorial Church on Thanksgiving to help serve food to the homeless. How long has Glide been serving Thanksgiving dinner? We’ve been doing this for about 3 1/2 decades. Along with Christmas, this is our most popular event for volunteers. We can only handle about 1,000 volunteers, and that list fills up very quickly for Thanksgiving. What goes into the preparation work for Thanksgiving? We have hundreds of volunteers cutting up veggies, helping...

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Golden Gate Bridge could be revenue source

Imagine climbing along the catwalks below the Golden Gate Bridge, traveling underneath the famed span through a series of walkways, 200 feet above San Francisco Bay. Or, perhaps, putting on a hard hat and hanging out with bridge workers, getting some unique on-the-job training while learning about the history of one of the country’s most celebrated landmarks. These possibilities may be realities within five years — and any revenue from the proposed attractions would help close a multimillion-dollar deficit. The Golden Gate Bridge District last month unveiled the possibility of introducing an “experiential tourism” feature similar to a series of bridge-scaling...

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Muni’s on-time performance rate drops over first quarter of fiscal year

After two straight quarters with on-time arrival rates hovering near 75 percent, Muni’s performance slipped during the first quarter of this fiscal year. The department’s transit vehicles recorded a 73.3 percent on-time arrival rate for the first three months of the 2009-10 fiscal year (July, August and September), a fall-off from the 74.4 and 74.5 percent rates recorded in the two previous fiscal quarters, according to Muni’s latest quarterly performance report. While the 73.3 percent on-time rate is lower than the two previous quarters, if Muni keeps up the exact same standard for the next nine months it will match last year’s record performance. The 73.3...

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Martin Richards and BofA help neighborhoods excell

The San Francisco market president for Bank of America, Martin Richards, oversees a foundation that will dole out $3.6 million to nonprofit organizations statewide this year, including $450,000 to groups in The City. Goodwill of San Francisco and the Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco each were awarded $200,000 in unrestricted grant funding as part of Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative. What is the history of the bank’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative? This has been our sixth year in the program. The idea behind giving the unrestricted grants is to really let organizations do what they want with the money. What qualities is the bank looking for under...

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Community group set to receive planning update on Central Subway Project

Planning officials will give a progress update Thursday on the Central Subway project, The City’s ambitious undertaking to extend train service out to North Beach and possibly beyond. The project’s Community Advisory Group, made up of local residents, professional planners, and merchants, will hear from officials with the Municipal Transportation Agency to get information about the proposed subway’s affect on utility services and real estate. The $1.58 billion project, projected to be up and running by 2018, could carry as many at 100,000 daily passengers when fully completed. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday at...

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History of Danish cycling to be on display

The storied tradition of Denmark’s bicycling history will be on display at City Hall starting tomorrow. “Dreams on Wheels,” an interactive art exhibit showcasing the Danes’ unique commitment to two-wheel transportation will make a four-week stay at City Hall, following recent stops in Portland, Oregon and London. The exhibit, the collective brainchild of curator Thomas Ermacora and Danish urban designer Jan Gehl, merges “urban cycling culture, design intelligence and environmental consciousness,” according to a release from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which worked with the Danes to bring the exhibit to The City. “The...

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Fewer vehicles on Market speeds Muni service

Muni service has sped up by about a minute on Market Street along the stretch involved in the trial program that aims to limit vehicle traffic along the busy artery to downtown. The test, which began Sept. 29, forces private vehicles traveling eastbound on Market Street to make right turns at Eighth and Sixth streets. The program has been met with some success, though transit officials say they are going to continue the study longer than initially expected and possibly expand it. The number of motor vehicles decreased by 54 percent on eastbound Market Street, according to new numbers from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which also oversees Muni. On average, there was...

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Public regulation would lead to better private shuttle services, report finds

Public regulation of private shuttles in San Francisco would result in less congestion, better enforcement of idling buses, and fewer traffic snarls with Muni vehicles. Those findings come from a new report issued by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (TA), a public planning body that was tasked with addressing the proliferation of private shuttles in The City. The private shuttle report came at the request of Supervisor Bevan Dufty, whose district includes Noe Valley, a neighborhood particularly affected by the services. About 85 to 100 large shuttle buses enter The City to take employees to large corporations in the Peninsula and Silicon Valley (that total does not...

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Cause of Muni derailment under investigation

The site of a Muni light-rail derailment that marred travel Tuesday is close to where a similar incident occurred in 2006, though officials from the transit agency are still investigating why the L-Taraval train came off the tracks this time. Investigators were working Tuesday night to figure out how and why the second car of a two-car train ended up partially off the tracks at 7:35 a.m. Tuesday about a mile west of the Castro station but shy of the Forest Hill Station. No passengers were reported to have been injured when the train came off the tracks. The passengers were all put onto the first car of the train, which was detached and shuttled the riders to Forest Hill. The derailing...

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Land-swap arrangement up for approval

A planned development featuring 60 affordable-housing units, retail space and a public plaza could move one step closer to construction if a long-awaited land-swap deal is approved. The $9 million agreement involves the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency — the agency that runs Muni — ceding a 25,572-square-foot parcel on Phelan and Geneva avenues to the Redevelopment Agency. The deal has been in the works for a decade and is set to be approved at the MTA’s board of directors meeting Tuesday. The Redevelopment Agency will pay the MTA $4.3 million for the land, with the remaining $4.7 million to be repaid through state and federal grant funding, according to...

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Shuttle services could see new regulations

As private shuttle companies become an increasingly common sight in San Francisco neighborhoods, raising concerns about congestion, safety and noise, The City is raising the possibility of regulating the services. The shuttles are commonly used by large corporations to taxi employees from their homes in The City to offices in Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. Some neighborhood groups, particularly the Upper Noe Neighbors, have said the rumbling shuttles disrupt communities by traveling down small, narrow streets and idling loudly outside of residences. Thursday, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, a local planning group, will release a monthslong study on private shuttle...

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Rare plant believed to be found in Doyle Drive construction site

Crews working on the Doyle Drive rebuild may have uncovered an extremely rare plant within the construction site, but the unforeseen discovery isn’t expected to delay the schedule of the $1 billion project. Botanists are still trying to confirm the discovery of a Franciscan Manzanita plant, which was presumed to be extinct in the area after not being seen in the wild for decades, according to Molly Graham, spokeswoman for the Doyle Drive project. For the protection of the plant, Graham could not reveal where it was discovered, but she said that specialists had transported the species and were in the midst of determining if it was an actual Franciscan Manzanita. Officials...

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Series of national park projects set to be discussed at public hearing on Tuesday

Improvements to the energy infrastructure at Alcatraz, upgrades to trails and roads at Fort Mason, and an assessment of the Presidio’s coastal pathways will be discussed at a public open house tomorrow at Fort Mason that will cover a series of proposed projects in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The area is part of the National Park Service, and incorporates large swathes of San Francisco, including the Presidio, Alcatraz, Ocean Beach and Fort Funston. The meeting Tuesday will be held at the GGNRA’s headquarters at building 201 in Fort Mason. It will last from 4 p.m. to 7...

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Public hearing on toll increases slated for next Tuesday in San Mateo

Last week, motorists from the East Bay got a chance to sound off, and now Peninsula residents will have an opportunity to air their grievances about a proposed toll increase to Bay Area bridges. On November 17, regional transportation officials will meet with San Mateo County residents for the second of three public hearings (the first was in Oakland) regarding plans to raise tolls on seven Bay Area bridges (not including the Golden Gate). A month ago, the Bay Area Toll Authority, which monitors operations on the region’s bridges, unveiled a series of proposals for toll spikes, including a congestion-based increase that could end up charging motorists $6 to cross the Bay Bridge...

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Community meeting set for Tuesday about future of Fillmore District Muni substation

For the second time in a little over a month, residents of the Fillmore District will meet with city officials to discuss development possibilities for an abandoned Muni depot on Fillmore and Turk streets. The dilapidated Muni substation was originally earmarked for $3.3 million in redevelopment funds, but in February city officials discussed the possibility of diverting some of that money to invest in a trio of struggling jazz clubs which are the centerpiece of The City’s push to revitalize the once-thriving music scene on Fillmore Street. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi has said he doesn’t want the abandoned Muni substation to suffer as a result of the funding diversion, so...

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Pet proposal put on hold

The jury is still out on whether San Francisco — named after the patron saint of animals — will make it a little easier for pets and their owners to find homes. After two hours of sometimes-heated discussion, the Commission for Animal Control and Welfare tabled a resolution Thursday that would have suggested The City prohibit housing discrimination against responsible pet owners. The matter will be taken up again at a commission meeting in January. Any resolution would be nonbinding, but it could pave the way for a San Francisco supervisor to push forward with proposed legislation. The commission’s recent resolution to ban cat declawing in The City was picked up by the...

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Gas prices fall as holidays near

San Francisco residents planning to venture out of The City for Thanksgiving will feel a little less pain at the pump. Gas prices fell in the past month due to an excess in the world’s oil reserves and low consumer interest, and they’re not expected to rebound during the holiday season. Average prices for a gallon of unleaded gas in San Francisco have dropped 7 cents in the past month, from $3.17 to $3.10, and the downward trend may continue into next year, according to Matt Skryja, spokesman for AAA Northern California. “Predicting future gas prices is always difficult, but most AAA analysts are forecasting that prices will most likely stay steady or trickle...

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Pedestrians walking fine line on San Francisco streets

The dense, hilly layout of San Francisco may be a haven for pedestrians who want to take a stroll and catch views of the scenic vistas, but there’s some risk for walkers on those ventures. Nearly half the traffic fatalities in San Francisco are pedestrians, a rate that is more than four times the national average, new data show. The gamble of walking down the streets of The City was part of a nationwide survey that found the San Francisco region, which includes Oakland and Fremont, to have the second-highest percentage of traffic deaths among major cities in the country. About 27 percent of traffic deaths in the region are pedestrians, a ratio that is trumped only by the 31...

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SF Port's parking system pays dividends

Complaints about parking meters that charge different prices depending on the time of day are up, but so is revenue. Six months into a pilot program for the 97 Port of San Francisco parking meters, revenue is up 38 percent compared with the same time last year, though the agency said there have been some confused motorists. The new meters for the Port, which operates most of the parking along the waterfront and at Fisherman’s Wharf, charge different rates during different times of the day at different locations. It’s the testing of a parking program called SFpark, which is series of initiatives managed by the Municipal Transportation Agency that will one day be implemented...

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Port of San Francisco, ferry agency, expected to enter into agreement today

The future expansion plans of the Ferry Building in San Francisco will take a vital step forward today. The Water Emergency Transportation Authority, a regional body that regulates public ferry developments in the Bay Area, is expected to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the San Francisco Port Commission today. The MOU will define the responsibilities of the two agencies as they move forward with an ambitious plan to dramatically increase ferry service over the next decade. WETA is overseeing a series of proposed ferry expansions, including new terminals in Martinez, Berkeley, and on Treasure Island, all of which will travel to the expanded berth at the San Francisco...

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SFPD tickets Muni fare evaders

Police have a new tool for their belts — a Muni fare-evasion ticket book. After an hour-long briefing, about 100 San Francisco Police Department officers went to different Muni stops throughout The City on Wednesday for a daylong crackdown. Officers are already supposed to ride the bus during their shifts, but when police ride public transportation, the focus has been on looking out for crimes such as vandalism and theft. On Wednesday, however, officers went further by checking for proof of payment, a task usually performed by the Municipal Transportation Agency. The crackdown also focused on high-crime lines in each police district, which are outlined on handouts to be given to...

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Muni deficit deeper than anticipated

Just three months into the current fiscal year, the Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees Muni, is working to close a $45.1 million deficit. Despite a recent fare hike and a move to alter routes to save money through efficiency, the transit agency is in the red due to lower-than-predicted returns from parking meters, an impasse with the taxi industry and an unexpected spike in operating costs. In order to make up for some of the projected shortfall, the transit agency, which closed a $129 million budget deficit last fiscal year, is looking to implement $25.5 million in savings that includes eliminating 250 positions, which includes some jobs that are currently vacant. The...

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City’s Bike Plan remains on hold

Advocates hoping for the dissolution of an injunction against The City’s Bike Plan will have to wait a little longer after a Superior Court judge ordered at least a 10-day delay in the case before making any decisions. Judge Peter Busch ordered both sides to submit briefs Nov. 12 detailing arguments for and against relief of the injunction. The Bike Plan was approved by The City in 2005 and consists of 34 new miles of bike lanes, among other enhancements. But it was put on hold in 2006 when a local group successfully sued The City, claiming the plan was authorized without undergoing an environmental impact report. On Monday, Busch said he’ll hear arguments Nov. 12 for...

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BART trains to run overnight if Bay Bridge remains closed

BART will provide overnight service tonight and Saturday night -- if the Bay Bridge remains closed during the weekend -- but not on Sunday. Unlike the past three days, when the regional transit agency did not provide overnight service during the bridge closure, BART will offer hourly trains on Friday night and Saturday morning, and on Saturday night and early Sunday morning. The trains will stop at 14 different stations throughout the Bay Area, including the Embarcadero, Powell Street, and 24th Street in San Francisco. Normal BART service will return at 6 a.m. on Saturday, and 8 a.m. on Sunday. Passengers interested in using the service should visit BART.gov. BART spokesman Linton...

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Muni likely to oversee world’s oldest cable car

The rich history of The City’s cable cars will soon be under the control of San Francisco. In 2005, Muni began exploring options of contracting out operations at the Cable Car Museum to a new organization. However, the department’s plans were halted because the nonprofit group in charge of the museum since 1993, the Friends of the Cable Car Museum, owned a bevy of important relics, including the Clay Street Hill Railroad — the oldest cable car in the world — and the Sutter Street Railroad, which is the second-oldest. Also on display at the center, which was established in 1974, are grips, track mechanisms, brakes and a collection of historic photographs. In an...

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Renowned local landscape architect dies at 93

Lawrence Halprin, a nationally renowned landscape architect who helped design some of The City’s most high-profile open spaces, died Sunday. He was 93. Although he was born in New York City, Halprin had a profound effect on the public landscape of many West Coast cities, notably San Francisco, where he was instrumental in shaping Ghirardelli Square, Levi Plaza and the United Nations Plaza. After serving in World War II — where he narrowly survived a kamikaze attack on his battleship during combat — Halprin moved to San Francisco in the spring of 1945, at first working under the tutelage of landscape designer Thomas Church. In 1949, Halprin opened up his own firm in The...

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New direction for Market Street

In a rare example of harmony in San Francisco, merchants, transit advocates and pedestrians have all expressed some degree of support for the much-ballyhooed experiment to restrict cars on Market Street that started last month. The current situation, which took effect Sept. 29 with the backing of Mayor Gavin Newsom, forces private automobiles traveling eastbound on Market Street to make right turns at Sixth and Eighth streets off the thoroughfare. The restrictions were implemented as a six-week test program that’s the initial phase of a prolonged effort to revitalize San Francisco’s historic main artery. They’re also a partial rollout of an oft-proposed idea to ban...

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Residents not thrilled about new 2-Clement turnaround route

In a situation that’s straight from the “you can’t please them all” files, Muni has finally decided on a site for the western terminus of its 2-Clement bus line, and, not surprisingly, people are upset about it. Due to budget shortfalls, Muni has been forced to reduce service on several transit lines, and none have been as troublesome as the 2-Clement. Instead of running out to 33rd Avenue, the 2-Clement will now turn around in the middle of the Richmond District (around Park Presidio) and finding an easy side street where the buses can make the return loop has been nearly impossible. Part of the problem is that the turnaround requires a terminal — an...

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Missing chairs, tables cook up fine for waterfront restaurants

Two popular Embarcadero restaurants are being fined thousands of dollars for failing to provide accommodations for the public along the waterfront, including tables and chairs. The Epic Roasthouse and Waterbar restaurants, which garnered attention last year for being the first establishments built entirely for dining purposes in San Francisco in more than a century, don’t have enough benches and seating arrangements on their patio. Access to the patio is required since it lies on the Bay Trail — a 240-mile, multicounty shoreline walk that must be fully accessible to the public. The Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the regional body in charge of permitting on the...

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Bay Bridge crossing may cost $6

Driving across the Bay Bridge could cost $6 as early as the middle of next year. The suggested toll hike is one of three proposals that would have Bay Area drivers paying more to cross the seven state-owned bridges in the region. The money would raise more than $160 million for regional infrastructure projects. Two of the three plans, from the Bay Area Toll Authority, include proposals for a $5 toll at all times on the Bay Area’s toll bridges, with the exception of the Golden Gate Bridge, along with options for raising rates for truckers and carpoolers. The third plan includes a $2 hike for the Bay Bridge during peak commute times, which would most likely be from 5 a.m. to 10...

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Blogger files appeal against motion to dissolve bike plan injunction

The injunction against San Francisco’s bike plan will continue, at least for a few more weeks. Rob Anderson, a local blogger and founder of the Coalition For Adequate Review, the group responsible for postponing the implementation of San Francisco’s ambitious bike plan, has filed a petition against The City Attorney’s motion to dismiss the injunction. The City Attorney’s Office had sought to dissolve the injunction before the scheduled hearing on November 2. The City Attorney now has until October 28 to reply to Anderson’s petition, which was formally submitted by his attorney today. The bike plan, which will add 34 miles of new cycling lanes to San...

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Electronic bike parking may deter BART commuters

Bicycle riders will be able to park their two-wheelers at the Embarcadero BART station for longer periods of time, but some worry the new system will increase bike thefts. Since the transit agency put a new system in place at the busy station, commuters can park their bikes whenever it’s open. The previous setup restricted parking to commute hours on weekdays. BikeLink, the new program, started Monday and allows bicycle-toting commuters to access the station’s existing parking cage with an electronic card. In lieu of a full-time attendant, BART will employ a series of security cameras, transit agency spokeswoman Luna Salaver said. The program also will save BART money. The...

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Shorter hours could be in store for winter months at the S.F. Zoo

Wildlife enthusiasts hoping to get a glimpse of their favorite animals at the San Francisco Zoo may have their window shortened slightly starting next month. On Thursday, commissioners for the Recreation and Park Department, which co-manages operations at the Zoo, could vote on shortening visiting hours at the establishment by one hour during the winter months. Instead of staying open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. the Zoo would close at 4 p.m., starting on November 1 and lasting until March 16 — the span in which Daylight Saving hours are in effect. The Recreation and Park Commission could also vote on giving Zoo director Tanya Peterson the authority to shut down operations during...

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Chu, Taraval chief, to discuss safety upgrades

Stepping off a Muni light rail vehicle can be an adventure at times, especially in the Sunset District, which has miles of above ground tracks that run on bustling city streets — a situation that has drawn the attention of Supervisor Carmen Chu, whose district includes much of the western neighborhood. Earlier this year, Chu requested that Muni take a look at the conditions of transit passengers in the Sunset, which is home to two well-traveled metro lines, the N-Judah and the L-Taraval. One of Chu’s main goals was to find ways to increase signage on The City streets that alerts drivers to yield to departing transit passengers. At 1:30 p.m. today, alongside Paul Chignell,...

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Apartment plan is for the dogs

The fur may be about to fly again, as animal activists revive the fight against building owners who won’t allow animals in rental units. The Animal Control and Welfare Commission initiated discussion at City Hall on Thursday night about ways to increase the number of apartments in San Francisco that allow pets, including measures forbidding landlords from discriminating against responsible pet owners when looking for tenants. It’s a contentious issue that led to a shake-up in City Hall a few years ago. In 2006, the same commission tried to enact a mandate allowing landlords to charge tenants with pets more, an incentive they hoped would motivate more building owners to...

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Transbay funds delay may have $100M price tag

An unexpected delay in funding for the new Transbay Terminal could set construction plans back months and cost the project another $100 million. The transformation of the existing Transbay Terminal, a 70-year-old building on Mission and First streets, into a modern regional transit hub is expected to provide 45,000 jobs. Earlier this year, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority — the agency in charge of the ambitious renovation project — applied for $400 million in federal stimulus funds, a revenue stream it originally expected to be released this month. However, an overwhelming number of applicants for the stimulus money has forced the federal government to push back...

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DPW workers to get healthy food, exercise, medical tips today

Faced with the extensive tasks of restoring The City’s battered streets and ramshackle sidewalks, employees from the Department of Public Works need to be as fit as can be, so the department’s third-annual Health Fair should be much appreciated. DPW’s 1,200 workers will get medical screenings, nutrition advice, and exercise tips during the fair, which lasts from 9 a.m. to noon today at the department’s headquarters on Cesar Chavez Street. The San Francisco Produce Market will give demonstrations on how to prepare healthy meals, the California Pacific Medical Center will perform medical screenings, and Crunch Gym will dispense workout advice. The fair also...

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Redwoods gear up for UFL debut

On Thursday night, strong safety Tony Parrish will be staked out in the defensive backfield, carefully surveying the eyes of quarterback Mike McMahon, looking for any clues that could lead to a game-changing interception or bone-jarring open-field tackle. Just a few years ago, that scenario would have been played out in front of 75,000 fans and a worldwide audience of millions, but on Thursday it will happen in the cozier confines of Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, where 20,000 curious onlookers are expected to show up for the opening game of the inaugural United Football League season. McMahon, part of the San Francisco-based California Redwoods, will be squaring off against Parrish and...

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Aussie streetcar rolls into town

Courtesy of the folks Down Under, Muni is adding a new streetcar to its fleet. A green- and cream-colored tram built in 1946 is set to be unveiled this morning near the Ferry Building on The Embarcadero in a special joint celebration between Muni and foreign ambassadors from Australia. The streetcar once traveled in Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city and the state capital of Victoria, which donated the vehicle. “Melbourne and San Francisco have a tremendous amount in common,” said Victor Perton, Victorian commissioner to the Americas. “This streetcar donation is a great physical symbol of our connection and an important way to strengthen our...

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Suspicious bags prompt separate security alerts

Police responded to two separate reports Tuesday of suspicious packages in The City, but both situations were defused without incident. Tuesday’s incidents came on the heels of a security scare prompted by an an abandoned bag on a Muni bus at the Transbay Terminal last week. The first report came in around 8:30 a.m., when a security guard noticed an unattended briefcase in the garage of the State Building on 350 McAllister St., according to California Highway Patrol Officer Shawn Chase. Police closed off surrounding streets and the San Francisco Police Department’s bomb squad X-rayed the bag, which turned out to be empty. The area was open back up the public at 11:30 a.m.,...

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Family of trampled 49ers fan seeking millions

Relatives of a Sacramento man who was killed after being trampled by a runaway police horse outside Candlestick Park have sued The City and the San Francisco 49ers in what the family’s lawyer said will be a multimillion-dollar case. Eugene Caldwell, 78, was killed Aug. 30, 2008, when a spooked police horse threw off its mounted officer and ran frantically into a crowd gathered outside the stadium to attend a preseason 49ers game. The horse was apparently startled after a plastic bag whipped up by the wind became caught in its bridle. As the animal tried to shake the bag loose, it fell backward and lost its veteran rider before taking off across a parking lot and knocking down...

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Neighborhoods start letter campaign against signs on Fell and Oak

The local backlash is starting to get serious against a proposed set of traffic management signs on Fell and Oak streets. Neighborhood groups from the North of Panhandle and Alamo Square communities have begun a letter-writing campaign, urging Muni to abandon the controversial plan to erect a set of freeway-like message boards on Fell and Oak streets. The signs are part of Muni’s SFgo program, a set of a pilot projects aimed at easing congestion and improving traffic measures throughout The City. However, the folks over at the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association and the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association say that the traffic signs on Fell and Oak do just the opposite...

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Groups get sandy for charity

If you’re strolling down Ocean Beach on Saturday and come across a giant frog with a beaming grin on its face, don’t be alarmed. The happy amphibian is likely the creation of a team of sand-crafting enthusiasts drawn to the beach for the 26th annual Sandcastle Contest, an event sponsored by Leap, a nonprofit organization that supports creative and visual arts programs for schools in the Bay Area. The granular-based concoctions on Ocean Beach will hardly be the result of traditional pail and shovel efforts, with teams — some with as many as 100 participants — getting a 20-by-20 plot to craft their masterpieces, according to Leap Executive Director Julie...

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Stimulus to keep rail plan moving

In a bid to keep the high-speed rail project in California on track, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will submit paperwork today for more than $4.5 billion in federal stimulus funds. Construction of the rail line, which is projected to whisk passengers from downtown San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2 hours 40 minutes, is estimated to cost between $30 billion and $35 billion, according to Rod Diridon, a member of board of directors for the California High-Speed Rail Authority. In order to keep the project moving, the $4.8 billion from the federal government is a key, Diridon said. The federal government is expected to respond to the grant application in the next four to five months, and he...

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Keeping the course up to par

As superintendent of Harding Park Golf Course, Wayne Kappelman can control a lot of things in preparation for The Presidents Cup. He can oversee the reworking of the course’s bunkers and fairways, control the irrigation schedule on the greens, import hundreds of thousands of pieces of sod and carefully design the right mix of flowers so the clubhouse’s welcoming garden has a colorful depiction of The Presidents Cup’s iconic gold trophy. He can and has done all of those things, but there’s still one all-too-important factor beyond his grasp when the PGA Tour event brings 24 of the world’s finest golfers to The City on Tuesday: the weather. Sitting on the...

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SFO bomb threat a dud

A dispute about a ticket at San Francisco International Airport that ended with an Oregon man threatening to blow up a plane has landed him behind bars. Mark Field, 46, was in the midst of a heated argument with attendants from Philippine Airlines when he abruptly threatened to explode a bomb by using his cell phone, according to Sgt. Wesley Matsuura of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Bomb-sniffing dogs were called to the International Terminal around 10 p.m. Tuesday. And after it was determined that Field didn’t possess any possible explosive devices, police arrested him on suspicion of falsely reporting a bomb threat, Matsuura said. Field did not appear to be...

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Cars funneled off Market Street

Market Street was the scene of some minor confusion Tuesday during the first day of new automobile restrictions on the thoroughfare. As part of a six-week pilot program, private automobiles traveling eastbound were forced to take right-hand turns on Eighth and Sixth streets, leaving a long swath of Market Street solely to the domain of transit vehicles, commercial cars, taxicabs and bicyclists on Tuesday. San Francisco police officers and Muni’s parking control officers provided direction at the intersections, and although a few motorists mistakenly stayed straight on Market Street, there were no blatant dismissals of the new rules during the morning commute. “Just like...

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Art center replacing old depot

A crumbling 108-year-old train depot near the Balboa Park station will soon be a place where neighborhood youths can explore their creative side. The Geneva Car Barn and Powerhouse at Geneva and San Jose avenues was once an integral part of the San Mateo Railroad and San Francisco Muni systems, but it has not been used since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and was nearly demolished a decade ago. Now, it’s being eyed as a cultural center for the community, which has the highest percentage of youths in San Francisco yet the lowest percentage of youth services, according to Nicole Avril, who heads the nonprofit organization leading the effort to transform the site. District 11 is...

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One more for the road: Doyle ramps closing

For the fourth and final time, two off-ramps will be closed on Doyle Drive this weekend. The closures will allow construction crews to remove trees in the Presidio as part of the $1 billion project to rebuild the southern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. Construction will close the northbound and southbound off-ramps from Doyle Drive to Highway 1 from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, according to project spokeswoman Molly Graham. Tree removal this weekend will be the final part of the soft-construction phase of the rebuild. The swath of trees, which are mostly sycamores, are being cut down in an area just west of the existing Doyle Drive to clear space for construction...

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Caltrain works to reduce suicides on the tracks

On Aug. 21, a 13-year-old girl stepped onto the Caltrain tracks near the East Meadows Drive crossing in Palo Alto and waited. At 10:45 p.m., she was fatally struck by an oncoming train, becoming the third teenager to commit suicide this year at that crossing. It was an act that refocused attention on the challenges Caltrain faces in keeping despondent individuals from willfully taking their lives on the tracks. Since 2004, there have been 72 deaths on Caltrain tracks. At least 46 have been deemed suicides, according to Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn. Unlike other Bay Area transit agencies like BART and Muni, Caltrain has miles and miles of street-level tracks that are accessible...

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Deficit grows despite higher toll

Raising the toll by $1 on the Golden Gate Bridge was supposed to erase a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, but the deficit has ballooned because of state cuts and fewer drivers crossing the span. The increase last September, which left drivers paying $6 for a cash fare, was supposed to raise $93 million. That would have wiped out the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District’s $91 million, five-year deficit. Instead, the recession has led to fewer vehicle crossings, costing the district an estimated $20 million through five years, according to bridge district spokeswoman Mary Currie. Also, California’s decision to suspend State Transit Assistance funding...

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Niners cornerback Dre’ Bly on giving back to schools

The 49ers cornerback and two-time Pro Bowl selection will team up with Boost Mobile today to announce that the wireless company will donate $5,000 to the Dre’ Bly Foundation, a program set up by the player to help improve physical education programs at city schools. What prompted you to start the Dre’ Bly Foundation? Both my mother and father were teachers, and I majored in physical education, so having a chance to help city schools improve their programs was something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to make a difference ... it’s been a real neat experience. What has been the most rewarding part of the foundation?...

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Pigskin parties greet new season

Thousands of 49ers fans from across the state flooded Candlestick Park on Sunday for the season’s home opener against the Seattle Seahawks, which San Francisco won 23-10. But hours before the throngs of football fans actually entered the stadium, many posted up in the parking lot decked in red, white and gold jerseys for tailgate parties complete with homemade portable bars, smoky barbecues and, in some cases, fancy dinner tables with candles and silverware. Trucks, sport utility vehicles and sedans lined up while fans shared hot dogs and burgers, Bud Lights and Coronas, played music and reminisced about their famed idols, like former quarterback Joe Montana. Since 1971, San...

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BART board approves labor agreements

Almost six months after contract negotiations between BART and its five unions began, transit agency officials on Thursday formally approved contract agreements with two, finally ending a process that at one point reached the brink of a labor strike. By unanimously agreeing to ratify the collective bargaining agreement with two unions — Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3993 — the BART board of directors ensured no strike would take place. The transit agency serves an average of about 340,000 riders each weekday. Less than a month ago, Bay Area commuters were on high alert as contract negotiations...

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49ers star Willis promoting a different type of game

Patrick Willis, 2007 NFL Rookie of the Year and two-time Pro Bowl linebacker, had an interception and 13 tackles in the 49ers’ season- opening win against the Arizona Cardinals. On Tuesday, Willis was at Ubisoft Entertainment in The City to promote one of his other passions: video games. The software company, which has an office on Third Street, and Willis teamed up to announce the release of “Assassin’s Creed II.” How often do you get a chance to play video games during the season? To be honest with you, I try and play every day. It’s a great way to relax and get my mind off football for a bit. I usually get home from work, eat some food, watch a little...

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Community to discuss future of Glen Park

There are big plans underway for Glen Park, and neighborhood residents will be able to hear more about what those plans are next Wednesday. Since 2003, residents have been meeting with city officials to discuss better planning uses http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Glen-Park-boom-clogging-streets-50903612.html for the area, including safer pedestrian crossings, greater transit options to and from the Glen Park BART station, and better traffic-calming control. This spring, the San Francisco Planning Department began an 18-month environmental review of proposed changes to the central area of the Glen Park neighborhood. Planners from the department will meet with neighborhood residents on...

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Celebration for Ingleside Library reopening

A year and a half after it was shut down, the Ingleside Library is scheduled to reopen on Saturday, and it will be welcomed back by an impressive slate of local and state officials. Mayor Gavin Newsom, San Francisco Supervisors Sean Elsbernd and John Avalos, and acting State Librarian Stacey Aldrich will be on hand to celebrate the $7 million renovation of the neighborhood library, which closed its doors for repairs in February 2008. The library is the 11th neighborhood facility to benefit from the $105 million Branch Library Improvement Project, a voter-approved bond measure that passed in 2000. The opening celebration is scheduled to last from noon until 3 p.m. at the library’s...

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Man falls by Muni tracks, later dies

A 58-year-old man died from injuries Tuesday morning shortly after he was discovered lying unresponsive next to Muni train tracks in Noe Valley. The cause of those injuries is still being determined, but according to onboard video retrieved by the Municipal Transportation Agency, San Francisco resident William Nelson exited an S-Castro Shuttle light-rail vehicle near Church and 22nd streets shortly before he was found by a witness. The video shows Nelson disembarking through the rear doors and walking approximately 20 to 30 feet alongside the train. He then appears to fall and is no longer visible, according to the transit agency. Muni spokesman Judson True would not say exactly how...

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Doyle Drive rebuild will also mean future weekend closures

The Doyle Drive seismic rebuild project will feature three-day closures much like the one local commuters experienced last weekend with the Bay Bridge. Provided the project gets the necessary funding (http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/57951057.html), the construction-related closures would take place in 2011 and 2013. They would shut down Doyle Drive, the southern approach to Golden Gate Bridge, in both directions. The bridge would still be accessible through Park Presidio Boulevard, according to the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, one of two lead-agencies on the project. Slated to be finished in 2013, the project would demolish Doyle Drive, built in 1936, and replace it...

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Men more likely to take plunge

Men are more likely than women to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, and almost half of those are men between 25 and 44 years old, according to a new report. Of the 330 confirmed deaths since 1994, more than 80 percent were identified as white people, and nearly 45 percent were between 25 and 44 years old. Most of the deaths — 74 percent — were witnessed by somebody on the bridge. “Tourists, commuters, adults, children and people working on the bridge report seeing over 70 percent of all suicides from the famous span, and that’s just people who speak with authorities,” said Ken Holmes, Marin County coroner. “I suspect the actual number of witnesses is...

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Funding doubts hinder Doyle Drive retrofit

While heavy construction is set to begin in November on the seismic rebuild of Doyle Drive, there are funding uncertainties, including $50 million in requested federal stimulus money that has not been secured. So far, $879 million in state, local and federal funding has been allocated to replace Doyle Drive, the southern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. Planning officials say the project is scheduled to be completely rebuilt by 2013. At least $955 million is needed for the rebuild, however. In addition to the hoped for $50 million federal grant, planning officials are waiting on legislative authorization for another $26 million in federal funding, according to Leroy Saage of the San...

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Construction companies to meet with officials on Doyle Drive rebuild

The $1 billion Doyle Drive rebuild project is moving forward with construction bids on the project. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority, the public planning agency overseeing the massive project, will hold a conference today for construction companies interested in helping to rebuild the aging southern span to the Golden Gate Bridge. Finalized Request for Proposals are due on September 22, according to Authority documents. Preliminary construction on the seismic rebuild has already begun, with the final completion date slated for 2013. This weekend, the southbound ramps that connect Doyle Drive to nearby Highway 1 will be shut down from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., so that...

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Muni boosts performance

Despite budget woes that have forced widespread reevaluation of the system, traveling on Muni is now more reliable than ever. Muni’s fleet of buses, cable cars and light-rail vehicles were on time for 73.3 percent of its scheduled routes during the last fiscal year, a rate that has never been higher for the department. The 73.3 percent on-time performance rates for fiscal year 2008-09 — which runs from July to June — improved upon the 2007-08 mark of 70.6...

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Traffic may be draining economy

The Bay Area’s economy could grow by billions of dollars if infrastructure projects that reduce traffic congestion are put in place, according to a report. The study by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, looked at the ease with which commuters can travel between The City and popular regional destinations such as San Francisco International Airport, Stanford University and the Southland Mall in Hayward. If around $29 billion (in 2005 dollars) were spent adding lane capacity in the next 20 years, the resulting drop in traffic congestion could bring Bay Area businesses annual productivity gains of around $10 billion, according to the study. The improvements could also...

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Traffic officer’s vehicle flips over in tunnel

A parking-control officer was hospitalized and traffic halted for about an hour Thursday afternoon when a city worker’s light-weight vehicle flipped over in The City’s Broadway Tunnel. A female employee with the Department of Parking and Traffic was traveling in a Cushman — the small vehicles driven by parking-control officers — when she lost control and overturned at 10:45 a.m., according to police Sgt. Wilfred Williams. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, he said. The woman was taken to San Francisco General Hospital with injuries not considered life threatening, Williams said. Emergency crews cleared the scene, but eastbound traffic coming into the...

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AT&T Park’s garlic fries stand goes green

When the Giants kick off their season on April 7, one concession stand in AT&T Park will be as green as the grass on the field. Continuing in their attempt to become the “greenest ballpark in the majors,” the Giants announced a slew of new environmental initiatives at their annual media day on Wednesday, beginning with sustainable practices related to the park’s beloved garlic fries. Since last season, the team has completely retrofitted the Gilroy Garlic Fries stand on the promenade level of AT&T Park, making the vendor a paragon of environmental efficiency, according to Giants president Larry Baer. Gas consumption on the fryers has been reduced by 32 percent...

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Taking it to the streets: Clorox organizes ‘Potty Patrol’ march

One company wants to scrub The City clean of its portable-toilet arsonist. The Oakland-based Clorox Co. staged a “Potty Patrol” walk through areas of San Francisco Tuesday to raise awareness about the serial arsonist who has burned 27 portable bathrooms in a crime spree that began in November. The march came after the company offered a $5,000 reward and a year’s supply of cleaning products for tips leading to an arrest. The procession will start at 11 a.m. near a Clorox outhouse on Sansome Street and Pacific Avenue, and will go through locations on The Embarcadero and Broadway before wrapping up at noon. According to Clorox spokesman David Kellis, members of the...

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Task force pushed ahead environmental agenda in Burlingame

Economic incentives to buy solar panels, mandates for constructing environmentally sound buildings and increased development near central transit systems are some of the proposals Burlingame is refining to reduce carbon emissions 15 percent by 2020. The goals are outlined in the city’s Climate Action Plan, created by a task force launched in early 2008 that also works to move Burlingame toward its environmental benchmarks. Among recent successes, the Green Ribbon Task Force recently persuaded the city to drop its $416 fee for residents who wish to install solar panels on their homes. The group also conducts outreach in the community and last year organized a Green Street Fair,...

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Founder talks about School of Rock Music

Paul Green, the founder of the eponymous School of Rock Music, a nationwide program that teaches children to perform classic rock ’n’ roll, has seen his startup expand to a franchise with more than 4,000 students. The school’s San Francisco students will perform tonight with musician Napoleon Murphy Brock, who performed with Frank Zappa, at the ClubHouse Main Room, 414 Mason St., Suite 502. What prompted your decision to create the school? In 1998, I finally gave up on making a career in rock music, and started teaching to put myself through college. I gave music lessons to kids in my living room and liked it so much that I decided to expand. There has been a...

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Man hospitalized after being shot in Tenderloin this morning

A man was hospitalized early this morning after he was shot during an argument in the Tenderloin. The shooting occurred at the 500 block of Leavenworth Street just after 2 a.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. The victim was shot by another man after the two engaged in a verbal confrontation, police said. The suspect fled the scene before police could arrive. The injured man was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital this morning. Police did not have an update on his condition. No arrests have been made and the case is under...

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Art thieves leave mystery behind

In a crime that has left those concerned a bit befuddled, thieves broke into an art gallery in the Mission District sometime between midnight and 3 a.m. Friday morning and stole four paintings created by a somewhat obscure local artist — and didn't lay a finger on anything else. The burglars, or burglar, used a crowbar to pry open a set of large glass double-doors to make the theft at the Michael Rosenthal Art Galley on 365 Valencia Street, according to Wendy Norris, a company spokeswoman. While inside, the thieves took four paintings by Pacifica-based artist Terry Hoff, but the rest of the gallery's art was left behind, Norris said. The four paintings are estimated to have a...

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Expect wet, cold weekend in Bay Area

Bad news for the average nine-to-fiver: The warm, sunny skies that prevailed this week will likely transform into wet and windy weather by the weekend. Sunny skies are forecast today, but clouds and rain are expected to arrive in San Francisco by Saturday afternoon, according to Brian Tentinger of the National Weather Service. Wind gusts of up to 35 mph will accompany the rain, which will likely start around 4 p.m. and last through Saturday, Tentinger said. Temperatures are expected to hover around the mid-50s, with a possibility of reaching the low-60s on Saturday afternoon, he said. Sunday’s forecast doesn’t look much better, with persistent rains and winds expected...

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Clouds, rain, wind in the forecast for the weekend

Bad news for the average nine-to-fiver: The warm, sunny skies that have been radiating in San Francisco this week will likely transform into wet and windy weather conditions by the weekend. While the sun is forecasted to stay out in the clear though Friday, clouds and rain are expected to arrive in San Francisco by Saturday afternoon, according to Brian Tentinger of the National Weather Service. Wind gusts of up to 35 mph will accompany the rain, which will likely start at 4 p.m. and last for the rest of Saturday, Tentinger said. The temperatures are expected to hover around the mid-50s, with a possibility of reaching the low-60s in the afternoon on Saturday, Tentinger...

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Officials asking for public’s help in identifying Lake Merced body

The identity of the man whose body was found floating in Lake Merced on Sunday afternoon has still not been determined, and medical officials are now asking for the public help’s in resolving the mystery. The John Doe is a white male who appeared to be about 50 years of age, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office. He’s described as being 5 feet seven inches tall, weighing 167 pounds with dark brown hair and an undetermined eye color. He had no tattoos or jewelry, and was wearing a green sweatshirt, a red T-shirt, green boxer shorts, and one green dress sock when his body was discovered, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office. He had an identifiable...

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Elevator-shaft death ruled a mishap

The death of an Oakland man whose body was discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft in a San Francisco building in December was ruled an accident by the county medical examiner. Dan Kliman fell to his death after becoming trapped in an elevator at 55 New Montgomery St. that had multiple functioning defects — including the mechanism that controls the opening and closing of the inner door — according to the report by the San Francisco medical examiner. The report quotes a California Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigator who indicated that the inner door latch was malfunctioning at the time — a revelation contradicted by the fact that inspectors...

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Central Subway may travel farther north than planned

With funding and planning on track for the ambitious Central Subway project, the proposal to extend the rails north of Chinatown is gathering steam. The $1.3 billion project cleared a huge hurdle in December when the federal government approved its record of decision on the project. The only planning step that remains is the completion of a final design, which is expected to happen this November. After that, The City is poised to receive more than $750 million from a federal grant program to begin construction on the project in 2010, according to John Funghi, lead planner for the Municipal Transportation Agency’s project. The massive tunnel-boring machine is currently scheduled...

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Woman hospitalized after fall near Golden Gate Park

A 61-year-old woman was hospitalized after tripping and falling near Golden Gate Park this morning. The accident occurred a little before 11 a.m., at the intersection of Park Presidio Boulevard and Fulton Street, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. She said there was a San Francisco Municipal Railway bus nearby but it does not appear the bus or any other vehicle struck the pedestrian. The woman has since been transferred to San Francisco General Hospital with unknown injuries, the fire department...

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Firefighters corral small blaze in Nob Hill

A small electrical fire in Nob Hill was quickly contained by firefighters this morning. The one-alarm blaze was first reported just before 6 a.m. at 1303 Larkin Street, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. By 6:20 a.m., firefighters had controlled the blaze. There were no immediate reports available about how much damage the fire...

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Transbay Terminal project awaits funding from agency

Nearly $13 million in funds for planning and design work on the Transbay Terminal rebuild is slated to be released soon. So far, a total of $338 million has been awarded for the project, which will transform the existing Transbay Terminal on Market and First streets into a state-of-the-art “Grand Central Station of the West.” The transportation hub is expected to house Muni, Caltrain and — if proper funding is secured — high-speed rail services, according to documents. As part of its regular funding cycle for the project, a committee for the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, a tax-allocation agency, will vote today on whether to release $12.8 million...

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Body found in Lake Merced expected to be identified later today

The identity of a man who was found floating lifeless in Lake Merced on Sunday afternoon is expected to be released later today, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office. A kayaker discovered the body at 4 p.m. on Sunday, and although initial reports don’t indicate any signs of trauma, the San Francisco Police Department is considering the death suspicious, Sgt. Lyn Tomioka said. Tomioka said the Medical Examiner is scheduled to perform an autopsy on the body today, although it will likely be some time before the department determines a cause of death. “Until we are informed otherwise by the Medical Examiner’s Office, the death will continued to be...

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Rain should dry up by midnight, temps expected to rise over the week

Today’s drizzly conditions should dry up by later tonight and stay dry for the rest of the week, as temperatures are expected to rise steadily until Saturday in San Francisco, according to the National Weather Service. The rain that has appeared intermittently over the past two days will peter out and dry up completely by midnight, National Weather Service meteorologist Diana Henderson said. The rest of the week’s forecast calls for mostly clear to partly cloudy skies, with temperatures creeping gradually from the mid-50s and lower-60s into the upper 60s by Friday, Henderson said. A weather pattern from the Pacific Northwest is expected to arrive in the Bay Area by Friday...

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Senior left fielder snags Player of the Week award

Zach Kim, a University of San Francisco senior left fielder was recently named Player of the Week in the West Coast Conference after a torrid hitting stretch in which he batted .500 for five games from March 4 to 8. The team plays its first home game of the season Tuesday against Sacramento State. You’ve been hitting really well, but the team has struggled. What’s your evaluation of the season so far? Well, what the team does is all that matters right now. We’ve played a real tough schedule and I think we’re realizing that we can’t compete against top-10 and top-20 teams if we’re making three or four errors a game. As a senior, do you take it upon...

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Parades, races shutting down streets this weekend

Two separate parades and a 12K road race in San Francisco this weekend will result in various street closures and a slew of Muni bus re-routes. On Saturday, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is set to take place at locations on Market Street and the Civic Center Plaza. Thousands of people are expected to attend the festival, which starts at 10 a.m. on Second and Market streets. As a result of the crowds, Market Street between First and Eighth streets will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to around 1:30 p.m., according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Festivities at the Civic Center Plaza are expected to last from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Grove Street being...

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Charitable online auction courts celebrities’ goods

For a recent event, Bay Area celebrities pitched in donated items to be raffled off for charity. But the auction was hardly red-carpet. Instead, the event was hosted on a new Facebook application. The Palo Alto-based social-networking Web site collaborated with San Mateo’s Oodle to launched a new version of Facebook’s Marketplace. The companies hope to convince users to sell unneeded possessions to benefit their favorite charities, according to an Oodle spokeswoman. One of the donors in the celebrity auction was actress Robin Wright Penn, wife of Sean Penn. She gave a signed original script from the movie “The Princess Bride” to benefit the EcoMom Congo...

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Ready for some more football?

Visits to the players during halftime may be one of the perks when a new professional football team starts playing at AT&T Park this fall. The City’s newest football squad will suit up in October for a pair of games at AT&T Park — home of Major League Baseball’s Giants — as part of the inaugural season of the United Football League. The league is a startup being pushed by its backers as a more affordable, fan-friendly alternative to the long-established National Football League. San Francisco is one of four teams competing in the UFL in 2009, along with Orlando, Las Vegas and New York. San Francisco’s team — which will be named by fans in an...

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Man suffers life-threatening injuries after being struck by hit-and-run driver

A man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in the Richmond District last night. The victim, who has not been identified, was found by police officers on the 4000 block of Anza Street just after 10:30 p.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. The injured man was found lying on the ground, right next to the driver’s side door of his car, which was parked on the street, police said. The suspect driving the vehicle involved in the collision fled the scene and no arrests have been made. The case is under investigation, police...

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Mayor Newsom atwitter about social-networking service

Angry about that big pothole in your neighborhood? Don’t worry, Mayor Gavin Newsom is only a “tweet” away. Highlighting his desire to better integrate burgeoning technology with city government, Newsom met publicly Tuesday with Evan Williams and Biz Stone, co-founders of Twitter, the San Francisco-based social-networking company that has been embraced by the mayor. “Using Twitter has already made me a better mayor, and I’m only 3½ weeks into it,” said Newsom, who spoke at Twitter’s headquarters on Bryant Street. “I’m barely scratching the surface, but the technology is limitless and I’ve been able to gain invaluable...

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Sunny, warming weather expected for this week

It’s March, so any thoughts about summer are premature, but the weather for the next week will at least make many San Francisco residents temporarily forget about last month’s soggy conditions. Skies are expected to be clear and sunny, with temperatures gradually rising over the next week, according to meteorologist Brian Tentinger of the National Weather Service. The weekend is looking particularly accommodating, as the weather is supposed to warm up into the upper 60s by Sunday afternoon, according to Tentinger. “We should see a gradual warming trend for the near future,” said Tentinger. “It’s going to be dry for a little while.” Clouds and...

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Coastside cockfighting ring busted

One man was arrested and nearly 100 roosters were euthanized after a cockfighting ring was disrupted in the town of Pescadero on Saturday night. Bradford Magpiong, 53, was charged with 97 counts of violating San Mateo County’s cockfighting rules, one for each bird that was forced to be put down, according to a release by Sgt. Ray Lunny of the county’s Sheriff’s Office. Magpiong owns the home on Cabrillo Highway where approximately 40 men had gathered around a well-lit makeshift arena on Saturday night to take part in the illegal gaming event, Lunny said. After being alerted to the gathering by an anonymous 911 call at the property, sheriff deputies raided the home at...

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Man who ran over Girl Scouts meant to brake

A man who drove his car into five people, including three 6-year-old Girl Scouts selling cookies outside a Burlingame supermarket, has not been arrested, Burlingame police Captain Mike Matteucci said Monday. The man, who has not been identified, mistakenly pressed the accelerator on his car instead of the brake while pulling into a parking space at the Mollie Stone’s market at 1477 Chapin Ave., police said. Instead of pulling into a parking space, the man drove up onto the pedestrian walkway, where he hit the five people. A 6-year-old Girl Scout and her 48-year-old mother remain in serious condition. Two other Girls Scouts, also age 6, were also hit by the car while they sold...

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S.F. man found not guilty of murder charges

A 20-year-old San Francisco man was acquitted Tuesday of first-degree murder in connection with the May 3 shooting death of Ajason Black, 32, in the parking lot of the Buchanan YMCA on Geary Boulevard. Deputy Public Defender Mark Iverson told jurors that Demetrius Hill had no motive to kill Black, police had no physical evidence and that the eyewitnesses had motive to lie in order to cover up for the real shooter. "I find this to be a very satisfying verdict because I believe that Demetrius Hill is innocent," Iverson said. In the hours preceding the shooting, Black was engaged in a heated public argument with a 34-year-old woman. At the trial, the woman testified to watching...

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Muni bus crashes into vehicle in Marina, injures three

A Muni bus crashed into another vehicle in the Marina early this morning, sending three people to the hospital. The accident occurred at about 1:25 a.m., when a 91-Owl bus collided with a car at the intersection of Franklin and Lombard streets, according to Muni spokesman Judson True. Three people were hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries following the crash, said Lt. Mindy Talmadge of the San Francisco Fire Department. The injured were all in the vehicle struck by the Muni bus, Talmadge said. True did not have any information about what caused the accident, saying the police are investigating the crash. The driver of the bus was tested for drugs and alcohol and placed on...

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Sunday Streets garners support from neighborhoods

When The City announced last August that it would shut down The Embarcadero to automobile traffic on a Sunday to open it up for bikers and pedestrians, Pier 39 CEO Bob Macintosh was the voice of opposition representing business owners angered by the decision. Flash forward seven months later — Macintosh, like many other area merchants, is welcoming the Sunday Streets program with open arms. Pending permit approval, The Embarcadero will be closed from AT&T Park to Aquatic Park on April 26, the first of six Sunday Streets events scheduled this year. Macintosh opposed the idea last year because he feared the street closures would drive away much-needed customers, but he’s...

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Explore your backyard with outing to Peninsula preserves

Wading through salt ponds, hiking up mountains with panoramic views, grazing along grassy expanses and — if you’re into this sort of thing — petting banana slugs are all potential adventures in the Peninsula, thanks to a group that puts on free guided tours of the region’s myriad public preserves. Interested patrons can reserve a spot for a getaway to one of the Peninsula’s 26 preserves — which encompass 57,000 acres from Los Gatos to Half Moon Bay — by making a phone call, according to Leigh Ann Maze of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, the public group that organizes the trips. Tours are held weekends and weekdays, and can range...

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San Mateo County residents resist public transportation

As awareness of climate change increases and the faltering economy makes paying volatile gas prices all the more untenable, there’s a push to get commuters out of their vehicles and into public transportation. In suburban Bay Area counties such as San Mateo — where the economy’s effects are not as pronounced and transportation options are sparse — the transition away from autos has been slow and unsteady. In 2006, the most recent year for transportation data, 3 percent of San Mateo residents overall used public transit to travel to destinations both inside and outside the county. That number shrank to 1 percent when applied to movement within the...

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Presidio on the path to self sufficiency

More than a decade of persistent development in the Presidio — largely the conversion of former military buildings into housing and offices for businesses and nonprofits — has put the national park on track to meet a federally mandated goal of financial self-sufficiency by 2013. Congress turned the 1,491-acre federally owned northernmost tip of The City — a former military post — into a public park in 1994, and placed it under the authority of the then-newly formed Presidio Trust. The park’s preservation came with a controversial catch, however: If park administrators failed to pay their own bills by 2012, the park’s buildings would be sold to...

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3-Minute Interview: Jason Henderson

The San Francisco State University professor recently completed “The Politics of Parking,” an examination of the machinations that drive and determine The City’s policies. In your paper, you say that there are three factions with varied goals for parking in The City. You have neoconservative groups who say that the government should require more street parking and more room for cars. Neoliberals think the government should eliminate parking-rate minimums and maximums and let the market determine parking prices and spots. And there are the progressives, who want the government to eliminate parking spots and to actively transform The City into a transit-first area. Is...

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Sunday morning homicide victim identified

The man who was shot and killed in the Outer Mission neighborhood on Sunday morning has been identified my medical authorities. Javier Arroyo, a 59-year-old San Francisco resident, died after being shot at 5300 Mission Street on Sunday. Police found Arroyo lying on the ground suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at 8:30 a.m. He later died in the hospital. No arrests have been made in the killing. Arroyo was the ninth homicide victim in San Francisco this year. In 2008, there were 17 homicides at this time of...

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One arrested, one hospitalized, following shooting in Tenderloin

A man was hospitalized last night with life-threatening injuries after he was shot in the Tenderloin neighborhood by a suspect who was later arrested. The two men were seen engaging in a physical altercation at the corner of Ellis and Jones streets when officers intervened at about 7:50 p.m. on Monday, according to Sgt. Lyn Tomioka of the San Francisco Police Department. By the time police broke up the fracas, they realized that one of the men had been shot, Tomioka said. They arrested the other man, who was found to have a firearm on his possession. His identity has not been released yet. Following the shooting, the victim was walking around and talking to officers, but his health...

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Rain, thunderstorms in the works today

The wet weather that has been a mainstay in San Francisco for the last month will continue for the rest of the week. Showers are likely for the rest of today, with winds blowing up to 20 mph and thunderstorms possible in the afternoon, according to Diana Henderson of the National Weather Service. The rain will keep coming on Wednesday, with temperatures expected to remain in the 50s, Henderson said. Thursday will likely be the nicest day of the week, with only a 10 percent chance or showers forecast, but Friday will probably be wet and windy, Henderson said. The weekend offers a glimmer of hope for residents itching to get outside during their time off from work, with temperatures...

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Injured firefighter recovering at home

The San Francisco firefighter who nearly died while battling a blaze last month is now recovering at his home in San Jose. Christopher Posey, an 11-year veteran with the department, suffered life-threatening injuries after breathing in a noxious combination of smoke and gas during a three-alarm fire at a vacant home in The City’s Portola District on February 5. Last Friday, Posey was released from San Francisco General Hospital and he is currently at his home recovering with his family, according to Tom O’Connor of the San Francisco Firefigthers Union. “He’s at home and he’s doing better,” said O’Connor. “Right now he’s just...

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Weekend rain to keep reservoir levels rising

February’s rain has been a needed boon for local water supplies, which will get more replenishment from expected showers this weekend. So far this month, 6.8 inches of rainfall have been recorded in San Francisco, nearly double the average output of 3.6 inches, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Anderson. Today is likely to be mostly dry, but rain is expected to arrive Saturday afternoon and last through the weekend, Anderson said. Temperatures should reach highs in the 50s to 60s and lows in the 40s, Anderson said. The National Weather Service begins calculating winter rainfall on July 1. Since that time, San Francisco has amassed 14.5 inches of rain,...

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3-minute interview: Alex Gibney delves into depths of corruption

The Oscar-winning director of the documentary “Taxi to the Dark Side,” which details the torture and subsequent death of an innocent Afghani man, will speak today at the University of San Francisco Human Rights Film Festival. What are you hoping that students at the festival take away from “Taxi to the Dark Side”? A sense of outrage, and also a deeper sense of how we allowed the Bush administration to corrupt the American character and the rule of law. How did you become involved in this documentary? Someone approached me about working on a documentary that dealt with abuse in Afghanistan. However, I wasn’t certain about the project until I spoke with my...

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South City ferry project faces further setbacks

An oft-delayed proposal to bring a ferry terminal to South San Francisco — originally scheduled to begin carrying passengers back and forth from the East Bay to the Peninsula last year — has been set back again because the state froze key funding. The $51 million terminal slated for Oyster Point appeared to be on the right track in December, when the San Mateo County Transportation Authority released $15 million in taxpayer revenue for the project, finally making it fully funded after money problems plagued it for years. But the state announced in January that it was indefinitely suspending portions of its Proposition 1B money — funding approved by voters in 2006 for...

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Chaos follows drive-by shooting

A drive-by shooting kills a woman and injures four others. A high-speed chase ensues across the Bay Bridge. A burned-out car is found in Oakland that may be involved in the crime. And though this is not TV, some of the drama may have been caught on tape. The series of dramatic events began with the shooting at 10:20 p.m. Monday night at the corner of Turk and Taylor streets in The City’s Tenderloin neighborhood. Bullets fired from a silver Mercedes sport utility vehicle killed 33-year-old Laticia Hunter, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office and police Sgt. Lyn Tomioka. Four others were sent to San Francisco General Hospital with injuries not considered life...

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Feds seize 20 pounds of opium at mail center

Authorities seized more than 20 pounds of opium at the San Francisco Air Mail Center. While conducting investigations of international cargo in mid-February, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials noticed some irregularities with a series of packages arriving at the center from Thailand, according to Officer Ed Low. The packages were destined for locations throughout Northern California. Upon further inspection, officials found the illegal drug shipments wrapped in plastic and concealed inside false walls of a number of different drum kits, according to Low. Due to the ongoing investigation, Low could not say where specifically the packages were headed and when in February the...

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SoMa latest neighborhood to report scorched toilet

The rash of portable-toilet fires plaguing The City since early November has spread to a third neighborhood. The latest of the 27 blazes occurred at 7:20 p.m. Sunday, when firefighters doused a flaming toilet in the 500 block of Second Street, according to police Sgt. Lyn Tomioka. Sunday’s fire followed two successive flaming-toilet incidents last week in Potrero Hill, both on Kansas Street. Before that, nearly all of the bathrooms had been burned in the northeast portion of The City. The time of the fires has also shifted. Three of the past four were recorded between 4 and 7 p.m. Before that, the fires were noticed almost exclusively during the early morning hours. No witnesses...

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Three wanted in connection with armed robbery in Redwood City

Three suspects accused of robbing a convenient store in Redwood City on Sunday morning are being searched for by law enforcement authorities. The owner of the Carniceria Market in unincorporated Redwood City told authorities that two Hispanic men robbed his store at gunpoint at about 8:40 a.m. on Sunday, according to a release by the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office. After robbing the market, the two men fled in an awaiting car driven by an unknown suspect. A passerby noticed the fleeing car and was able to provide a partial account of the vehicle as it sped away from the scene, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities eventually located the abandoned vehicle near Eighth...

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Oakland Tribune reporter hit by train dies

A longtime reporter with the Oakland Tribune who was struck by a Muni Metro train earlier this month has died from his injuries. Bill Brand, who worked for the Tribune for over two decades, was hit by an N-Judah light rail line near AT&T Park on February 8. After remaining hospitalized for nearly two weeks, Brand, who was 70, passed away this morning, according to a statement released by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic outcome of this accident,” Muni executive director Nathaniel Ford said the in release. “On behalf of the SFMTA, I offer our sincerest condolences to his family and friends.” Brand, a...

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Muni investigating Thursday night bus crash

A Muni bus carrying one passenger careened off the road and crashed into a building last night in the Bayview District. No one was seriously hurt in the crash, and investigators are trying to determine what caused the driver of the 24-Divisadero bus to swerve off the road near Third and Oakdale streets just after 11 p.m. on Thursday, according to Muni spokesman Judson True. The operator of the bus has been placed on non-driving status and was tested for both drugs and alcohol, standard procedures following an accident, True said. Muni inspectors are still evaluating the damage to the bus, True said. One side of the commercial building was significantly damaged. Service on the...

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Transportation dollars halted

The state budget deals a wallop to local transportation agencies — and it’s likely to hit you straight in the pocketbook. Increased fares and service cuts are likely on the horizon for local transit agencies after state funding, which was trimmed back this year, will be axed in 2010. The state budget, which was approved by the Legislature on Thursday, slashed $61 million in funding originally allotted for Bay Area transportation agencies, including a combined $36 million reduction in transit assistance funds for BART and Muni. The news only gets worse for the 2010 fiscal year, when transit assistance funds — which topped $700 million in 2008 — are expected to be...

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Water main bursts in Nob Hill

Gallons of muddy water spilled out onto the streets after a 100-year-old water main burst in Nob Hill early this morning. A six-inch pipe cracked near the intersection of Jones and Bush streets, sending out a deluge of sand, water, and other debris at about 4 a.m., according to Tony Winnicker of the Public Utilities Commission. The silty substance spilled out into the street for about 30 minutes before maintenance workers were able to shut off the service, Winnicker said. About 10 buildings on Jones Street, between Bush and Pine streets, are currently without water because of the burst pipe, Winnicker said. Crews are hoping to restore services by early afternoon, Winnicker said. Cleanup...

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Angry Muni employee halts morning service

A disgruntled Muni worker delayed more than 70 buses for an hour Wednesday morning when she parked her car in front of a vehicle storage facility. Kavai Muao-Harris, who’s worked as a Muni operator for 21 years, blocked the exit at the Woods Division facility in the Dogpatch neighborhood during an hourlong standoff that started at 5:30 a.m. She was upset that a “yard starter” position — which oversees moving buses in and out of storage yards and does not require placement on Muni service routes — was assigned to a worker with less seniority than other eligible employees, according to Muni spokesman Judson True. Muao-Harris, who is also a division chair with...

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Keeping cars off the tracks

When you come to the fork in the road at Duboce Avenue and Noe Street in The City, Muni wants to make sure you know which way to steer your vehicle. It may seem like common sense for autos to stay on the road while light-rail vehicles stick to the tracks, but instances of cars driving into Muni tunnels in the past two years has the Municipal Transportation Agency looking for ways to prevent future mishaps. The most recent incident of a wayward driver occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 11, when an allegedly drunken driver entered the Sunset tunnel. The man, who was not identified, made it about 100 yards down the train-only artery before his Volvo station wagon became stuck,...

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Airport reports delays due to weather

Adverse weather conditions have delayed about half the flights at San Francisco International Airport this morning. Heavy cloud coverage is setting back departing and arriving flights by about 30-60 minutes, according to airport spokesman Michael McCarron. The airport implemented their delay pattern — which cuts arriving flights down from 60 an hour to 30 an hour — at 9 a.m. as a result of the weather, McCarron said. He did not know how long the delays would...

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Officer’s fast response saves toddler

A 14-month-old toddler is recovering after a dramatic rescue by a veteran police officer. The child, Eric, was in the care of his grandmother when he lost consciousness Friday afternoon, said Sgt. Steve Quon of the Taraval Police Station. Officer Sam Martin, a 28-year-old veteran with the San Francisco Police Department, raced to the residence, in the 2500 block of 47th Avenue, about 7:45 a.m. Friday. It was only three minutes after a frantic call from the infant’s grandmother, who spoke limited English, Quon said. When Martin arrived, the child’s cheeks and feet were blue and he did not show signs of breathing. Martin administered CPR and called an ambulance. Five minutes...

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Storms drop 4 inches of rain, contributed to 702 accidents

A recent spate of nasty weather that contributed to slick roads, residential power outages, delayed flights and plenty of drenched San Francisco residents should be in the rearview mirror. Since Wednesday, downtown San Francisco has recorded 4 inches of rainfall and temperatures have hovered in the low 50s, according to Brian Tentinger of the National Weather Service. The heavy rain and subsequent high winds were partially to blame for the 702 recorded traffic accidents in the Bay Area on Saturday and Sunday, said Trent Cross of the California Highway Patrol. On Monday, a multivehicle accident shut down all but one lane on northbound Interstate 280 for more than an hour during the...

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Weather causes power outages in City, Peninsula

The inclement weather conditions knocked out power for more than 4,000 customers in San Francisco and the Peninsula Monday morning, including almost 2,500 homes in Foster City alone. As of about 2 p.m., about 1,281 homes throughout the Bay Area remained without power, according to PG&E, including 100 to 200 on the Peninsula and about 300 in San Francisco, 300 in the East Bay and fewer than 100 in the South Bay. An underground equipment failure — likely caused by the rain and wind — knocked out power to large swaths of Foster City just after midnight Monday morning, according to Kristin Inman, spokeswoman for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. In San Francisco, 1109...

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One hospitalized, one arrested in Chinatown shooting

A man was arrested in connection with a shooting in Chinatown early Monday that left another man hospitalized. The incident occurred about 1:30 a.m. near the intersection of Jackson Street and Grant Avenue, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, and was in stable condition, police said Monday morning. The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was apprehended soon afterward and remains in custody, police said. The number of nonfatal shooting victims in San Francisco decreased in 2008, according to data from Jan. 1 to Oct. 18 of that year and from the same period in 2007,...

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Multi-vehicle accident closes lanes in San Bruno

A multi-vehicle accident in San Bruno closed down all but one lane on Interstate-280 for an hour this morning. The accident happened at around 6:30 a.m. and involved at least two different cars, according to Officer Ralph Caggiano of the California Highway Patrol. One person suffered unknown injuries in the pileup, which occurred on northbound Interstate-280 just south of Interstate-380, Caggiano said. The crash closed all but the far-right lane on the highway until 7:30 a.m., when tow-trucks cleared the scene. CHP crews are investigating what caused the multi-vehicle crash. Caggiano said traffic did not appear to be backed up too severely, as many Bay Area commuters were at home because...

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Dangerous roadway on the map for fixes

Masonic Avenue, a busy boulevard that advocates say is riddled by speeding vehicles, dangerous conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists, and slow Muni service, could be in line for an extensive upgrade. A combination of rolling hills and confusing lane arrangements on a nearly one-mile stretch of Masonic Avenue from Geary Boulevard to Fell Street encourages drivers to regularly exceed the 25 mph limit, said Mark Christianson, founder of Fix Masonic, a neighborhood group. That stretch is the 10th-worst in The City for bicycle collisions and the intersection at Turk Street and Masonic Avenue is the fifth worst in San Francisco for motorists running red lights, according to the Municipal...

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Gag order remains for murder trial of former BART officer

An Alameda County Superior Court judge dismissed a motion on Friday to drop a gag-order in the murder trial of Johannes Mehserle, the former BART officer accused of killing an unarmed man at the Fruitvale train station on New Year's Day. Mehserle's attorney, Michael Rains, filed the motion, arguing that media reports covering the case painted an unfair picture of Mehserle and the gag order prevented him from defending his client in the public. Judge Morris Jacobson, who enacted the gag-order after Rains faxed a copy of Mehserle's bail motion to a local newspaper, countered that claim, saying continued talks with media outlets would present a danger to potential witnesses and would...

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Public demands BART officials lose their posts

A defiant collection of politicians, community organizers and local residents continued to demand that someone lose their job due to BART’s handling of the New Year’s Day shooting of an unarmed passenger. In a tense board of directors meeting Thursday, an overflow crowd demanded that BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger and police Chief Gary Gee step down because of their response to the shooting death of Oscar Grant III, 22, at the Fruitvale station. Oakland City Councilwoman Desley Brooks was one of the more vocal speakers. Along with the resignations of Gee and Dugger, she also asked for criminal charges to be pressed against BART police Officer Tony Pirone, who was...

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Caught in the static: making the digital switch

If Bay Area television stations were to switch to solely digital broadcasts this month, an estimated 100,000 households would be left without working TV sets, according to data released Feb. 1 by the Nielsen Co. Ranked No. 26 for digital readiness on Nielsen’s list of the top 56 markets, the numbers show that Bay Area households don’t know about, don’t care about or can’t afford the federal government’s plan to switch off all analog TV signals this year. Approved by Congress in 2005, the conversion to high-tech digital service was originally supposed to take place Tuesday. In January, however, President Barack Obama urged Congress to postpone the switch,...

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Drivers on the road less, but gas prices still rising

Despite a lack of demand from drivers, gas prices in San Francisco are creeping back up, according to a new study by AAA. Gas prices jumped to an average of $2.23 a gallon in San Francisco for February, a .19 cents-increase since last month, said Matt Skryja of AAA. Penny-pinching drivers can blame a familiar trend for the rising gas prices — the economy. According to Skryja, oil refineries have cut back on gasoline production because of the middling economy, meaning prices at the pump will continue to rise, even though oil has topped off at $40 a barrel in recent weeks. Californians are particularly feeling the hurt of that phenomenon, as state prices in February are exactly .30...

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Ownership issue plagues airline

Virgin America is flying through some unfriendly skies. A rival airline is demanding an investigation into whether the company should be allowed to operate within the United States. Using San Francisco International Airport as its main hub and focusing on low-cost travel, Virgin has been a boon to the region since it began operating daily in August 2007, according to Dennis Conaghan of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. The carrier, which employs 1,500 people in the Bay Area, made local headlines when it announced in 2004 that it would base its operations in Burlingame. Conaghan was among a group of local businessmen who worked hard to woo the company to the region. The airline is...

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Firefighter with burn injuries out of hospital

The San Francisco firefighter who suffered various burn injuries while battling a blaze in a vacant residence in the Portola district last week was released from the hospital on Monday. Lt. James App, an eight-year veteran with the department, suffered first, second, and third-degree burns after a roof collapsed on a burning home at 627 Felton Street on Feb. 5. App recorded burns on his face, ear, neck, back, arms, and a leg, but left St. Francis Hospital Monday in good condition, according to Lt. Mindy Talmadge of the San Francisco Fire Department. Firefighter/paramedic Christopher Posey was also seriously injured in the blaze, suffering severe inhalation injuries from breathing in...

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Porta-Pottie in North Beach is victim 22

Another day, another burned Porta-Pottie. According to the San Francisco Police Department, a portable toilet was scorched to the ground in North Beach on Sunday night, the 22nd time since November that a bathroom was lit aflame in San Francisco. Firefighters found the toilet already burning at about 6:45 p.m. on the 700 block of Chestnut Street, according to police. It was the first bathroom fire in The City since Feb. 2, when a toilet went up in flames at the 2000 block of Broadway Street. Almost all of the fires have happened in the Russian Hill, North Beach and Marina neighborhoods. Sunday’s fire occurred in the early evening, making it slightly different from most of the...

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Firefighters from Portola blaze remain hospitalized

The San Francisco firefighters injured in a Thursday morning fire in the Portola district remained hospitalized today, including one who is fighting for his life with severe inhalation injuries at the Intensive Care Unit in San Francisco General Hospital. Firefighter and paramedic Christopher Posey, an 11-year veteran with the department, inhaled dangerous levels of super-heated gas while battling a blaze that destroyed a vacant two-story home on 627 Felton Street. He was in critical but stable condition on Thursday, according to James Lambrechts, his battalion chief. Lambrechts, described Posey as a “well-liked, skilled firefighter, and a dedicated father and husband.” The...

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Critically injured firefighter described as family man

The San Francisco firefighter critically injured while fighting a blaze in the Portola district Thursday morning was described by his superior as a “well-liked, skilled firefighter, and a dedicated father and husband.” The firefighter, identified as Chris Posey, is at San Francisco General Hospital with severe respiratory injuries after inhaling a noxious combination of gas and smoke. The injuries occurred while Posey, an 11-year veteran of the Fire Department, responded to a three-alarm blaze that quickly destroyed a vacant, two-story residence at 627 Felton St., according to Battalion Chief James Lambrechts. The roof of the home caved in almost immediately after...

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Thriving biotech insulates South City from recession

As the economic recession continues to digs its claws into the country, belt-tightening and downsizing are becoming increasingly familiar in the public lexicon. Terms like expansion and development, on the other hand, are rarely heard — except in the case of South San Francisco, the sleepy Peninsula city that has thrived recently. Earlier this month, the City Council gave the green light to a nine-story, 292,000-square-foot research and development center that will replace two 40-year-old buildings on East Grand Avenue. The center, which is being managed by Alexandria Real Estate Inc., a group with an extensive background in the biotech industry, will be erected as soon as a...

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Mother, son arrested for armed robbery in Redwood City

A 34-year-old woman and her teenage son were arrested early this morning after allegedly robbing a convenient store of alcohol, cigarettes and cash in Redwood City. At 3 a.m. on Wednesday, officers responding to an armed robbery alarm at a Quik Stop Market in unincorporated Redwood City pulled over a vehicle near the scene driven by Darlene Barnes, according to Lt. Ray Lunny of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. During the traffic stop, Barnes’ son, 18-year-old Darrell Reed, and another unknown male opened the doors and fled on foot. Barnes was tracked down and arrested by officers after a short chase, Lunny said. He was later positively identified by the store clerk who...

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Errant balloon cause power outage in Hunters Point

A wayward Mylar balloon got wrapped up in power lines early this morning, causing a outage that has left 408 people without electricity in Bayview/Hunters Point. The incident was first reported at 3 a.m., according to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. spokesman J.D. Guidi. Crews are at the scene working on fixing the problem now, and power should be restored by 9:30 a.m., Guidi said.

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Investigators still trying to figure out what caused BART collision

The tracks are clear and service should be running smoothly this morning at 12th Street Station in Oakland, a day after 13 people were injured when two BART trains collided with each other, but safety officials are still in the dark about what caused the accident. The accident occurred at 3 p.m. on Tuesday when a train heading into the 12th Street station derailed and collided with a train following it. Both trains were travelling at very low speeds, so the collision was minor, and there were no serious injuries, BART spokesman Linton Johnson said. Usually trains entering the 12th Street station are on automatic piloting, which would normally prevent accidents, but one of the trains...

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Gang member first convicted under city’s injunction policy

A 22-year-old gang member with a violent criminal background became the first person convicted by the District Attorney’s Office for violating The City’s controversial injunction. Henry Hernandez, a member of the Nortenos, was arrested Dec. 19 for congregating at the intersection of 24th and York streets, an area off-limits to gang members due to the injunction. On Monday, Hernandez was convicted after a two-week trial, and faces up to six months in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 23. Starting in 2006, City Attorney Dennis Herrera established gang injunctions in the Western Addition, Bayview-Hunters Point and Mission neighborhoods to create safety zones in...

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Free meal draws crowds to Denny’s

Josh Rotter didn’t waste much time after news broke that Denny’s would be offering a free Grand Slam breakfast on Tuesday. Immediately mapping out a route that would carry him throughout San Francisco, the 23-year-old Rotter made plans to hit up at least three different Denny’s restaurants before the free fixings expired at 2 p.m. “First we’re doing SoMa, then Japantown, then Fisherman’s Wharf,” said Rotter, who was waiting in line outside of the Denny’s at Fourth and Mission streets Tuesday morning. “You have the time to plan something out like this when you don’t have a job.” Rotter had already been waiting for 20...

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After 10-day hiatus, portable-toilet arsonist is back

After a 10-day span in which not a single portable toilet fell victim to flames, the serial arsonist who has been running amok in San Francisco struck again early Sunday morning, burning down another mobile bathroom—the 21st such incident since the bizarre crime spree began in November. At 3:50 a.m. on the 2000 block of Broadway Street on Sunday, firefighter doused off the singed remains of a portable toilet, according to San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Lyn Tomioka. The bathroom blaze was the first reported since January 22, when the arsonist lit a lavatory on fire in the middle of the afternoon at Marina Boulevard and Scott Street. That incident was a brazen...

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School bus involved in crash near Hunters Point

A school bus carrying two children was involved in a traffic collision this morning near Hunters Point. No one was injured in the crash, which happened at 6:49 a.m. at the intersection of Quesada Avenue and Ingalls Street, but both vehicles involved suffered property damage, according to the California Highway Patrol. Details of how the accident occurred were unavailable. The accident scene was cleared by 7:15 a.m., CHP officials said.

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Golden Gate Bridge board to see new members

As if helping to juggle a city deficit projected at $460 million wasn’t enough of a headache, four members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors will soon join the board of the Golden Gate Bridge District — an entity that frequently has to deal with its own financial problems. Despite the added responsibility, The City supervisors likely to join the bridge board are embracing the chance to help shape the direction of San Francisco’s most iconic landmark. “This is a great opportunity to engage with other elected officials and public citizens,” said Bevan Dufty, the only one of four city supervisors returning to the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and...

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New face at the helm of the Transportation Authority

San Francisco political moderate Supervisor Bevan Dufty will chair the Transportation Authority, the local transportation funding entity that has frequently butted heads with the larger Municipal Transportation Agency. Dufty, the incumbent vice-chair of the TA, was voted into the chief position by a 6-5 vote over fellow supervisor Chris Daly, a more progressive member of the Board of Supervisors. The TA is the lead planning agency on several long-term projects in San Francisco, including the Doyle Drive rebuild, new Bus Rapid Transit plans for Van Ness Avenue and Geary Boulevard, and the proposal to charge motorists fees as a way to combat traffic congestion. However, the...

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Yale student reaches settlement with attackers in Baker’s Dozen case

A Yale University student who was beaten after singing at a New Year’s Eve party two years ago reached a settlement with his attackers in the incident on Thursday. Sharyar Aziz, Jr., then an 18-year-old freshman at Yale, had his jaw broken in two places after being assaulted by a host of attackers outside a party in the Richmond District just before January 1, 2007. Aziz was singing in an a cappella group called the Baker’s Dozen. Thursday’s settlement was confirmed by the lawyers of the four attackers involved in the Aziz case — brothers Richard, James, and Michael Aicardi, and Brian Dwyer, all of whom were between 19 and 20 years old at the time of the attack. A...

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Light rail service down on Third Street

Service on the Muni Metro line that connects the Financial District to Bayview/Hunters Point has been disrupted because of a problem with some overhead wires. The T-Third Street light rail line has been replaced with busses between Fourth and King streets and Third Street and Sunnydale Boulevard, according to Judson True, spokesman for the Municipal Transportation Agency. The problem was first reported at 9:36 a.m., True said. There was no information available about when service on the line will return to normal. Riders that normally travel on the T-Third line should be advised that busses can be boarded from roadside curbs, True said. No other light rail service on the Muni system has...

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Man suffers life-threatening injuries in Tenderloin stabbing

A man suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed in the Tenderloin on Wednesday night. The victim, an Asian male, was attacked by a black male just after 7 p.m. on the 300 block of Eddy Street, according to the San Francisco Police Department. No arrests have been made and the case in under investigation, police said. Police did not have an update on the condition of the stabbing victim.

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Captain’s quick thinking prevented major damage

The captain in command of the 741-foot oil tanker that temporarily lost power on Tuesday night near the Golden Gate Bridge “responded in a textbook manner,” to prevent the massive vessel from running aground on the Marin County shoreline, according to the president of the San Francisco Pilots Association. The Overseas Cleliamar, bound for Ecuador from San Francisco, lost control of its propulsion and steering ability, but Captain Dave McCloy responded quickly by deploying the ship’s starboard anchor, said Peter McIsaac. McCloy’s quick-thinking prevented injuries, damage to the hull, and environmental degradation, McIsaac said. Although the Overseas Cleliamar...

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Goodwill seeks help from public

For many, Goodwill is an underground shopping mecca, where patrons can purchase secondhand clothing, accessories and household needs, sometimes for no more than the price of one of those coffee-shop lattes. What some shoppers may not realize is that the venerable nonprofit institution also boasts an array of job training programs — 12 alone in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties — that provide valuable work skills for low-income residents. However, like countless other companies dealing with the dwindling economy, Goodwill is struggling to stay afloat financially, and as a way to help balance its budget, the organization is asking its loyal Bay Area patrons to help...

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No sign of leak from oil tanker that lost power

Clogged fuel lines caused an empty 741-foot petroleum tanker to lose power for 10 minutes outside the Golden Gate Tuesday, where it risked crashing into the rocky shoreline, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Overseas Cleliamar had unloaded its cargo of fuel in Martinez earlier Tuesday and had sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge – with enough fuel in tanks to reach its destination in Ecuador – when it lost control of its propulsion system, rudder and a generator at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday. The vessel regained power about 10 minutes after its initial distress call. Several tugboats and the U.S. Coast Guard escorted the boat safely back into the Bay, where it docked at Anchorage...

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Three-car crash sends one to hospital

A three-car crash sent one person to the hospital and closed a lane on Interstate 280 in San Francisco for about an hour this morning. The multi-vehicle pileup occurred at 8:04 a.m. on northbound I-280 near Geneva Avenue, according to Officer Peter Van Eckhardt of the California Highway Patrol. One passenger, an 18-year-old female, was transported to a nearby medical center, although her injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, Van Eckhardt said. The crash was likely caused by one car rear-ending the other, Van Eckhardt said. The far right lane on northbound I-280 was closed until about 9 a.m. CHP officials said. There was some traffic congestion because of the accident, but the...

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Chihuahua pup stolen from shelter

In a crime that would melt the heart of any pet lover, a 2-pound Chihuahua puppy was stolen Friday afternoon from a San Francisco animal shelter, just a day before it was scheduled to go up for adoption. The 3-month-old dog, which sports a distinctive golden brindle color with white markings, was taken sometime between 4 and 4:30 p.m. from a locked area of the Animal Care and Control shelter at 1200 15th St., said agency spokeswoman Deb Campbell. Video surveillance captured two men believed to be suspects in the kidnapping, she said. The suspects were the only people who entered the room where the puppy was staying, Campbell said. “They were not staff members, so we’re...

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Burglars hit quiet neighborhoods

A recent deluge of burglaries highlighted by thieves gaining access into homes through sliding doors and windows, has police urging residents living in normally quiet neighborhoods in the southwestern part of The City to be wary of any potential criminal behavior. At least seven homes—all detached single-family structures with backyards—have been burglarized in the past several weeks in the West Portal, St. Francis Wood, and Lakeside communities, according to Sgt. Steve Quon of the Taraval Police Station. In the cases, the burglars appeared to have walked to the back of the homes through an adjoining neighbor’s yard before proceeding to break-in via a window or a sliding...

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Identity of pedestrian struck in Sunset District released

The 81-year-old woman who was fatally struck by a vehicle in the Sunset District yesterday has been identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office. Yee-Fung Poon, a San Francisco resident, was killed after being hit by a Toyota Corolla while crossing Sunset Boulevard at Santiago Street, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Poon was transferred to the San Francisco General Hospital, where she died from her injuries. The drive did not appear to be speeding or intoxicated, police...

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Power outage hits San Francisco neighborhoods

About 4,400 Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers were left without power for over an hour in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury, Twin Peaks and Sunset neighborhoods on Friday afternoon. Equipment failure first reported at 12:19 p.m. caused the outage, which only affected electrical usage, according to PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian. Workers were able to fix the problem and restore power at 1:30 p.m., Sarkissian...

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BART experiences 15-minute delays

Morning commuters travelling on BART experienced about 15-minute delays between San Francisco and Oakland due to a trackway problem earlier Friday morning. Two separate incidents with the system’s trackway switches, one occurring between the Montgomery and Embarcadero stations, the other at West Oakland station, caused the initial setbacks, according to BART’s central command center. Workers have fixed the problem, but passengers are still experiencing residual delays between Montgomery station and West Oakland station, BART said. The trains were back on schedule at about 11:30 a.m. wreisman@sfexaminer.com Bay City News contributed to this report....

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Riders will pay for BART budget deficit

BART’s budget deficit is likely to cost you. Fare increases of as much as 10 percent and higher fees at parking lots are a few of the options BART’s board of directors are considering, as the agency copes with a projected $90 million budget deficit during the next two years. Officials met Thursday in Oakland to hear ideas on how to make up the deficit, which is largely attributed to the struggling economy. No decisions were made, though, and the transit agency won’t consider specific measures until at least next month. A significant portion of BART’s funding comes from local sales tax, which has dipped during the recession, and from state transportation funds,...

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Widower seeks dedication for late comedian

Gail Simon, the widower of comedian Jose Simon — founder of San Francisco’s annual free Comedy Day — is working on gathering public support to have a park bench named after her husband, who died in 2008. Simon, a Bay Area native, has continued her late husband’s philanthropic work, with her latest project being an autism benefit concert at the Warfield on Jan. 24 How is the petition going to get a park bench named after Jose? Well, we’ve already gathered 1,000 signatures, including names like Robin Williams and Joel Selvin. Unfortunately, when we talked with [former Supervisor] Tom Ammiano, he said it wasn’t a good time financially for The City to give...

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Police release description of suspect in triple-shooting

Police have released a description of the woman who was driving a vehicle involved in a triple-shooting in Brisbane early Monday morning. Brisbane authorities said an Asian female, aged 20-25 years old with a small to medium build was behind the wheel of a white Toyota Corolla when one of the occupants of the vehicle opened fire and injured three men travelling in a Honda Accord on Highway 101, just south of the San Francisco city line. The driver has light skin tone and blonde hair that was tapered to one side, with the longer tresses coming down to her right shoulder, according to the Brisbane Police Department. The police said at least two occupants were travelling with the female...

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Man arrested after trying to light cop car on fire

A San Francisco man a has greater understanding of the phrase, “when you play with fire, you get burned,” after he was arrested early Wednesday morning in the Sunset District for trying to light a police car on fire. Mark Buza, 42, applied some type of flame accelerant and lit the tires of a parked patrol vehicle near the intersection of 24th Avenue and Santiago Street at 3:15 a.m., according to Sgt. Lyn Tomioka of the San Francisco Police Department. When an officer from the nearby Taraval Police Station noticed an orange glow emanating from the tires he approached Buza, who immediately fled from the scene on foot, Tomioka said. Officers formed a security perimeter and...

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Obama signs temporarily replace Bush signs

When Barack Obama was sworn in Tuesday morning as the nation’s first black president, his vision of change for the country was culminated in dramatic fashion. That message rang particularly clear in San Francisco in more ways than one, starting with a literal change on The City’s streets made by a vandal. Signs marking Bush Street, which happens to be the surname of the country’s former president, was temporarily marked over with the last name of the president that would soon succeed him, Obama. The freshly minted Obama signs, which covered both sides of the structures featured the same font and print as the pre-existing Bush Street signs. Cars passing through the...

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Two hurt in early-morning fire in Diamond Heights

Two people were injured in an early-morning fire in The City’s Diamond Heights neighborhood. A one-alarm fire erupted at a two-story residence at 328 Gold Mine Drive at about 5:50 a.m., according to the San Francisco Fire Department. The two victims were transported to a nearby medical center with undisclosed injuries, the fire department said. The fire was contained by 6:40 a.m., the department said. No other information about the blaze was available. Earlier in the morning, firefighter evacuated residents of a senior center at 1000 Sutter Street, after smoke was reported in the building at 3:50 a.m. Officials at the scene did not detect any signs of fire, and everyone was let...

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Say goodbye to sunny skies, warm temps

After a week of clear skies and warm temperatures, San Franciscans could wake up to a colder and more cloudy city Wednesday morning. Clouds are expected to roll in to San Francisco and temperatures are likely to drop down to the 50s and 60s — weather conditions more customary for The City in January, according to Steve Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Although there is a large front moving into the Bay Area, rainy conditions could split north to Oregon and south to Los Angeles, leaving San Francisco with only a 20 percent chance for showers for the latter part of this week, Anderson said. While The City may miss out on the precipitation, the forecast...

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Three injured in road rage shooting

Early morning gunfire on U.S. Highway 101 in Brisbane sent three men to the hospital Monday. The three men were traveling south with one other passenger in a gray Honda Accord at 2:30 a.m., when they became engaged in a confrontation with an unknown number of people in a white Toyota Corolla near Duboce Avenue in San Francisco, according to Sgt. Bob Meisner of the Brisbane Police Department. The two vehicles continued to engage with each other until the Tunnel Avenue exit in Brisbane, at which time the occupants of the Corolla pulled up alongside the Accord and opened fire, hitting the three men with at least six rounds of ammunition, possibly from a 9mm handgun, Meisner said. The...

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Woman hit by bullet in Pacific Heights

A woman was hospitalized after being shot in the shoulder while in a car in Pacific Heights on Sunday night. The victim was a passenger in a vehicle with two males when gunshots were heard at about 11:45 p.m. near the intersection of Sacramento and Laguna streets, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Moments later, the female realized she had been shot in the shoulder, police said. She was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made and the case is under investigation.

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San Francisco events celebrate historic day

San Francisco — a city that revels in its political preoccupation — has events aplenty to view and celebrate the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama: from early-morning live simulcasts to late-night club events and benefits. Chantel Williams, assistant general manager at Castagnola’s, a restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf, said she decided to open the establishment early so that viewers could watch a live telecast of the Obama inauguration. “We’re usually never open for breakfast,” said Williams. “But we knew how historic the day would be.” Free tickets for a live screening at The San Francisco Public Library have...

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Bomb scare at home of BART officer's family

An immediate family member of the BART police officer accused of murder fled his Napa County home on Wednesday afternoon after seeing two suspicious packages on his doorway. The Napa Sheriff’s Department’s bomb disposal team sent a robot to inspect the packages and a detonating device to render them safe, Commander Andy Lewis said. The packages were deemed to be neither hazardous nor explosive, although Lewis would not discuss what contents were inside. No information was available about the size and weight of the packages. Lewis could not give further detail on the relationship of the man to former BART officer Johannes Mehserle, other than to say he was an “immediate...

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18 arrested during riots in Oakland last night

Eighteen people were arrested last night, including one woman for assault with a deadly weapon, during a protest and ensuing riot in Oakland, spurred on by the killing of an unarmed man by a BART police officer. A peaceful march was planned for 4 p.m. at the Oakland City Hall to protest the killing of 22-year-old Oscar Grant, who was fatally shot by Johannes Mehserle at the Fruitvale BART station on New Year’s Day. During the march, police arrested two people who had Molotov cocktails in their backpacks, and one woman who assaulted someone with a deadly weapon, according to Officer Jeff Thomason of the Oakland Police Department. Thomason did not say how the officers knew the two...

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Man fatally stabbed by attacker in wheelchair

A man was fatally stabbed Wednesday in the Tenderloin by a wheelchair-bound attacker who fled the scene on foot and was later arrested. An altercation between the two men broke out about 5:25 p.m. in the 100 block of Jones Street, according to the Police Department. After the fight, the victim, a black man whose identity has not been released, walked into a nearby residential hotel and announced that he had been stabbed, police said. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died later. According to Tenderloin Police Station Capt. Gary Jimenez, officers initially had no leads, but after viewing nearby private security cameras they were able to capture images of the...

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South City ferry moving forward

A long-awaited plan to build a $51 million ferry terminal in South San Francisco that would connect commuters from the East Bay to the Peninsula’s bustling biotech industry is expected to clear a major planning hurdle today. With funding for the project said to be secure, the Oyster Point Marina Ferry Terminal must now be approved by the region’s shoreline development agency, which will hold a public hearing and possibly vote on the matter. The Bay Conservation and Development Commission will review the project’s impact on nearby wetlands and wildlife, along with the terminal’s public-access points and structural sufficiency, but debate on those issues is likely...

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Porta-pottie arsonist strikes again

San Francisco’s most bizarre crime streak continued early this morning, when a portable toilet was set ablaze in Russian Hill, marking at least the 18th time in the last three months that a mobile bathroom has been burnt to the ground in the neighborhood. For their latest caper, the serial arsonist burned a portable toilet — commonly called a porta-pottie — on Washington Street between Jones and Taylor streets at about 4 a.m., according to the San Francisco Fire Department. Crews arriving on the scene doused the flames immediately, and nothing was damaged and no one was hurt, the fire department said. No one has caught a glimpse of the arsonist yet, who has burned the...

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Carbon monoxide levels ‘off the charts’ in fatal incident

Carbon-monoxide levels were “off the charts” at the Tenderloin apartment building where an elderly man died Monday and eight others were injured by fumes released from a leaky water boiler, officials said. Normal levels of carbon monoxide are 25 parts per billion. The readings at 816 Geary St. were as high as 900 parts per billion, Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Mindy Talmadge said Tuesday. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and potentially toxic gas. Building resident Eddy Choy-Santos, 78, died and eight others reported injuries — including one sent to a hospital in critical condition — from the fumes, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office and...

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PG&E working to repair gas leak in SoMa

Construction crews from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company are working to repair a gas leak in the SoMa District that briefly caused a building to evacuate and has left at least 15 people without gas services. The problem was first reported at 6:30 a.m., when a resident near Folsom and Fremont streets called PG&E to alert them that his gas was not working properly, according to company spokesman Joe Molica. Construction crews sent to the scene detected a leak below the surface of Folsom and Fremont streets, and shut down the intersection to dig up and isolate the affected main, Molica said. A nearby two-story building was evacuated as a safety precaution, but the residents were...

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Resident dead from carbon monoxide poisoning identified

The 78-year-old man who died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a Tenderloin apartment building on Monday night has been identified by medical officials. Eddy Choy-Santos died and eight other people suffered injuries—including one sent to the hospital in critical condition—after noxious fumes were released from a leaky water boiler at 816 Geary Street, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office and the San Francisco Fire Department. In total, 50 people were evacuated from the five-story building for over four hours, with hazardous material workers clearing out the scene from 7:45 p.m. to just before midnight, according to fire department spokeswoman Lt. Mindy...

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Market Street plan picks up speed

The oft-mentioned proposal to ban automobiles on Market Street is again being considered. Unlike past efforts, however, advocates for the latest plan say they have a wide swath of support for the controversial measure. At the behest of Supervisor Chris Daly, who suggested the idea last summer following the orchestrated closures on The Embarcadero backed by his main political adversary, Mayor Gavin Newsom, local planners are studying the possibilities for restricting private vehicles from The City’s historic main thoroughfare. The idea has been posed by politicians before, most famously from former Mayor Willie Brown, as a way to speed up public transit and improve safety on the...

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Porta-potty arsonist strikes again

Call it the “Curious Case of the Bathroom Burner.” While he or she is unlikely to be portrayed by Brad Pitt in a blockbuster movie anytime soon, the mysterious arsonist that continues to light portable toilets on fire in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood has grabbed the attention of some bewildered law enforcement officials. Early Friday morning, the arsonist — dubbed the "Loo Lighter" and "Toilet Torcher" by various media outlets — struck again, lighting up a portable toilet on the corner of Gough and Union streets, the 17th time since November that an outhouse has gone down in flames in the Northeast section of San...

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Local NAACP wants investigation in BART shooting

The Oakland Police began an investigation into the death of Oscar Grant Thursday, the third Bay Area agency to look into what happened the night the unarmed 22-year-old black man was shot by a BART police officer. Despite the confluence of investigations, the National Advancement for the Association of Colored People has called for scrutiny from state or federal investigator, saying that local inspectors cannot be trusted in the case that has taken on strong racial implications. Grant was killed on New Year's Day by Johannes Mehserle, a second-year BART police officer who is white. Amateur videotape and eyewitness accounts revealed that the Grant, who was pulled off the train for...

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40-minute delays on BART in East Bay

Passengers travelling on BART’s Pittsburg/Bay Point line are experiencing 40-minute delays in both directions this morning due to a disabled train in the East Bay. The train broke down between BART’s Lafayette and Walnut Creek stations at 6:57 a.m., according to district spokesman Jim Allison. Because of the breakdown, BART trains were forced to travel on a single track between the two stations, Allison said. The 40-minute delays were confined to passengers travelling between Lafayette and Walnut Creek, but residual setbacks have resulted in 15-minute delays on trains going from Orinda to the San Francisco International Airport, Allison said. Crews are working on clearing the...

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Harlem Globetrotter ready to drop ‘Buckets’

Anthony “Buckets” Blakes, a seven-year veteran of the Harlem Globetrotters, will bring his showmanship and skills to local basketball fans next week, when the venerable entertainment squad visits San Jose and Oakland for a four-game stint from Jan. 16 to 18. You guys have a busy stretch of games in California this month. Is it still exciting to perform with so many dates scheduled? Oh, yeah, it’s still a lot of fun, especially here in California. We usually get amazing crowds and it’s always a great atmosphere. What are some of the highlights people can expect to see from the Globetrotters? We have some very gifted dribblers, who can do some phenomenal things...

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The City records first homicide of ’09

A 59-year-old man’s throat was slashed Wednesday in a fatal daytime stabbing in the Richmond district, marking San Francisco’s first homicide of 2009. Ryosuke Yoshioka, a San Francisco resident, was attacked by 45-year-old Peter Fong in the parking garage of an OfficeMax store at the intersection of Arguello and Geary boulevards, according to police Sgt. Lyn Tomioka. Three passers-by who witnessed the knife attack corralled Fong and were able to detain him till police arrived at about 2:45 p.m., said Tomioka. Fong, a San Francisco resident, was arrested and remains in custody on homicide charges. Yoshioka was pronounced dead at the scene, Tomioka said. Police...

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Stabbing victim first homicide of 2009

A man had his throat slashed in a fatal daytime stabbing in the Richmond District on Wednesday, marking the first homicide in San Francisco this year. The victim, an Asian male whose identity has not been released yet, was pronounced dead at the scene when police arrived to Arguello and Geary boulevards at 2:46 p.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. Details of the altercation that led to the stabbing are still scant, but police said that when officers arrived at the scene, a number of witnesses had already detained the suspect. The suspect, also an Asian male, was then arrested, police said. The homicide is the first in San Francisco this year. At this point last year...

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More than 100 arrests made during protest

Over 100 people were arrested in Oakland last night, after a protest rally in honor of Oscar Grant — a 22-year-old man who was killed by BART police — turned violent. The arrests included charges of vandalism, inciting a riot, unlawful assembly and assaults on police officers, according to Officer Jeff Thomason of the Oakland Police Department. Organizers originally planned a peaceful rally at the Fruitvale BART station to protest the death of Grant, a Hayward resident and father of a four-year-old daughter who was shot and killed by BART officer Johannes Mehserle. However, a rogue element of the protest broke off and began vandalizing property, Thomason said. Thomason said...

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Basketball coach makes strides with women's team

Tanya Haave, the third-year coach of the University of San Francisco women’s basketball team, has steered her squad to a 4-10 start. Haave will lead the Dons in their West Coast Conference opener at San Diego today. How would you rate your team’s play through the first half of the season? Well, we’re 4-10, but we’ve lost a couple of close home games and a road game, so we really could have been 7-7. I’m trying to use that thinking right now to illustrate to our team that we’ve been competitive, but there are things we need to improve on. What is the team’s attitude heading into conference play? I think they see this as a fresh start and the...

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Muni riders look to cash in on crash

The broken bones, scars and emotional damage from a Muni light-rail crash in June could cost The City more than $350,000. Eleven people have filed claims against San Francisco for the June 14 crash that occurred when a T-Third train traveling more than five times the speed limit rear-ended an idle N-Judah train at Fourth and King streets near AT&T Park. Documents obtained by The Examiner show that eight of the 11 people who filed claims are seeking a total of $367,034 for injuries suffered in the crash. Three of the claimants have already been paid a total of $11,557 from The City for injuries suffered in the crash, according to Matt Dorsey, spokesman for City Attorney Dennis...

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N-Judah train derails near 48th Avenue, service restored

Regular service has been restored on the western portion of the N-Judah line, after a train derailed near 48th Avenue today. The accident happened at 10:55 a.m., according to Judson True, spokesman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Buses replaced the light rail line on inbound and outbound routes from Sunset Boulevard to the route’s western terminus near Ocean Beach while the service was disrupted, True said. No injuries were reported in the derailment, True...

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Man suffers life-threatening injuries in knife attack

A man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed in the Mission District early this morning. The victim was stabbed at the 2000 block of Mission Street at 3:55 a.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. The suspect approached the victim, stabbed him in the chest, then fled on foot, police said. The victim was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital. No arrests have been made and the case is under investigation.

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Man, 73, dead in San Mateo senior center blaze

A 73-year-old man was killed in a one-alarm fire at a San Mateo senior center Monday night. Sang Sun Kim, a San Mateo resident, died after a fire broke out at the Villa Senior Apartments at 4000 South El Camino Real, according to a statement by the San Mateo County Fire Department. A fire originating in the kitchen area on the fifth floor of the building was first reported about 9:45, according to the fire department. Firefighters on scene quickly doused the flames, and in a search of the residence they found Kim unconscious in his room. Emergency officials attempted to resuscitate Kim, but he was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at San Mateo County General Hospital later that...

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Portable toilet arsonist strikes again in Russian Hill

The portable toilet bandit struck again Tuesday morning, lighting ablaze a mobile lavatory in Russian Hill for the 13th time in the last two months, continuing a series of arson acts that has baffled authorities. The latest toilet “victim” was set on fire at the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Greenwich Street at 3:20 a.m., according to a dispatcher from the San Francisco Fire Department. Firefighters arriving at the scene quickly extinguished the flames. Like the previous dozen cases, the fire department’s arson unit is investigating the incident, fire dispatch said. On Dec. 23, the fire department issued a release notifying that 12 portable toilets had been lit on...

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Tuned-down Macworld draws its usual crowd

Mac computer devotees from around the world descended on San Francisco on Monday for the Macworld Conference and Expo, despite this year’s event having a little less of a bite. Although Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs announced last month that he wouldn’t be making his annual keynote address this year, software developer and Mac devotee Marcus Zarra couldn’t help but remain a little hopeful for a cameo. “There is a part of me that is thinking he might come out unannounced right before the conference closes,” said Zarra, who traveled from Colorado for the second straight year to attend the event. “What I really enjoy is the mob mentality,”...

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Firefighters control blaze in Sunset District

San Francisco firefighters were able to control a one-alarm fire at a Sunset District residence early this morning. The fire broke out at 95 Judah Street at approximately 2:15 a.m., according to the San Francisco Fire Department. By 2:35 a.m., it had been contained, the fire department said. There was no information immediately available regarding injuries, damage to the property or cause of the fire.

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Woman in custory for allegedly killing 18-year-old

The 27-year-old San Francisco woman who allegedly fatally stabbed her boyfriend during a domestic dispute on Tuesday morning was in police custody Friday, officials confirmed. DeEbony Smith was in custody three days after police said she stabbed Lazarus Pickett—the 18-year-old father of her infant child — in the Western Addition neighborhood, according to Sgt. Lyn Tomioka, spokeswoman for the San Francisco Police Department. The two were having an argument inside a parked car on the 600 block of Larch Way, when Smith stabbed Pickett multiple times, police said. Pickett was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital, but died shortly afterward from injuries suffered in the...

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Homicide totals for recent years adjusted

With the turning of the new year, San Francisco’s homicide tally has definitively reset to zero for 2009, but a couple of recent homicide reclassifications have altered the amount of killings for the previous two years. Until as recently as Wednesday, the San Francisco Police Department officially declared that 98 homicides occurred in 2007 — a mark that was a decade high, and in danger of being eclipsed by the number of killings in 2008. However, a recent review by the Medical Examiner’s Office proved that 26-year-old Joshua Glasser’s death from asphyxiation in February 2007 should be classified as a homicide — not a suspicious death. That means the death...

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Two teenagers wounded in separate shootings

An 18-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries after being shot in the Oceanview neighborhood, near The City’s southern border, on Thursday night. The shooting suspect, an 18-year-old black male, approached the victim, an 18-year-old white male, at 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Wilson and Rhine streets, and attempted to buy marijuana, according to Sgt. Lyn Tomioka of the San Francisco Police Department. When the victim denied possessing any marijuana, the suspect shot him multiple times, Tomioka said. The suspect then stole property from the victim and fled the scene, according to Tomioka. The victim, whose identity has not been released, was transferred to San Francisco...

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Residents to set trees ablaze on beach in annual tradition

Sometime into the new year, a group of San Franciscans will gather on Ocean Beach. But these revelers will not be singing yuletide carols — they will be burning discarded Christmas trees. No one seems to know for certain how these bonfire sessions got started or when they began, but it has become common practice for locals in the Avenues — areas of Ocean Beach and the Richmond and Sunset districts — to leave their old Christmas tree on the sidewalk after the year-end festivities have ceased. Locals gather them and use them as fodder for their annual burning on Ocean Beach. It doesn’t matter what day of the week trash pickup is; residents can rest easy knowing...

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Text message ban no LOL matter

California drivers intent on multitasking behind the wheel will have to put their plans on hold. As part of a slew of state laws set to take effect today, text messaging while driving is now banned in California. The legislation complements a similar rule put into effect in July that made talking on hand-held devices while driving illegal. The base fine for first offenders of the new text-messaging ban is $20, although various penalties and assessments increases the cost to about $100. For repeat offenders, that penalty grows to $200, according to the California Highway Patrol. Roadway officials are praising the merits of Senate Bill 28, authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo...

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The 3-minute interview: Fiona Ma

The former San Francisco supervisor was recently voted into her second term as a state Assembly member representing California’s 12th District, which includes areas of the Peninsula and The City. Why did you choose to focus on extending punishment on graffiti vandals in The City? San Francisco spends more than $20 million annually on graffiti abatement, so the people responsible for this need to be held accountable. By making them pay back the property owner and perform community service, we’re sending a message that this can’t be tolerated. What about your legislation to prevent “raiders” from looting other people’s recycling bins? This has been a...

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Church takes higher road in theft incident

The idea of giving on Christmas Day was apparently missed by a man who allegedly stole money from a church. Ignoring the good will usually synonymous with the holiday, a man walked into St. Cecilia Church on Christmas Day and tried making off with a handful of cash from the institution’s offertory box, according to a report from the San Francisco Police Department. The offertory box where the man took the money was set up to collect donations for the St. Anthony Foundation, which provides food and shelter for The City’s homeless and underprivileged, according to the Rev. Joseph Landi of St. Cecilia. The offertory box is a small wooden holder with a slit at the top of it, so...

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Trackside problems forcing delays on BART

Commuters travelling on BART from the East Bay to San Francisco are experiencing 10-15 minute delays due to a trackside problem at MacArthur Station in Oakland. The problem was first reported just before 8 a.m. and is in the process of being fixed, but residual delays have slowed down trains passing through the station into The City, officials at BART’s command center said. There was no immediate word on when the delays would be cleared, the officials said.

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Fire in Anza Vista displaces 15

A three-alarm fire left 15 people displaced Monday and damaged three buildings in The City’s Anza Vista neighborhood. The blaze erupted at 5:12 a.m. on the middle floor of a three-story building at 41-43 Barcelona Ave., according to Lt. Mindy Talmadge of the Fire Department. Flames were already spewing from windows when firefighters arrived. The fire eventually spread to all three floors of the building and into the residence next door, but everyone inside was able to escape without injury, Talmadge said. A crew of nearly 100 firefighters managed to douse the flames by 6:40 a.m., but not before the fire caused $800,000 in damage, she said. “There were very intense flames...

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Public transit offering travel incentives on New Year’s

Revelers returning from late-night (and early-morning) New Year’s parties will be able to travel on public transportation free of cost in San Francisco. For the ninth straight year, Muni will provide complimentary transit service on New Year’s Eve. The free rides begin at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 and will last until 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day, according to Muni. Along with the no-cost rides, Muni’s underground Metro trains will extend their operating hours until 4 a.m. between The Embarcadero and West Portal stations. The historic F-Market streetcar will also run until 4 a.m. Several Owl routes — including the 5-Fulton, 24-Divisadero, and 38-Geary — will...

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Fugitive turns himself in to authorities after six days on the lam

A 59-year-old San Francisco man who escaped from a minimum-security facility in Redwood City last week turned himself into the authorities Friday after spending six days on the lam. Charlie Johnson, who was serving a one-year sentence for drug possession, walked away from a transitional facility on Dec. 20, according to Sgt. Laura Gibbons of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. After reaching contact with San Mateo law enforcement officials and detectives from the San Francisco Police Department, Johnson elected to turn himself in Friday at 1:15 p.m. in San Francisco, Gibbons said. He was transported back to San Mateo County, where he is currently being held in the county jail...

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Planned new Muni station part of Columbus Avenue face-lift

Wider sidewalks, expanded lanes for transit vehicles and a new underground Muni Metro station at Washington Square Park are all being contemplated by neighborhood activists and planning officials as a way to improve pedestrian access on Columbus Avenue. The busy diagonal street that connects The City’s Financial District to Fisherman’s Wharf is home to countless restaurants, cafes, boutiques and homes, but its sidewalks can be crowded and crossing the divide is perilous at times, according to Claudine Cheng of Renew SF, a neighborhood group that’s working on improving the major artery. Paired with the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, a local planning...

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Malfunction leads to brief power loss in SF

A mechanical malfunction earlier this morning briefly knocked out power to 5,550 Pacific, Gas and Electric customers in the northeast portion of San Francisco. The problem, first reported at 9:15 a.m., left customers powerless in the Nob Hill, Russian Hill and Ghirardelli Square neighborhoods, according to PG&E spokesman Brian Swanson. By 10:30 a.m., PG&E workers had fixed the problem and restored power to all customers, said Swanson. Swanson said a malfunction with one of the company’s substations — a transmission system that transfers power from voltages lines to distribution lines — was the cause of the outage. The company is investigating the incident to...

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Off-duty SF officer involved in road-rage confrontation

An off-duty San Francisco police officer fired shots from his service weapon after being threatened by another motorist during a road-rage confrontation in Marin County early this morning. The incident occurred near the entrance of the Waldo Tunnel at 12:45 a.m., according to Sgt. Diana McDermott of the California Highway Patrol. Reacting to the threat, the officer fired his handgun, at which point the truck fled from the scene, McDermott said. It was not known if either the passenger or the vehicle were struck by the gunshot, according to McDermott. Both the officer and the passenger in the green Ford truck remained in their vehicles during the confrontation. The police officer called...

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Glenn Cook ready to lead Cal in Emerald Bowl

The sixth-year senior linebacker is the team captain and leading tackler for a young Miami (Fla.) football team that will take on Cal on Saturday at AT&T Park in the seventh staging of the Emerald Bowl. Cook battled back from a season-ending foot injury last year and was named by the coaching staff as the team’s most inspirational player. This year’s team is loaded with young, inexperienced players. Have you made it a priority to reach out to them as one of the veteran players on the squad? Yeah. Your freshman year can be real tough, and I wanted to take the opportunity to talk to the young guys and kind of steer them in the right direction. You’ve been with the...

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Cal cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson looking forward to Emerald Bowl

Cal’s junior cornerback has started every game in his three-year career and was recently named a first-team All-Pac-10 Conference performer. On Saturday, Thompson and his teammates will face off against Miami (Fla.) in the Emerald Bowl at AT&T Park. Does the long wait between the end of your regular season and the bowl game help or hurt? I think it’s good for us. It allows us to get rested up and healthy, and we get a little extra time to focus on the classroom. Miami recently announced is suspended quarterback Robert Marve for the game. Does that affect the defensive game plan? Not really, because he and the other quarterback [Jacory Harris] are pretty similar, so we were...

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Apparent hit-and-run kills man walking near Fisherman's Wharf

The dead body of an Asian man discovered Sunday night near Fisherman’s Wharf has police asking the public for help in locating a possible hit-and-run motorist. The man, estimated to be in his 60s, was found by police officers at 6 p.m. at the intersection of Kearny and Bay streets, suffering from injuries that appeared to be consistent with an automobile collision, said Sgt. Wilfred Williams of the San Francisco Police Department. The man was alive when police discovered him, but he died from his injuries a short time later in a local hospital, Williams said. The police department’s hit-and-run unit is investigating the accident, but so far information on the death is...

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Truck driver charged with misdemeanor in Mollie Stones fatal crash

A Modesto man who was driving a heavy-duty truck that crashed into several vehicles and killed a nine-year-old boy in San Mateo in September, has been charged with one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for his role in the accident. Carlos Siordia, 43, of Modesto, was working for the Hayward-based construction company Century Roof Tile on September 22, when the 10-ton vehicle he was operating blew through an intersection at 43rd and Olympic avenues, smashed into a car, and careened into several other vehicles in the parking lot of a nearby Mollie Stones grocery store in San Mateo. Nine-year-old Tyler Fahy of San Mateo, who was in the first vehicle struck by the runaway truck,...

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Heavy snowfall in Pacific Northwest forcing delays out of SFO

Nasty weather conditions in the Pacific Northwest are forcing the delays and cancellations of some early-morning flights out of San Francisco International Airport. Heavy snowfall in Portland and Seattle prevented a series of flights from taking off this morning from SFO, and there is no immediate indication for when the planes will be able to leave, said airport spokesman Michael McCarron. McCarron did not know how many departing flights to the two cities have been cancelled and how many have been delayed. Snow is forecasted to last throughout the day in Portland and until the afternoon in Seattle, according to weather.com. There were no other major delays to other cities in the nation...

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Counting walkers, bicyclists not as easy as 1, 2, 3

The number of people walking and biking in the Bay Area has always been a speculative matter, with different government and nonprofit agencies offering up various statistics. As a way to reconcile the discrepancies, Bay Area transportation officials are attempting to devise a universal method to count cyclists and pedestrians — a move that they say could impact future policy and planning decisions. Agencies including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and Alameda County’s Congestion Management Authority have conducted studies on the number of local bicyclists, but often come up with data using different methods, making it difficult to compare statistics,...

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Body found on golf course ID'd as Pacifica woman

The body of a woman found near the Sharp Park Golf Course was identified by medical authorities Friday as a Pacifica resident. The death of Laura Jessica Valentine, 34, is being regarded as suspicious according to the Pacifica Police Department, which is currently investigating the case. Valentine was found Thursday morning by a hiker on the northwestern fringe of Sharp Park, between the golf course’s 16th hole and a nearby beach, Pacifica police Capt. Fernando Realyvasquez said Thursday. Initial reports from the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office indicated that Valentine’s body was found in a pond, but the Pacifica Police Department would not confirm that. The area...

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Big chill to hit region for a week

City residents looking to do some last-minute Christmas shopping will once again have to contend with rain and cold temperatures, as recent gloomy weather conditions are expected to continue this weekend. Rain is forecast to pelt San Francisco this afternoon and evening, eventually easing a little bit overnight, said Diana Henderson of the National Weather Service. Saturday is likely to stay somewhat dry through morning, but temperatures will likely stay in the low 50s, according to Henderson. Rain is supposed to pick up again Saturday night and last throughout Sunday, Henderson said. “If you’re looking to run some errands, your best bet is going to be Saturday,”...

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Plans for Doyle Drive rebuild approved

Exactly what the new Doyle Drive will look like became clearer Tuesday when plans for the 1.5-mile approach to the Golden Gate Bridge garnered further approval. The approval by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority was for the Presidio Parkway plan, which the agency initially approved in 2006. The move was the culmination of a design process that started in 1993. The Presidio Parkway plan will rebuild three lanes, add an emergency lane and add two tunnels. It will also add medians and shoulders, and increase access for pedestrians and bikes. The SFCTA formally approved the environmental impact report for the $1.04 billion project Tuesday. The Department of Transportation...

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City moves forward with congestion pricing studies

Motorists could be charged a fee for driving into certain parts of San Francisco, under two proposals that aim to reduce traffic that were approved by city officials Tuesday for study. Called congestion pricing, one of the options proposes creating a “double-ring,” which would charge drivers entering San Francisco from outside areas, as well as motorists entering a small downtown corridor within The City. The second option would only charge drivers who enter a downtown corridor, although that would encompass a larger area that would include some of San Francisco’s northeast. The two fee proposals were approved for “further analysis” by the San Francisco...

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Rabbi Yosef Langer rides on his own philosophy

He sports a long, flowing beard, his transportation method of choice is a motorcycle, he counts among friends rock star Perry Farrell, and he was a regular attendee of Grateful Dead concerts. Yes, Yosef Langer meets all the requirements of your typical, grizzled ex-roadie, but the 62-year-old’s real day job is as a rabbi. He’s also one of the Bay Area’s most visible — and unconventional — religious leaders. A Bay Area native, Langer has been a tireless local advocate for Judaism by bringing his message to the most diverse arenas — including San Francisco Giants baseball games, music festivals and on The City’s famous cable cars — with an...

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City tries to get a sense for parking

Muni wants to know when people are parking in Hayes Valley and for how long. Small motion sensors — which look like reflectors — will be placed along four streets in Hayes Valley this month for use in a test that will monitor parking meter occupancy. Roadway sensors will also be installed to measure traffic volumes and speeds. Data collected from the sensors will ultimately help set parking meter rates and provide other planning insight for Muni’s new federally funded SFpark program, which will use a variety of pricing-by-demand strategies to reduce traffic and free up parking by raising prices in places where there is high demand. Meter rates could increase —...

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Cabbie’s alleged money-making scheme exposed

A local cab driver described by officials as a “blight” on the industry has been punished for being dishonest about running a black-market taxi business — a difficult-to-regulate trend in San Francisco that officials say deprives The City of much-needed revenue and puts passengers at risk. On Tuesday, the San Francisco Taxicab Commission revoked the permit of Driss Elassali — meaning he will no longer be able to operate a cab in The City — after police pulled him over in August with a suspended driver’s license. The commission also fined Elassali $650 for making false statements for his role in an alleged money-making scheme, although he was exonerated...

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One dead in I-80 Emeryville accident; all lanes now open

A female passenger died Wednesday morning in Oakland after the car she was travelling in flipped over a concrete rail during an attempt to flee from police officers. The driver of the vehicle was initially stopped by Oakland Police officers at 6:20 a.m. for driving without his headlights on, according to Officer Sam Morgan of the California Highway Patrol. As police approached his vehicle, the driver sped off and attempted to enter Interstate 580 from the Maritime Street on-ramp, Morgan said. Unable to negotiate the steep curve of the ramp, the car flipped over the rail and rolled several times before coming to a stop in the right hand lanes of eastbound Interstate 80, just east of the...

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Two arrested, two at large in home-invasion robbery

Two teenagers were arrested while two other suspects remain on the loose, after the foursome allegedly attempted to pull off a daylight home invasion robbery and kidnapping in Potrero Hill on Tuesday. The incident began at 3 p.m., when the suspects broke into a home on the 700 block of Missouri Street, according to the San Francisco Police Department. After illegally gaining access, they took the resident out of her home and drove her to a nearby bank, where they forced her to withdraw money. While at the bank, the victim happened to notice a police officer on duty, and quickly notified the officer that she was being held against her will. When the nearby officer approached the...

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Man wielding homemade flamethrower arrested

An amateur pyrotechnician was arrested by police last weekend after staging an impromptu fire show in the Sunset District during the early morning hours. At 3 a.m. on Saturday at the 800 block of Judah Street, police found a 31-year-old man standing on the top of a pickup truck while wielding a homemade flamethrower that was shooting balls of fire four feet into the air, according to Capt. Paul Chignell of the Taraval Police Station. The man had obtained a couple of cylindrical tanks, possibly containing propane, and connected them with hoses to a metal outlet that directed the flames, Chignell said. Each time the man pulled the device’s trigger, a spout of fire would...

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Natural gas bills expected to be lower than last year's

Even though the winter months usually mean an increase in gas costs, Pacific Gas and Electric customers in the Bay Area will get a deal this December on their monthly bill. With an average monthly cost of $61.82, natural gas prices for residents in December are 22 percent lower than costs last year at this time, according to a release by the energy company. The $17 drop — as compared to the $78 average from December 2007 — is the result of the company’s high-storage levels of natural gas nationwide, said PG&E spokesman Joe Molica. As demand rises in the winter, prices usually flow accordingly, but because of heady natural gas acquisitions made by PG&E throughout...

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Serial groper lurks near CCSF campus

Three female students have been the victims of sexual battery on or near the City College of San Francisco campus in the past three weeks, and police believe two of the incidents were perpetrated by the same man. The striking similarities of the first two assault cases, strongly indicate a repeat offender, according to Capt. Denis O’Leary of the Ingleside Police Station. Both incidents occurred around 6 p.m. near the pedestrian overpass that crosses Geneva and Ocean avenues onto the CCSF campus, O’Leary said. The two victims said a man reached out and groped them between their legs as they were passing by him, O’Leary said. Both times the man fled in the opposite...

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Elevator experts split on fatal fall scenario

A reported theory from police that an Oakland doctor pried his way out of a stalled elevator door before falling to his death has received conflicting reports from industry and safety officials concerning its plausibility. The decomposing body of Dan Kliman was discovered Monday at the bottom in an elevator shaft in the historic Sharon Building at 55 New Montgomery St. Police have not released to the general public any details on the case, except to say that Kliman, an Oakland-based doctor and member of a vocal pro-Israeli group, “inexplicably fell” about six stories down the elevator shaft on Nov. 25 — six days before his body was discovered. Rabbi Judah Dardik, a...

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S.F. man pleads not guilty in stabbing of student

A San Francisco man accused of stabbing a student from the University of Southern California has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts stemming from the incident. Police said that Herman Zhu stabbed Kellen Spani, a student at USC, outside the Balboa Café on Nov. 15, the weekend when Stanford University hosted the southern California school in football. Zhu is charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury, according to Connie Chan, spokeswoman for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. On Dec. 2, Zhu pleaded not guilty to the charges — which carry a maximum sentence of life in jail — and is being...

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Caltrain fatally injures pedestrian in San Mateo

A Caltrain passenger line struck and killed a man on the trackway near San Mateo, marking the fourth time since Oct. 30 that the commuter service has been involved in a fatal collision. The accident occurred at 7:20 a.m., just south of the Hayward Park Station in San Mateo, when a southbound train hit the man, according to Christine Dunn, spokeswoman for Caltrain. There were no designating crossing sections at the site where the man was killed, Dunn said. “We have no idea what he was doing there,” said Dunn. “There is no reason to be on the tracks.” Medical officials have yet to release the identity of the man, who was the 15th person this year to die from a...

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New person of interest sought in double-homicide

Eight months after two people were gunned down outside of a pizza parlor in the Sunset District, police have announced they are seeking a person of interest in the case. Jason De La Cruz, 31, of Daly City, and Derek Butch, 23, of San Francisco were killed on March 29 at 2:15 a.m., near Irving Pizza on Irving Street and 19th Avenue. Police are now looking for 20-year-old Eric Siu in connection with the slayings. Siu, a former Sunset resident, hasn’t been seen since the night of the killings, according to a report issued by the San Francisco Police Department. Siu is described as a Chinese male, 5 feet 8 inches and 135 pounds. He has short black hair, brown eyes and a medium...

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Police: Doctor’s death in elevator shaft an accident

The death of a doctor from Oakland whose decomposed body was found in an elevator shaft did not involve foul play, police said Wednesday. The remains of 38-year-old Dan Kliman, a fiery pro-Israel activist, were discovered Monday on the lower level of the Sharon Building at 55 New Montgomery St. — at least six days after he fell about six floors. Details of the accident are being closely guarded by the Police Department, but spokesman Sgt. Wilfred Williams said “there is no evidence of foul play, whatsoever.” Williams said Kliman fell for an “inexplicable reason,” but would not give further explanation about the fatal accident, which went unnoticed for...

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Delays at SFO for the third-straight day

For the third straight day, low-visibility conditions are delaying flights entering San Francisco International Airport. About 25 percent of arriving planes are experiencing hour-long setbacks because of low-lying cloud coverage and thick fog, according to Linda Perry, duty manager at the airport. The airport has initiated a ground-delay program—which slows down arrival traffic to ensure that runways don’t get bogged down—that will last until 2 p.m., Perry said. “Obviously when planes come in late, they leave late,” said Perry. “So we’re going to be seeing delays on both departing and arriving flights.” On Monday, nationwide weather...

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BART experiencing slight delays as a result of police activity

BART trains are experiencing system-wide residual delays as a result of police activity at the 24th Street station in San Francisco this morning. Although the problem has been cleared, trains are travelling about 10 minutes behind schedule as of 9:30 a.m., according to BART’s central command. Central command did not have any information on why there was police activity at the 24th Street station in San Francisco’s Mission District. Officers arrived at the station a little before 9 a.m. and cleared the situation at about 9:20 a.m., central command said. The police activity temporarily forced a halt to trains at the 24th Street station.

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Man suffering from life-threatening injuries after bar fight

A man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after getting into an altercation with an unruly bar patron in the Tenderloin early Wednesday morning. The stabbing suspect entered a bar on the 800 block of Geary Street at about 1:30 a.m. and began destroying property in the establishment during an apparent drunken rage, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The victim, reacting to the disturbance, was able to force the suspect outside the bar, but when the two men were out on the street, the suspect stabbed the victim multiple times, according to the police. The suspect fled on foot, and the victim returned to the bar injured with knife wounds. The victim was then...

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Questions raised about the death of man in elevator

The circumstances surrounding the mysterious death of an Oakland man known for his fiery pro-Israeli stance remain unknown, one day after his body was discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft in a downtown San Francisco building. The decomposing remains of Daniel Kliman, a 38-year-old doctor with a general internist practice in Alameda, were discovered Monday on the lower level of the Sharon Building at 55 New Montgomery St. — some six days after police said the man fell seven stories to his death. The San Francisco Police Department said Monday night that the fall was an accident, but on Tuesday Sgt. Lyn Tomioka changed the stance slightly, saying the department would not...

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Local candlelight vigil planned for Mumbai victims

Local Jewish leaders and figures from the international community will gather on Tuesday for a candlelight vigil honoring those who were lost in the terrorist attacks last week in Mumbai. Among the at least 172 people killed in the attacks were six residents of Mumbai’s Chabad-Lubavitch house, a form of Orthodox Judaism that has a strong presence in the Bay Area. As a reaction to the deaths, the Jewish Community Center, located at 3200 California Street, will hold the vigil at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with over 30 rabbis and local representatives from the Indian and Israel consulates expected to attend, according to Yosef Langer, a rabbi with the Chabad house of San Francisco, who is...

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Bad weather conditions forcing delays to, from SFO

Foul weather across the nation is creating delays for both arriving and departing planes at San Francisco International Airport. Planes leaving San Francisco for San Diego are experiencing two-hour setbacks because of heavy fog conditions in the southern California city, according to Dan D’Innocenti, duty manager for the San Francisco International Airport. Inclement weather in New York and Chicago are forcing delays of up to one hour for planes leaving San Francisco for those cities as well, D’Innocenti said. Inbound flights are also experiencing delays because of fog in San Francisco, resulting in setbacks between 30 minutes and one hour. The fog in San Francisco is...

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Man surrenders after 30-hour standoff

A 29-year-old man who had holed himself up in his parents’ Redwood City home for over 30 hours, armed with a shotgun, surrendered this morning to authorities, who had surrounded the residence after receiving reports of the man’s bizarre behavior. The parents of Mario Moreno, a Redwood City resident, called the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office at 10:57 p.m. on Saturday night after becoming increasingly worried about the behavior of their son, according to Lt. Ray Lunny. Although Moreno was the only person in the residence at 494 Fourth Avenue and had not made any threats to anyone, officers surrounded the home, evacuated the nearby residences, and closed down the street...

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Macy's lights up a charitable Christmas in Union Square

The 19th annual Macy’s tree lighting in Union Square is a chance to usher in the holiday season — and to contribute to charity. The 80-foot Shasta pine is adorned with 1,500 red and gold ornaments, and it has 21,000 LED lights. The tree in Union Square is also an opportunity to raise money for UCSF’s Children Hospital. For $5, anyone can purchase a tree ornament, with the proceeds directly benefiting the hospital. In the last six years, $700,000 has been donated to the hospital. Along with the Macy’s tree in Union Square, there is also the recently opened skating rink. Admission to the rink is $4 for children and $8 for...

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Bridge district commits $80 million for Doyle Drive rebuild

The Golden Gate Bridge district agreed to fund half of a $160 million regional package to rebuild Doyle Drive, a crucial step in advancing the long-awaited reconstruction project of the aging state highway. The $80 million commitment from the district came as a result of negotiations between several regional transportation agencies intent on closing the funding gap of the $1.04 billion reconstruction of Doyle Drive, the southern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge, which was given a rating of two out of 100 for structural efficiency by the federal government. The Doyle Drive rebuild project is still about $250 million short of being completely funded, but the $160 million regional...

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City considering a charge to drive down congestion

What’s more valuable to motorists, money or time? San Francisco officials are hoping some drivers will place more value on their watch than their wallet. Soon after London began charging to drive into parts of the city in 2003, San Francisco officials began looking into whether such a scheme would make sense for The City. The idea behind the so-called congestion pricing is to charge to drive in heavily traveled areas during peak times in an attempt to move commuters out of their cars and to other transit options. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority, which is overseeing the program, will in December allow the public to comment on four congestion-pricing options....

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Former fugitive shot, killed

A 29-year-old man who once appeared on San Francisco’s most-wanted list was fatally shot in the back after an argument early Tuesday morning in an area of North Beach notorious for violence. The slaying of San Francisco resident Richard Barrett at 12:55 a.m. near the intersection of Kearny Street and Broadway brings The City’s homicide total to 96 this year. A man shot Barrett twice in the back next to an ATM machine at the bar Fuse, according to Chris Curry, who witnessed the scene from across the street at the Hustler Club, where he works. The two men were involved in an argument, and a large crowd had gathered around them when the shooter opened fire, Curry said. After...

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Study: San Francisco No. 102 in crime rates

Despite recording 100 homicides in 2007 — the most in a decade — San Francisco’s violent-crime rate was better than 101 other major U.S. cities, according to a study released Monday. Issued by the CQ Press, an independent publishing company, the study listed San Francisco as No. 102 for worst crime rates in the country. New Orleans topped the list, followed by Camden, N.J., and Detroit, according to the study, which compared 385 cities with populations larger than 75,000. Two Bay Area cities were in the study’s top 10: Oakland at No. 5 and Richmond at No. 9. The data used by CQ Press comes from the latest release of the FBI’s “Crime in the United...

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Lunchtime power outage hits city

A mechanical malfunction on a circuit line in the northeast section of San Francisco that left about 8,900 Pacific Gas and Electric customers without power on Monday morning was still affecting 381 customers at 10 p.m. The outage occurred at 11:30 a.m. and affected residents in North Beach, Russian Hill, Chinatown and portions of Fisherman’s Wharf. By 10:15 p.m., 381 customers — all based near Leavenworth Street and Broadway — were still without power, utility spokesman J.D. Guidi said. Those customers were expected to have power back on before midnight, Guidi said. The outage occurred due to a problem with a “riser” — a heavy duty electrical cable...

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'Milk' actress gained new perspective on history

Hope Tuck, a 34-year-old San Mateo actress, stars in “Milk” as Mary Anne White, the wife of Harvey Milk’s killer, Dan White. Her 15-month-old son Anthony also appears in the film as the Whites’ child. How did you get your part as Dan White’s wife in “Milk?” I think they wanted a local actress who looked the part, and I fit the role. How much did you know about Harvey Milk before you started working on the movie? I was only four when everything happened, so I actually knew relatively little. I rented a documentary on Harvey, and it really made me understand what a big deal this movie was by bringing attention to his plight. Was it difficult...

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Student stabbed outside mayor’s bar

A Southern California college student who was stabbed last weekend while trying to break up a brawl in front of a Cow Hollow bar, which is in part owned by Mayor Gavin Newsom, remained hospitalized Thursday. Kellen Spani, a student at the University of Southern California, was stabbed multiple times in the chest early Saturday morning outside the Balboa Café, according to police spokeswoman Sgt. Lyn Tomioka. The business administration major was attempting to quell a fight between a group of his friends and a group of students from another school when he was stabbed, according to Tomioka. “He was acting as the mediator,” she said. Two suspects were arrested...

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Fans, alumni gear up for the Big Game

Although Stanford red and Cal blue and gold are woven into the fabric of San Francisco, The City will be noticeably adorned in those hues for the next few days, as the Bay Area’s two most prominent sports programs resume their storied football rivalry this weekend. The UC Berkeley Marching Band will be making several stops in San Francisco bars tonight to play fight tunes and pep up alumni in anticipation of the 111th Big Game, pitting the Cal Bears against the Stanford Cardinal. One of those stops is at Schroeder’s, a downtown San Francisco bar that has hosted Cal fans prepping for the Big Game for as long as current owner Jana Filipclk can remember. “They always...

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Theft charge remains for SFPD officer, despite motion

A judge on Thursday refused to dismiss charges of grand theft in the case of a San Francisco Police Department officer accused of stealing cash from an evidence box, but lesser counts of falsifying documents were dropped. Prosecutors have said that Michelle Alvis, 30, stole $2,390 in cash from an evidence locker at Taraval Police Station in October 2006, then altered documents to hide the crime. Alvis’ attorney, Lidia Stiglich, filed a motion to dismiss all five felony counts against the officer on the basis of insufficient evidence. On Thursday, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Carol Yaggy sided with Stiglich and dismissed the charges of doctoring the reports. However, the...

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N-Judah train hits car

An N-Judah struck a car Thursday morning after a woman attempted to make a left turn in front of the light-rail vehicle. The accident, which occurred at Judah Street and 11th Avenue just after 9 a.m., delayed trains going downtown for nearly 30 minutes. The driver, who would not identify herself, told The Examiner just after the crash that she was driving eastbound on the right side of the train before attempting to make a left turn with her four-door sedan. The woman told a Muni employee that she was nearly through the intersection when she felt her car spin from the collision. The impact from the crash caused a box to fly out of the woman’s car, falling into the intersection....

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Caltrain delays affect northbound commuters

For the second straight day, morning commuters traveling north on Caltrain are experiencing delays due to mechanical problems. A malfunction detected earlier this morning has caused a 39-minute delay on the northbound 211 train, which takes passengers from San Jose to San Francisco. Four other trains heading north are also experiencing minor delays due to the problem, according to Mary Knuckles, spokeswoman for Caltrain. Knuckles did not elaborate on what the mechanical malfunction was or if the problem will result in any further residual delays for southbound trains. Yesterday, a mechanical malfunction forced Caltrain to take its “baby bullet” express line out of service,...

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Nurse offers humor, how-tos for those with diabetes

Theresa Garnero, the clinical nurse manager at California Pacific Medical Center in The City recently published a how-to book on managing diabetes, “Your First Year With Diabetes.” November is National Diabetes Month. The disease currently affects 23.6 million people in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why is diabetes such a huge and growing global problem? It is closely followed with the obesity trend in our country. One in three babies born after 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. It’s a combination of things, mainly from moving less and having a diet that is not so great. Why did you write your book? The...

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Mechanical problems cause Caltrain cancellation, delays

Mechanical problems canceled one northbound Caltrain line and forced delays in several others trains on the commuter line that takes passengers from the South Bay to San Francisco. Service on train 319, a northbound “baby bullet” train that features express service from San Jose to San Francisco, was canceled during the morning commute because of the mechanical malfunction, according to Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn. As a result of the cancellation, the northbound train 215 experienced 30 minute delays, and the northbound 217 was 11 minutes behind schedule, according to Dunn. The two delayed lines were both very crowded, because passengers who normally took the 319...

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Journalist recalls lessons of Jonestown

Tim Reitman, a former Examiner journalist, was wounded 30 years ago Tuesday in an ambush by Peoples Temple members in Jonestown, Guyana, that killed five people. He later wrote a book on the church’s cultish leader, Jim Jones, titled “Raven.” Are you constantly thinking of Jonestown, or do your memories become more focused when big events like anniversaries arrive? I think about Jonestown every day; there is no question about it. But, my thoughts are a lot more extensive when these milestone anniversaries come up. What were your thoughts as you were preparing to visit Jonestown? I was expecting two things. Part of me was thinking that I would get down there and they...

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Woman killed in Russian Hill fire

A quick-moving blaze on Russian Hill killed an elderly woman and left 11 people looking for a place to call home Tuesday. Neighbors said the victim, whom they identified as Susan Pugliese, lived with her husband Joseph on the middle floor of the three-story residence at 1262-1272 Union St. The two-alarm fire appears to have originated at the Puglieses’ unit before spreading to the top and bottom floors of the building, according to San Francisco Fire Department spokesman Lt. Ken Smith, who said there was heavy black smoke coming out of the residence by the time firefighters arrived at 11:42 a.m. Smith said the responding units used aggressive tactics to tackle the inferno, which...

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Teen injured in Western Addition shooting

A man was in stable condition after being shot in the Western Addition neighborhood last night, police said. After hearing reports of gunfire at 9:20 p.m., police arrived at the 400 block of Rose Street and found a 19-year-old male suffering from a gunshot wound to the right thigh. The victim was uncooperative, but was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries, police said. No suspects have been arrested, and the case is being...

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Cause of blast at Sunnyside home investigated

A creaky and unstable home is preventing authorities from investigating what caused an explosion to erupt in the garage of a Sunnyside residence on Monday night. After the explosion an ensuing fire broke out at a two-story wood-frame home on 108 Congo Street at 7:45 p.m., according to Sgt. Wilfred Williams of the San Francisco Police Department. Five people were injured in the explosion, including one man who remained hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, Williams said. The damage to the garage, which is the base floor of the home, made it too risky for investigators to get inside and survey the scene, Williams said. “The explosion knocked out the support, so we...

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Jonestown memories die slowly

It has been more than 30 years since she left the Peoples Temple, but Yulanda Williams feels no more secure now than she did in 1977, when she narrowly escaped the steamy jungles of Jonestown, Guyana, and the clutches of its doomed cult leader, Jim Jones. “Even now, I won’t answer the door if someone comes by I’m not expecting,” said Williams, now an inspector with the San Francisco Police Department. “To this day, there are still people around here who believe in Jim Jones.” Williams, like many of Jones’ followers, is from San Francisco, where the Peoples Temple had a church on Geary Boulevard and Fillmore Street. Thirty years after the tragedy...

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Person fatally struck by Caltrain in San Mateo

A Caltrain passenger train fatally struck a woman on the railway tracks near San Mateo Friday, marking the second death and fourth incident within the last 16 days involving the commuter line. The collision occurred about 3:30 p.m. near 25th Avenue in San Mateo, when a northbound train hit the woman at a crossing intersection, according to a release by Christine Dunn, spokeswoman for Caltrain. The woman was transported to Stanford Medical Center, but she died soon afterward, Dunn said. The death was the 13th time this year someone was fatally injured involving a collision with a Caltrain. The intersection where the accident occurred had a crossing with gates, lights and bells, said...

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Former 'Idol' contestant to perform in S.F.

Tennessee native Josiah Leming gained fame earlier this year on “American Idol,” where his music and story of sleeping in his car as a struggling artist made him an instant favorite among the TV show’s fans. Now, Warner Bros. is slated to release his debut album early next year. The singer-songwriter will make a tour stop at the Red Devil Lounge on Sunday. You have a record deal with Warner Bros. and you’re about to head out on tour. Did you ever expect something like this two years ago? I had no idea how it would happen, or even if it would happen, I just knew that it was something I wanted more than anything in the world. I’m incredibly amazed and grateful...

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Officials want to curb pet euthanasia at city shelters

City officials want shelters to start killing fewer stray cats and dogs. In 2007, The City’s official animal shelter, operated by Animal Care and Control, euthanized 1,311 animals. The shelter must accept any animal delivered to it, which in 2007 totaled 6,507 cats and dogs. The Animal Control and Welfare Commission on Thursday committed to finding a way to reduce the number of homeless animals that are euthanized in The City. The intent is not to establish a no-kill policy in San Francisco shelters, but to hear from experts on ways to improve the percentage of animals that are released to new homes after being brought into the shelter, Commissioner Angela Padilla...

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Family discovers grenades in home

A family in the Sunset district had to call the bomb squad Wednesday night after they discovered a cache of grenades while cleaning out the belongings of a recently deceased family member. Officers received a call about 11 p.m. from a residence on the 2000 block of 20th Avenue, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The police department dispatched its bomb squad to the scene. The unit then took the grenades to a safe location and detonated...

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Rising sea levels could endanger development around Bay

Two years ago, state scientists released a report concluding that a 33-inch rise in Bay Area sea levels by 2100 was a real possibility — a potentially devastating development for an estuary that features 240 miles of low-lying shoreline as a result of landfill. Few Bay Area agencies, however, have taken much action to mitigate the potential dangers of flooding and water damage since the report was released, according to one state official charged with overseeing conservation and public access to the region’s waterfront. “Sadly, there is very little shoreline development in the Bay Area addressing rising water levels,” said Will Travis, executive director of the...

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Woman hospitalized after being struck by Muni bus

On the last day that Muni was receiving bids to help the agency improve its safety, a woman on a bicycle was struck by a bus in the SoMa district. The female cyclist was hit about 9:15 a.m. Wednesday by a 10-Townsend on Townsend Street between Third and Fourth streets, according to Muni spokesman Judson True. The woman was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital, but her injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, according to Mindy Talmadge of the San Francisco Fire Department. The driver of the bus has been tested for drugs and alcohol and placed on nondriving status, which is standard department procedure following an accident, True said. The accident came on the same day...

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Bridge toll may rise to raise funds for seismic retrofit of Doyle Drive

Higher tolls for some drivers could come as a result of $80 million in regional transportation funds that were given preliminary approval Wednesday to help replace the seismically unsafe southern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. The funding, from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, is part of a tentative agreement to help rebuild Doyle Drive, and would require the Golden Gate Bridge District to make a matching contribution of $75 million. On Nov. 26, the transit commission is expected to echo Wednesday’s approval — from one of its committees — of the funding deal. The bridge district board is slated to vote on whether it will pitch in its $75 million share...

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Gas prices down $1 since last month

Drivers recently aghast because of high gas prices may still be in for a shock: how low the cost is now. The average price of gasoline in San Francisco plummeted $1 in the last month, and the decrease could continue through Thanksgiving, analysts say. The falling prices are largely due to consumers buying less, according to AAA Northern California. In the last month, prices have fallen more than $1 in San Francisco, from $3.68 a gallon Oct. 12 to the current citywide average of $2.60, according to AAA. San Francisco’s prices are still nearly 40 cents more than the national average, but are a far cry from when drivers paid an average of $4.62 per gallon in June. People have...

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Harris set to run for attorney general

Kamala Harris, who broke barriers by becoming the state’s first African-American female district attorney and the first woman of Indian-American descent to hold that position in the country, formally announced today that she will seek the position of attorney general, California’s highest legal office. “I started my career out of law school as a prosecutor for the Alameda DA’s Office, and I can tell you from the frontlines we need tough new ideas for strengthening our criminal justice system in California,” Harris wrote on her Web site. On the site, Harris confirmed that she had filed papers to run for California attorney general in the June 2010 primary...

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Police chase ends in crash, arrest in Bayview

A high-speed pursuit ended dramatically Monday night in the Bayview district, after police arrested a man who started the chase by trying to run down a pair of bicycle officers in the Tenderloin. At 7:45 p.m. on Monday two bike officers initiated an investigation with a man driving a sedan on O’Farrell and Leavenworth streets, according to the San Francisco Police Department. When the officers approached the vehicle, the driver swerved at both of them, police said. While the officers were able to elude injury, one bicycle was run over and dragged a block to O’Farrell and Jones streets. The suspect then drove off, eventually getting onto southbound Highway-101, police said....

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Health center opens up on Sixth Street

About 200 people attended the grand opening of a community development center on Sixth Street on Monday, a rare piece of good news for The City’s beleaguered public health department. The Sixth Street Self Help Center will feature substance abuse treatment, a medical clinic, case management, and peer-counseling services, according to the Jackie Jenks, executive director of Hospitality House, a city agency that manages several different health programs. Sixth Street features high rates of impoverished residents with substance abuse problems, making the development center an essential gathering point, Jenks said. Many people in the neighborhood live in single-occupancy rooms or on...

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Crowds mob Stonestown for 'Twilight' star's appearance

A scheduled autograph session at the Stonestown Galleria with the star of an upcoming vampire movie drew an unexpectedly large and unruly crowd Monday, resulting in the injury of at least one girl. Organizers cancelled the autograph session with 22-year-old Robert Pattinson, the star of "Twilight," a movie about a campire and a human teenager, after a crowd of about 3,000 people-- mostly teenage girls-- showed up early Monday morning and rushed the mall to buy wristbands needed for admittance. The books on which the movie is based are hugely popular with teen readers. However, a police spokesman at the San Francisco Police Department’s Taraval Station said crowds...

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Police reconsider procedures in wake of prisoner's escape

The San Francisco Police Department is investigating ways to improve its prisoner-transfer procedures after a 19-year-old burglary suspect escaped from custody and spent 20 hours on the lam. Despite having both hands shackled behind his back, Carney Taylor managed to break free from police officers at the Northern Police Station on Thursday night, according to Capt. Al Casciato. Casciato said Taylor was among several suspects being processed into a police wagon for transfer from the station at Fillmore and Turk streets to the county jail on Bryant Street. While waiting to enter the vehicle, the fleet Taylor dashed down Turk Street, eluding a number of pursuing officers, before taking a...

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Man in critical condition after being struck by train

A man was in critical condition after being struck by a Caltrain passenger line near Mountain View this morning, the third incident in the past eight days involving the commuter rail that carries passengers from Gilroy to San Francisco. The injured person, a white male in his 30s, was hit by a northbound train about 5:15 a.m. near the Highway 85 overpass, according to Victor Lopez, a detective with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office’s transit division. The man walked onto the tracks near Mountain View where there were no crossing points and numerous “no trespassing” signs visible, Lopez said. “Signage there makes it very clear that pedestrians are not...

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1 dead, 1 hurt after being hit by car in Mission

One man was killed and another was injured after they were struck by a vehicle while crossing the street in the Mission district early Thursday morning. Nelson Aguilon, a 23-year-old San Francisco resident, was fatally injured after colliding with a red Toyota sport utility vehicle traveling south on Mission Street at Virginia Avenue, according to Dean Taylor, an inspector with the San Francisco Police Department’s hit-and-run division. The other pedestrian, whose identity has not been released survived with non life-threatening injuries, Taylor said. Preliminary reports indicate that the Toyota SUV was passing through a green light when it struck the two men, according to Taylor....

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Accident delays Caltrain service northbound to S.F.

An accident involving Caltrain and a vehicle near San Jose caused delays for commuters heading northbound to San Francisco this morning. A passenger train hit a car driven by a woman near the Blossom Hill station at 6:50 a.m., according to Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn. As a result of the collision, two San Francisco-bound trains — the 221 and 225 lines — scheduled to leave at 6:30 a.m. and 7:05 a.m. from Gilroy were canceled, Dunn said. The northbound 319 train, which takes passengers from Tamien station in San Jose to San Francisco, is experiencing 15-minute delays as a result of the accident. The woman driving the car survived and was transferred to a local...

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Emergency response funds retained

A monthly fee for emergency response that used to be tacked on to phone bills in The City — generating approximately $42 million annually for 911 services — has been retained, but is now called a tax, after voters approved Proposition O. The ordinance was placed on the ballot by city officials after a similar fee in Union City was deemed illegal by a state appeals court, that said it was a tax that needed to be approved by...

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Voters reject sewage plant slight

San Francisco voters rejected a suggestion to rename one of The City's water treatment plants the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. The not-so-subtle dig at the current commander-in-chief would have required the change to become effective upon the inauguration of the next president. The name change would have been required on the facility's signage as well as on city maps. Backers of Proposition R gathered the required 7,000-plus signatures to place it on the...

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City determined to keep rocking in park

Police recorded more than 250 noise complaints and handed out 272 parking tickets during the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in August, the first multiday evening concert ever staged in Golden Gate Park — an event city officials want to happen every year. The strain from the 150,000 attendees on The City’s Sunset and Richmond districts required 28 extra police officers and two sergeants, according to a report submitted to the Board of Supervisors by Deputy Chief Kevin Cashman of the Police Department. The department spent $12,308 in labor costs for the extra officers, although police spokeswoman Sgt. Lyn Tomioka said the money will be reimbursed by concert promoters...

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Complaints won't stop multi-day festivals

Police recorded more than 250 noise complaints and handed out 272 parking tickets during the Outside Lands Music Festival, the first multi-day evening concert ever staged in Golden Gate Park — which city officials are hoping to make an annual event. The strain on the adjoining Sunset and Richmond neighborhoods from the 150,000 concert-goers required 28 extra police officers and two sergeants, according to a report submitted to the Board of Supervisors by Deputy Chief Kevin Cashman of the San Francisco Police Department. The department spent $12,308 in labor costs for the extra officers, although police spokeswoman Sgt. Lyn Tomioka said that total will be reimbursed by the...

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S.F. man arrested in fatal Bernal Heights shooting

Police have arrested a 24-year-old San Francisco man in connection with the Monday night shooting death in Bernal Heights. Police officials confirmed that Max Reyes was arrested Monday in connection with the death of John Rodgers, 36, who was one of two people shot while in a residence on Fair Avenue, a small side street south of Cesar Chavez Street and east of Mission Street. Rodgers was pronounced dead at the scene by police officers, while the other gunshot victim, an unidentified 48-year-old male, survived with non life-threatening injuries. Rodger’s death was the 93rd homicide in San Francisco this year. In 2007, when The City recorded a decade-high 98 homicides, there were...

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Strike anniversary brings back memories for dean

S.F. native Laureen Chew participated in the 1968 student strike at San Francisco State University and is the associate dean at the School for Ethnic Studies — which was created in the wake of the protests. Thursday marks the 40th anniversary of the strike. What was the atmosphere like at SFSU leading up to the student strikes? This was in the ’60s, when civil rights, anti-war and other issues were very much in the forefront. There was a large sense of upheaval in the country, so the strike did not come out of the blue. The minorities on campus really believed that we were being underrepresented in our learning curriculum, and even though we were all quite different, we all...

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City-backed Halloween party in Mission Bay didn’t draw big crowds

Low attendance, a light drizzle, and long queues for food dampened the party spirit at a free Halloween event Friday that was backed by The City in a less-than-successful effort to draw crowds away from The Castro. Set in a parking lot adjacent to AT&T Park in Mission Bay, the festival drew a sparse crowd of teens and young adults scattered between its three stages at 10 p.m., but the crowd displayed little enthusiasm for the musical acts and DJs who filled the open-air event with music. “I expected to see more people here,” said Don McChesney, a young man who appeared in his 20s dressed as Captain Hero from the animated TV comedy “Drawn Together.” Just...

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Castro revelers and police find a peaceful balance

The Castro was filled with celebratory revelers on Halloween, watched closely by a heavy police presence meant to prevent the violence and drunk-and-disorderly behavior that has marred the gathering in recent years. Unlike last year, when city officials urged Castro businesses to close their doors at night to discourage people from flooding the neighborhood on Halloween, a number of bars, restaurants, cafes and stores maintained regular store hours and turned a swift trade. “It’s a lot better than last year,” said 18-year Castro resident Ken Hauser, who was decked out in leather garb. Hundreds of riot-ready police officers and barricades kept revelers on sidewalks...

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Critical Mass costumes make monthly ride more festive

Hundreds of bicyclists, most dressed in garish costumes unlikely to be seen on the backs of Tour de France competitors, cheered in jubilant celebration before embarking on the monthly Critical Mass rally — this ride with a Halloween theme — from Justin Herman Plaza Friday evening. The parade of local bicyclists, regularly scheduled for the last Friday night of each month, took off down Market Street at 6:25 p.m. Bunny rabbits, robots, skeletons, clowns and numerous Sarah Palins were all part of the evening show, which brought together a sizeable number of participants, despite early predictions of rain and wind. Every year there is usually a Halloween-themed Critical Mass...

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Revelers come to Castro for Halloween, but in smaller numbers

Scores of police officers manning barricades in the Castro kept revelers off the streets early Friday night, but despite warnings from the police and city officials that there would be no official event this year, costumed revelers came ready to celebrate Halloween. Efforts to shut down the large gathering began last year, in response to violence and problems with rowdy, drunken behavior. In 2006, gunfire erupted in the Castro on Halloween, injuring nine people. Unlike last year, however, when city officials urged Castro businesses to close their doors at night to discourage people from coming to the neighborhood on Halloween, a number of local businesses, including bars, restaurants,...

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Halloween festival in Mission Bay attracts families

Streams of parents with costume-clad children trickled into the parking lot adjacent to AT&T Park early Friday evening for a city-backed Halloween party that appeared under-attended. An estimated 1,500 festival-goers were in attendance at the event by 6 p.m., although vender stands remained empty and various musical acts played to audiences of a few scattered individuals. The festival, funded privately and organized by a local group, Latin Zone Productions, was backed by city leaders as a family-oriented, safe alternative to an annual gathering that has taken place in the Castro but was cancelled this year and last due to increasing violence and disorderly behavior. At the Mission...

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Caltrain reaches deadly dozen

A 56-year-old San Mateo man killed in a train collision Thursday, after apparently driving his pickup onto the tracks, was the 12th fatality of the year — and the second this month — along the Caltrain line that runs from San Francisco to Gilroy. The incidents come even as Caltrain is in the midst of a $7.2 million program to increase safety conditions along tracks. Initial reports indicate the man drove his truck around a set of downed crossing gates at 5:25 a.m. at the intersection of Ninth and South Railroad avenues in San Mateo, said Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn. The San Mateo County coroner identifed him as Wayne Proia. The truck was dragged 200 yards following...

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Filmmaker is 'Wild at Heart'

San Francisco filmmaker Melissa Peabody’s 55-minute documentary about The City’s resurgent coyote population, “Still Wild at Heart,” will be shown Saturday at the Main Library. What prompted you to start this documentary? It began in the late summer of 2003, when, unbelievably, a wild coyote showed up in Bernal Hill. All sorts of questions flooded my mind, [like] how did this four-legged creature get to a tiny hill surrounded by freeways and dense urban housing areas? What is the cause for the recent coyote population growth in San Francisco? Coyote populations nationwide are expanding, and we know the coyotes in San Francisco are from Northern California. Like...

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Weather could dampen holiday

Halloween in San Francisco will be a mixed bag of tricks and treats with no organized party in the Castro, predictions of rain, a heavy police presence and events planned throughout The City. The Police Department has put out an advisory that there is no city- sponsored event in the Castro, and officers will be enforcing a “zero-tolerance policy” against public drinking and any other criminal activity. In recent years, The City has tried to crack down on Halloween festivities in the Castro due to violent and disorderly behavior, including shootings in 2006 that left nine people injured. Unlike last year, when bars closed their doors early, the Castro will operate as...

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Woman is killed in hit-and-run

An elderly woman was killed Tuesday afternoon after being struck by a motorcycle while crossing the street near the Presidio. The woman, whose identity has not been released, was hit about 3 p.m. at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Richardson Avenue, according to the Police Department. The woman was transferred to a nearby hospital, but she died from her injuries a few hours later, police said. The case is being investigated as a hit-and-run....

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Pedestrian fatally struck by motorcycle

An elderly woman was fatally injured when she was struck by a motorcycle while crossing a street near the Presidio on Tuesday afternoon. The woman, whose identity has not been released, was hit at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Richardson Avenue about 3 p.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. The woman was transferred to a hospital, but she died from her injuries a few hours later, police said. The case is being investigated by the police department’s hit-and-run...

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Woman hit by car in Richmond district

A woman was hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle while crossing Fulton Street at 30th Avenue this morning. The woman, whose identity has not been released, was hit by a car about 7:10 a.m., according to Sgt. Lyn Tomioka of the San Francisco Police Department. The woman, described only as “elderly,” was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital following the collision, Tomioka said. A report was being filed concerning the accident, but no arrests had been made, Tomioka said. Westbound traffic was closed on Fulton Street for about 30 minutes following the accident while police cleared the scene, Tomioka...

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Shooting kills man in Visitacion Valley

A San Francisco man was fatally shot in Visitacion Valley on Sunday night, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Officers responded to the scene at 8:40 p.m. after receiving a call about shots being fired and found Daniel Gomez, 33, with multiple gunshot wounds near the intersection of Hahn Street and Visitacion Avenue, police said. Gomez was pronounced dead at the scene. No arrests have been made and the case is under investigation, police said. There has been no information released about the suspect's description. Gomez was the 93rd homicide victim in San Francisco this year and the second in the past three days. Last year, when The City recorded a decade-high 98...

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Nine people displaced by Mission district fire

Nine people were left homeless after a fire destroyed three units in a two-story Mission district residence Sunday night. One resident and one firefighter were briefly hospitalized with minor injuries due to the two-alarm blaze, which was first reported at 9:40 p.m. at 1655 York St., according to Lt. Mindy Talmadge of the San Francisco Fire Department. It took approximately 60 firefighters to corral the blaze, which was contained at 10:55 p.m., Talmadge said. Residents of two of the three units in the building were present at the time of the blaze, including a family of four with two children, Talmadge said. There was some initial confusion about the status of the children because the...

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Coach points USF in a whole new direction

Flanked by two framed jerseys from his playing days — one from the NBA’s Miami Heat and another from Kansas University — newly hired University of San Francisco men’s basketball coach Rex Walters lets out a brief, reactionary laugh before exhaling a bemused sigh while fielding questions in his sparsely decorated office at the War Memorial Gymnasium. When asked how he will turn around a once-proud program — which boasts three national championships but is coming off its worst season in 21 years — Walters confesses that he alone cannot be the savior. “This is not about me,” said Walters, who led Kansas to the Final Four in 1993 before...

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Traffic down on Golden Gate Bridge, but transit ridership up

Car traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge has been decreasing for seven straight months, but money lost from those missing tolls is being partially offset by an increase in ridership on the bridge district’s transit fleet, according to its governing body. Slightly more than 1.6 million vehicles traveled into San Francisco from Marin in September, a figure that is nearly 5 percent less than the number of drivers in September 2007. High gas prices and overall economic uncertainty are among a number of factors attributing to the drop in traffic, said Mary Currie, spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. There were also 93,000 fewer vehicles on the...

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Mechanical problems delay N-Judah commute

Passengers traveling from the Sunset district to downtown San Francisco aboard the N-Judah train experienced delays this morning after a mechanical problem disrupted service on the line for 30 minutes. The problem occurred about 8:40 a.m. and shut down rail service from Ninth Avenue and Irving Street to Hillway Avenue and Carl Street, near UCSF’s Parnassus Heights Campus, according to Judson True, spokesman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Trains outbound from downtown San Francisco were redirected and turned inbound at UCSF, True said. Muni dispatched buses to replace the downed light-rail line, but many passengers on the inbound trains were forced to walk...

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Police search for South City robbery suspects

Two men accused of committing armed robbery Thursday night are being sought by South San Francisco police officers. The men approached a 25-year-old man on Randolph Avenue about 10 p.m., according to a report released by the South San Francisco Police Department. One of the suspects pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded that he give up his possessions, according to the report. After stealing the victim’s valuables, the two fled the scene on foot and were last spotted near the stairs that access Sister Cities Boulevard, the report said. One of the suspects was described as 6 feet tall and wearing a baseball cap, white shirt and blue jeans, according to police. He carried a...

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Weekend in The City should be beautiful

Daylight hours may be dwindling, but summerlike weather is still around — for now. Forecasts for this weekend are calling for clear skies and temperatures in the 80s, ideal for a weekend filled with events in The City. The warm weather continues a recent spate of unusually balmy days, but this weekend might offer the last chance for San Franciscans to get out and enjoy the sun, as temperatures are expected to dip Monday, according to Tom Moore, lead meteorologist for the Weather Channel. Moore said a large, high-pressure ridge that’s dominating the western part of the country is responsible for the warm weather. Highs are expected to be in the low 80s on Saturday and...

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South City man arrested in connection with brother's stabbing

A South City man was hospitalized after being stabbed in the head and torso by his brother Wednesday night, according to the South San Francisco Police Department. The victim, whose name has not been released by authorities, and his brother, Juan Francisco Salazar, 41, were involved in an argument at 7:20 p.m. that escalated into a physical confrontation, according to a police report. In the fray, Salazar stabbed his brother twice before fleeing the scene, according to the report. Salazar’s brother was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was being held in serious but stable condition. Two hours after the fight broke out, police located and arrested Salazar on Grand...

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I-880 returns to normal after blaze

- Drivers who faced a traffic nightmare Wednesday on Interstate 880 in Oakland due to a tanker-truck explosion should find the roads open and back to normal today. As of 7:40 Wednesday night, after more than 13 hours of work by CalTrans and gridlock for commuters, all lanes of the freeway had reopened, California Highway Patrol officials confirmed. A massive fire was sparked when a black sedan rear-ended the tanker, causing it to crash about 6:15 a.m., according to Trent Cross, spokesman for the CHP. After the two vehicles collided, the sedan spun into the center divider and the tanker, carrying 8,600 gallons of gasoline, overturned and erupted in flames, Cross...

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Problem with track causes BART delays

For the second straight day, San Francisco passengers traveling on BART are experiencing delays during the morning commute due to mechanical malfunctions. A problem with BART’s track between the 16th Street and Civic Center stations initially caused 15 to 20 minute delays for trains traveling in and out of San Francisco, according to BART’s command center. The problem was discovered at 4:40 a.m. and cleared by 6:30 a.m., but there are still 10 to 15 minute residual delays in all San Francisco stations, according to command center. The maintenance crew is now off the track, so service is expected to return to normal shortly, BART officials said. On Monday, a malfunction...

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Mechanical problem causes BART delays

BART passengers traveling from San Francisco to the East Bay are experiencing 10-minute delays as a result of a mechanical malfunction on a train early Monday morning. The problem with the BART train was first diagnosed about 7 a.m. on Monday as it was traveling through San Francisco’s downtown stations. BART officials have moved the train off the track, but residual delays remain. It is unknown how much longer the delays will be in place, according to BART’s central...

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Cable-car injury could cost Muni $750,000

A Chicago woman who was injured four years ago while traveling aboard an out-of-control cable car is set to receive a $750,000 settlement from The City. Susan White was visiting San Francisco on Oct. 8, 2004, while working for Sony when she boarded a Powell-Hyde cable car at Ghirardelli Square about 10:30 p.m., according to White and Municipal Transportation Agency documents. The cable car weaved southbound through Russian Hill before taking a left on Washington Street, where it steadily picked up speed, according to transit agency documents. Eventually the pace of the car increased, forcing one of the operators onboard to abruptly pull the emergency break near Mason Street. The sudden...

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S.F. man identified as victim of fatal stabbing

The man who was fatally stabbed in the SoMa district on Tuesday night has been identified by medical authorities. Garland Alston, 55, of San Francisco, died from multiple stab wounds after being assaulted at a parking lot on Beale and Howard streets. Just hours after the stabbing, police arrested William Anaya, 42, in an area near the homicide scene. Alston was the 89th homicide victim in San Francisco this year. On Thursday, authorities confirmed that 16-year-old Jonisha Tucker had died from gunshot wounds she suffered on Tuesday, making her the 90th person to be killed in San Francisco in 2008. No suspects have been arrested in Tucker’s case, but police said the she was shot...

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Angel Island blaze caused by people, fire officials say

The blaze that consumed more than half of Angel Island State Park and took 43 hours to contain appears to have been started by human activity. Fire officials have ruled out natural causes in the blaze, which first ignited about 8:30 p.m. Sunday night and raged until Tuesday afternoon, according to Mike Giannini, Battalion Chief of the Marin County Fire Department. Giannini said the Marin County Fire Marshall, who is leading the investigation into the blaze, has ruled out “natural causes” — such as downed electrical lines or machine malfunctions — for the fire’s eruption. “Through the process of exclusion we’re able to say that a person on...

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Motorcyclist dies in accident on 19th Avenue

A San Francisco man was killed after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a car at a busy intersection on 19th Avenue, a corridor known for its perilous driving conditions. The accident occurred about 8:15 a.m. at the intersection of Holloway Avenue, according to Sgt. Wilfred Williams, spokeswoman for the San Francisco Police Department. The motorcyclist, a 40-year-old San Francisco man, was traveling east on Holloway when he collided with a vehicle being driven north by a 34-year-old woman, Williams said. The man was thrown about 20 feet after colliding with the car, according to Williams. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital , where he was pronounced dead a...

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Cable problem shuts down Powell cable-car service

Tourists looking to board the historic San Francisco cable car lines on Powell Street will be out of luck today. A frayed underground cable has shut down portions of both the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde Cable Car lines, according to a release by Judson True of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. The problem, first diagnosed at 5:55 a.m., will likely put the cable cars out of commission on Powell Street until the end of service tonight, True said. The two lines are extremely popular with tourists, who usually board the cable cars at their southern terminus on Powell and Market streets. Passengers will not be able to board there today, True said. “We understand...

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Big rig blocks Bay Bridge commuters

Drivers entering San Francisco from Oakland are experiencing lengthy traffic delays after a big-rig truck broke down, closing a lane on Interstate 80 near the Bay Bridge. The truck, carrying 10,000 pounds of seafood, first pulled over at 7:25 a.m. on I-80, blocking a lane near Gilman Street in Berkeley, according to reports from the California Highway Patrol. Traffic heading westbound on the Bay Bridge is backed up from Powell Street in Emeryville to Gilman Street because of the incident, according to CHP...

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Man arrested in fatal SoMa stabbing

San Francisco police arrested a suspect in the fatal stabbing of a man in the SoMa late Tuesday night. Officers found the victim in a parking lot at Beale and Howard streets about 11 p.m. with multiple stabbing wounds, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The victim, who has not been identified but was decribed as a black male in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene. On Wednesday, police took William Anaya, 42, into custody about 12:45 a.m. at the location where the homicide occurred. The homicide took place a half block from the Beale Street Grill, a restaurant and bar on Beale Street. The bar was open at the time of the homicide, but a worker who answered the phone...

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Mountain lion hit by car in San Mateo County

A mountain lion limped away after being struck and injured Tuesday morning by a sport utility vehicle on Highway 92 in unincorporated San Mateo County, authorities said. The lion, estimated to be 85 pounds, was crossing Highway 92 when it was struck at 7:30 a.m. by the eastbound SUV near the unincorporated Crystal Springs Lower Lakes area, said sheriff’s Lt. Ray Lunny. Deputy Duane Brumfield arrived and saw the cat laying in the roadway, Lunny said. The lion then stood up on all fours and walked off into the Skyline Quarry area, which is filled with thick, low brush, he said. It appeared the animal sustained either a broken leg or hip, he said. A subsequent search for the animal...

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Sunset district shooting leaves one man dead

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man in the Sunset district Monday night. Units responded to the scene at 17th Avenue and Noriega Street at 11 p.m. after hearing reports of shots fired, according to Sgt. Neville Gittens of the San Francisco Police Department. When officers arrived at the scene, they found an Asian male with multiple gunshot wounds in the driver’s seat of Mercedes sports utility vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Gittens said. The man has been identified as Hung Pham of Daly City. Pham had been shot through the window of the SUV, which had been parked at the corner of the intersection, according to police. No suspects have...

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Fire burns more than half of Angel Island

A brush fire that started on Angel Island on Sunday night raged throughout Monday, burning more than half of the 740-acre state park as firefighters fought to contain the blaze and protect more than 120 nearby historical structures. More than 380 acres of the state park were burned by the fire, and as of Monday evening, 25 percent of the fire remained uncontained, according to Battalion Chief Mike Giannini of the Marin County Fire Department, who estimated that the fire would be entirely contained by 6 p.m. today. Approximately 400 firefighters from Marin County fire departments, Cal Fire, and the California State Parks combated the blaze, Giannini said. The vegetation fire started at...

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Safety net approved for Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge, an iconic San Francisco landmark that has also been a magnet for suicide attempts, will soon feature a safety net 20 feet below its surface to protect and deter people from taking their own lives. In a surprise vote Friday, the bridge district’s board of directors voted 14-1 in favor of the safety netting, a suicide deterrent that was one of five barrier options, according to Mary Currie, spokeswoman for the district. The bridge district will now complete its final environmental impact studies on the netting, and begin the important task of finding funding for the barrier, which is expected to cost $40 million to $50 million to build, Currie said. The final...

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Pedestrian killed Thursday night in S.F.

A 20-year-old San Francisco woman died after being struck by a car in a crosswalk on Alemany Boulevard on Thursday night. Stacey Krause was walking westbound on Alemany when a man driving a Saturn northbound on the street hit her near San Juan Avenue, according to Dean Taylor of the San Francisco Police Department’s hit-and-run division. Krause was pronounced dead at San Francisco General Hospital shortly following the collision, which occurred at 7:52 p.m. Taylor said the driver “just didn’t see” Krause as she was crossing the street. No drugs or alcohol were involved, and initial reports indicate the accident happened because of driver inattention, Taylor said....

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Electrical fire causes major BART delays

Delays persist on BART after an electrical fire near the track at the West Oakland station halted service temporarily from San Francisco to the East Bay and prevented two lines from traveling to The City. All trains were operating 20 to 30 minutes behind schedule, according to Jim Allison, spokesman for BART. The fire at West Oakland station was first reported about 7:30 a.m. BART officials are working on repairing the problem, Allison said. Along with the problems caused by the fire, a coverboard came off the track near Pittsburg/Bay Point about 10 a.m., adding further 15-minute delays for passengers traveling into San Francisco. BART commuter Jeff Fleming said he watched as two...

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Suspects questioned in pipe-bomb explosion

Two suspects in their early 20s are being questioned by police for their role in a pipe bomb that detonated in The City’s Bayview district early Friday morning. The explosion was reported at 5:22 a.m. near the intersection of La Salle Avenue and Newhall Street, according Sgt. Lyn Tomioka of the San Francisco Police Department. After the incident, police put out a description report of a vehicle seen leaving the explosion site. An officer on duty recognized the vehicle while patrolling near Eddy Street and Van Ness Avenue. After following the car for a few blocks, the officer called in additional units were and the vehicle was pulled over for a felony traffic stop at 7 a.m. on...

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Man stabbed, robbed in SoMa motel room

A man was stabbed in a robbery in a motel room after he let one of the suspects use his bathroom early Wednesday morning in the SoMa district. About 3:45 a.m., the victim, a 36-year-old man, answered a knock at his motel room door on the 900 block of Harrison Street, according to Sgt. Lyn Tomioka of the San Francisco Police Department. The woman at the door asked to use the bathroom, Tomioka said. The victim complied, and while the woman was in the motel room, she opened the door for the second suspect, a man who forcibly entered and began stealing items in the room. The victim attempted to stop the robbery, and in a struggle, the suspect stabbed the man numerous times in the back,...

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Suicide determined cause of death for man found in Bay

The death of an Asian man discovered in the Bay on Tuesday morning has been determined to be the result of a suicide, according to the San Mateo Police Department. “We are certain that this death is a suicide,” said Lt. Mike Brunicardi, spokesman for the police department. “It’s an unfortunate and tragic death.” A passerby jogging on an athletic trail near Anchor Road first reported the body at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday. The body was floating in a slough near the athletic trail at the intersection of Anchor Road and J Hart Clinton Drive. Police initially treated the death as suspicious and were following procedures normally related to homicide...

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Van flips, injures one person at Hyde and California

A van has overturned at the intersection of Hyde and California streets this morning, injuring one person, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. Emergency officials responded to the accident about 6:30 a.m., fire dispatch said. The person in the vehicle has been extricated, but the extent of injuries is unknown. No other vehicles were involved in the accident. No other details were available concerning the cause of the accident. Officials are working on clearing the...

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Report: Violent crimes on Muni on the rise

While riding a Muni bus late last month, a 24-year-old man said he was robbed at gunpoint by three individuals in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood. One was allegedly carrying a shotgun and reportedly made off with the victim’s belongings. Violent incidents such as these are increasing, according to a recent police report, although overall crime has dropped significantly on Muni vehicles since last year. The report states that violent crime — including robbery, rape and aggravated assault — has seen an uptick on Muni vehicles since last year. There were 204 reports of violent crimes from the 2007 fiscal year to the 2008 fiscal year, an increase of 36. Aggravated...

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Boating accident victims identified

Medical authorities released the identities of the man and woman who were killed after the boat they were fishing on capsized in rough waters near Maverick’s Beach in San Mateo County on Sunday. Dong Luong, 68, of San Jose and Biet Le Nguyen, 58, of San Bruno both perished in the accident, which occurred after the 20-foot sailing vessel they were aboard overturned in a large swell off the coast of Princeton-by-the-Sea, a small community in San Mateo County. Two other passengers aboard the boat lived, including Guip Nyugen, the 61-year-old husband of Biet Le. The other survivor was 39-year-old Tuan Huyntt. Both men were conscious when rescue authorities arrived at the scene...

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SEC sues disgraced Democratic fundraiser

Federal regulators have sued former Bay Area resident and disgraced Hillary Clinton-fundraiser Norman Hsu for allegedly operating a Ponzi scam in which he duped investors out of $60 million. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed the lawsuit against Hsu on Monday in a Los Angeles federal court. The suit alleges that Hsu illegally used investor funds to “pay sales agent commissions,” and finance his “luxury living and entertainment expenses.” The suit also alleges that Hsu misappropriated investor money to fund various Democratic candidate campaigns, notably New York Sen. Hillary Clinton’s quest for the presidency. Hsu told his investors that they...

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Man rescued from burning home in Castro

One man was rescued from a two-alarm blaze Monday morning in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood. Employing a ladder-rescue technique, firefighters retrieved the man after he became trapped in an upper-story bedroom at a residence on 18th and Market streets, according to San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Mindy Talmadge. Rescue units transferred the man to San Francisco General Hospital with non life-threatening injuries, Talmadge said. The man, who has not been identified, was one of five residents in the single-family dwelling, Talmadge said. The four other residents did not need to be rescued, but all five have been displaced because of the fire. The fire was...

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Condo lottery slow to convert

Craig Schlossberg, who lives in a four-unit building on Cumberland Street near Dolores Park, beat the odds. While 1,844 San Francisco residents applied this year to convert purchased apartments into more profitable condominiums, only 200 units were allowed to make the switch, according to city law that metes out the number annually. Worsening the odds, The City now sets aside half of the slots to those who have waited the longest for the opportunity to “condo-convert.” The other 100 approvals are selected by random lottery from the remaining hundreds. The ability to convert a multiunit building into individual condos allows a group of buyers to enjoy the benefits of...

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Maintenance would boost price tag for suicide barrier

Along with the projected $40 million to $50 million in initial building needs, four of the five options for a suicide barrier on Golden Gate Bridge would cost more than $400,000 annually because of new maintenance obligations. The four costly alternatives — all variations of extensions on the bridge’s 4-foot railing — would range from $428,000 to $465,000, according to Denis Mulligan, the district’s chief engineer. The extra costs come from cleaning and repairs procedures the district would have to implement with the advent of the extended rails. Instead of scaling the 4-foot rail at the point of operation as they do now, workers would have to enter through...

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Gas leak in Potrero Hill

Safety officials are working on fixing a gas leak in Potrero Hill this morning. Workers from The City’s water department were doing work in the street at little before 6 a.m. when they accidentally hit a gas line at Mariposa and Hampshire streets, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. Fire fighters and employees from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. are on the scene to fix the...

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Expo gathers animal advocates

As a wildlife advocate with 43 years experience protecting elephants in Africa, Iain Douglas-Hamilton has participated in an array of conservation efforts — some with success, some without. Still, he can’t help but express optimism in the potential of the Wildlife Conservation Network’s annual exposition, which is set to take place Saturday in San Francisco at the Mission Bay Conference Center. “This conference is amazingly important,” Douglas-Hamilton said. “I think it’s an entirely fresh idea, and so far it’s been phenomenally successful.” The exposition, in its seventh year, is staged by the WCN, a Los Gatos-based nonprofit...

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Spate of killings puts city's total at 86

A man opened fire on another man and a woman in a parked car in the Crocker Amazon neighborhood Wednesday night, killing the man and wounding his companion, according to police. The victim, 32-year-old Wesley Simpson of Daly City, is San Francisco’s 86th homicide of 2008. Last year, when The City recorded a decade-high 98 homicides, there were 83 at this time. Simpson’s death is the third slaying in three days. September has been the bloodiest month in San Francisco this year; there were 17 homicides — five more than the previous month high of 12, which came in March. Of the 17, just two have resulted in arrests by the Police Department. The second victim in...

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Park may be stage for more fests

Radiohead made a memorable stop in Golden Gate Park this summer, but does that mean more arena-rock headliners are on the horizon? Based on the success of the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in August, the first nighttime event in Golden Gate Park, city officials are pushing to make multiday concerts annual events in the park. But architects of the concert that brought nearly $1 million to city coffers are fuming at the proposal. “This [proposal] very much jeopardizes the idea of Outside Lands festival returning to San Francisco,” said Gregg Perloff, one of the co-founders of Another Planet Entertainment, the group that produced the three-day festival featuring artists...

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Arrest made in fatal Tenderloin stabbing

Police have arrested a suspect accused of fatally stabbing a man in the Tenderloin early Wednesday morning. Officers in the homeless outreach program were able to contact key witnesses who had information about the slaying, according to Capt. Gary Jimenez of the Tenderloin police station. After some investigation, officers got the suspect's first name, Jimenez said. By going through public records, they were able to match the name with a local resident who had a history of frequent police contact. By 3 p.m., the officers apprehended the suspect at his home not far from where the stabbing took place, Jimenez said. The suspect’s name has not been released by...

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1 dead, 1 injured in Excelsior shooting

Police are investigating a Wednesday night shooting that killed a man and hospitalized a woman in The City’s Excelsior district. Leslie Simpson, 32, of Daly City was killed at 9:35 p.m. at the 700 block of Brunswick Street, according to police. Simpson and a 29-year-old woman were in a car when they were both shot by a suspect who had walked up to the vehicle, according to police reports. After firing several shots the suspect then fled on foot, police said. Both victims were transferred to San Francisco General Hospital, where Simpson died. The woman sustained injuries that were not life-threatening. No arrests have been made, and police are investigating the...

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Police: Slayings in S.F., South City linked

A single shooter killed a man in Visitacion Valley and another in South San Francisco an hour and a half apart Tuesday, police said. The fatal shootings were followed Wednesday by a fatal stabbing in the Tenderloin, which brought the homicide tally for San Francisco to 85 for the year. A suspect in Tuesday’s slayings was being detained by police on unrelated charges Wednesday, police said. At 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, 44-year-old longshoreman and East Bay resident James Starghill was shot multiple times as he stood in front of his mother’s house at Brussels and Maynard streets in The City’s Visitacion Valley neighborhood, San Francisco homicide Inspector Mike Johnson...

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Woman hospitalized after being struck by hit-and-run driver

Police are looking for a hit-and-run driver who struck a woman on Mission and Sixth streets Wednesday afternoon and have the license plate number of the car due to a quick-thinking cyclist who sped after the car. The vehicle was heading north on Sixth Street when it ran a red light and hit the woman, according to police at the scene. The woman was thrown back about five feet by the impact of the collision, police said. She had some minor head injuries following the accident, according to police. She was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital for precautionary measures. The driver of the vehicle did not stop following the incident, instead opting to turn right on Stevenson...

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South City sees first killing in more than three years

South San Francisco police officials Wednesday were investigating a Tuesday afternoon killing — the first reported homicide in the city in more than three years. Police responded to the scene at 3708 Radburn Drive after Andre Jamil Townsend’s 9-year-old son notified authorities about a problem with his father, according to South San Francisco police spokeswoman Sgt. Joni Lee. By the time police arrived, they found Townsend, 29, lying in his doorway, already dead from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Lee. Police also found Townsend’s other child, a 3-year-old son, who was upstairs watching television, Lee said. Neither of the children had any injuries. Lee said...

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Police investigate fatal Tenderloin stabbing

Police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a man in the Tenderloin early Wednesday morning, the second reported killing in The City in a 14-hour span. About 3:45 a.m., the victim, a man who has not been identified by authorities, was having an argument with another man on the 300 block of Ellis Street, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The argument escalated, and the suspect stabbed the victim multiple times before fleeing on foot. The victim was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died. Both the victim and the suspect were black males, according to a report from the police department. No arrests have been made and the case is under...

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Fire burns Bayview home

A two-alarm fire burned a home in the Bayview district Monday night but did not damage two buildings nearby, according to fire department officials. The blaze, first reported about 10:40 p.m., fully engulfed the first and second floors of a residential home at 1537 Revere Ave., according to Lt. Ken Smith, spokesman for the San Francisco Fire Department. By the time fire personnel arrived on the scene, the fire had already reached the roof of the residence. However, despite two buildings being just “inches apart” on each side of the affected structure, the fire did not spread, Smith said. By 11:15 p.m., the inferno was completely contained by 65 firefighters on duty, Smith...

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Immigration raids pay off

Federal authorities said Monday that they arrested more than 1,150 illegal immigrants during a three-week “enforcement surge” across the state, including seven undocumented fugitives in San Francisco who had criminal records. Officials with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, called it the largest special-enforcement operation ever carried out in the state by the agency’s Fugitive Operation Teams. The enforcement operation ended Saturday. It registered 436 arrests in Northern California, including 14 in San Francisco, according to Craig Meyer, assistant field operator at ICE’s San Francisco branch. Of the 14 illegal immigrants arrested in...

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Man dies after being struck by errant driver on Mission Street

A driver of a Jaguar convertible with an expired registration plowed into a Mission district sidewalk Monday morning at a high rate of speed, killing a cafe worker and forcing pedestrians to run for safety. The fatal incident occurred at 8:09 a.m., when a man driving the gold convertible northbound on Mission Street crashed into a crowded sidewalk between 21st and 22nd streets, San Francisco police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens said. The driver of the convertible, 35-year-old Jason Yantas of San Francisco, allegedly hit four parking meters and the victim before colliding with a tree on Mission Street, Gittens said. The victim was thrown up in the air by the collision and then run over,...

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Missing 12-year-old now considered a runaway

A 12-year-old San Francisco girl reported missing this weekend has contacted police authorities and is now considered a runaway. Dyhemia Young, whose nickname is Malaysia, contacted a police investigator Sunday night and seemed to be in good health, according to Sgt. Neville Gittens of the San Francisco Police Department. Gittens said the investigator is working on getting Young to return to her family, and hopefully by the end of the night she will have a face-to-face meeting with police officials. Young was last seen near Page and Buchanan streets at 6 p.m. on Saturday. A Bayview District resident, Young is a student at KIPP San Francisco Bay...

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Fund established in name of boy killed in truck crash

Two youth sports organizations and a local bank are gathering donations to set up a memorial fund for Tyler Fahy, the nine-year-old San Mateo resident who was killed in a car accident Monday. Fahy was with his mother were in a mid-sized sport utility vehicle when a runaway debris truck crashed into their car at the intersection of 43rd and Olympic avenues. The momentum of the crash sent the two vehicles careening into a parking lot outside of the Mollie Stone’s grocery store. By the time the vehicles had come to a stop, seven more cars and a pedestrian were struck. The wreck killed Fahy and hospitalized three women. One of the three women, 62-year-old April Bisgaard of San Mateo,...

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Cab driver hospitalized after assault

A San Francisco taxi driver was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being assaulted in a robbery Thursday night in the Sunset district. The assault and robbery occurred about 10 p.m. on the 800 block of Taraval Street, according to San Francisco Police Department spokesman Sgt. Wilfred Williams. The cab driver picked up three men who flagged him down. One of the suspects said he didn’t have any money and asked to be taken to a nearby ATM, Williams said. While dropping the man off at the ATM, the cab driver was assaulted by the two other passengers, who fled the vehicle without paying the fare, according to Williams. It remains unclear what possessions, if any, the...

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Suicide survivor advocates for bridge barrier

Kevin Hines, the 27-year-old San Franciscan survived a suicide attempt off the Golden Gate Bridge in 2000 and is now one of the most well-known advocates for a suicide-prevention barrier on the iconic span. The bridge district could vote on the barrier next month. Why do you believe there needs to be a suicide barrier on the bridge? There have been countless studies that prove barriers are the most effective means of preventing suicides on bridges, period. Suicide is innately impulsive, and a difference of 20 minutes can change the life of someone who is contemplating suicide. If you take away lethal means, you can save lives. An advisory panel put together by Mayor Gavin Newsom...

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Domestic dispute turns into knife fight at South City party

Two men were arrested and one woman was hospitalized following a domestic dispute that turned into a knife fight at a South San Francisco party early Wednesday morning. Police found out about the altercation at 3 a.m., after being called to Seton Medical Center in Daly City, where a woman was being treated for injuries on the right side of her head. The woman, whose name has not been released, had a two-inch gash above her forehead, a one-inch laceration to her head, and a substantial amount of hair missing, according to a report from the South San Francisco Police Department. When officers interviewed the woman’s husband, 38-year-old Eric Herrera of Daly City, he appeared evasive...

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High-speed chase ends with crashes in S.F.

A high-speed chase that started in the East Bay ended dramatically early this morning with both the suspect and a pursuing California Highway Patrol officer crashing their vehicles on the streets of San Francisco. No one was seriously injured in the crashes, which occurred a little after 4 a.m. near the intersection of Sagamore Street and Orizaba Avenue, according to CHP spokesman Trent Cross. Other CHP officers on the scene arrested Jorge Martinez, 28, of San Francisco and booked him on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, false identification and evading the police, Cross said. While being chased, Martinez lost control of his vehicle and crashed...

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Teenager nabbed after theft spree in The City

After an alleged nightlong robbery spree Tuesday night, one man was arrested in the Mission district but his accomplice escaped. Police said 18-year-old Kareem Lacayo of San Francisco approached two men as they walked on Beacon Street near Noe Valley’s Billy Goat Hill Park at 10 p.m. Lacayo allegedly robbed the men at gunpoint and jumped into a getaway car driven by another man. At 11:45 p.m., Lacayo allegedly held up a 33-year-old man in the 300 block of Waller Street in the Lower Haight as the victim waited for a ride. Lacayo again fled in a car, described as a black sedan, that was driven by another man, police said. Just before midnight, police said Lacayo struck again, this...

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Boy, 9, who died in truck accident identified

The boy who was killed in a tragic multivehicle car wreck on Monday in San Mateo was identified Wednesday as nine-year-old Tyler Fahy. The accident occurred when a debris-hauling truck ran through a stop sign at 43rd and Olympic Avenues, hitting an SUV in the process. The two vehicles, carried by momentum, spun into the crowded parking lot at a Mollie Stone’s grocery store between 42nd and 43rd avenues on El Camino Real, crashing into at least seven cars before coming to a stop. Fahy was with his mother in one of the parked vehicles when it was crushed in the accident. Witnesses at the scene said that Fahy’s mom appeared to be pregnant at the time of the crash, although...

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Potrero Hill homicide victim identified

The Medical Examiner’s Office has released the identity of the man shot and killed in Potrero Hill on Tuesday. Armando Rodriguez, a 32-year-old San Francisco resident, was shot near a taco stand on the 1400 block of Arkansas Street about 1:40 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the suspect, a man in his 20s, fired at Rodriguez multiple times before fleeing west on 24th Street. No arrests have been made. Rodriguez was the 82nd homicide victim in San Francisco this year. The homicide tally for this year puts The City on pace to match the decade-high 98 killings recorded in...

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Woman hospitalized after being hit by cable car

A woman was hospitalized with head injuries after being struck by a cable car early Wednesday morning. The woman, who hasn’t been identified, was hit by the cable car on Mason Street near Broadway at 5:57 a.m., according to the San Francisco Fire Department. She was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, although the extent of her injuries remain unknown, the fire department said. The cable car was traveling on Mason Street toward Fisherman’s Wharf when it struck the woman, according to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokesman Judson True. No other details were immediately available about the incident, which is being investigated by the San Francisco...

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Questions linger in fatal truck crash

Bouquets, stuffed animals and balloons piled up at a makeshift memorial Tuesday in the grocery store parking lot near where a truck accident killed a 9-year-old boy and critically injured several others less than 24 hours earlier. The boy, whose identity was being withheld Tuesday pending family notification, was killed when a debris-hauling truck careened down a hill through an intersection, hitting an SUV. The truck and SUV then slid about 100 feet, hitting seven cars and a pedestrian in the parking lot of Mollie Stone’s at 43rd and Olympic avenues. Two of the three people injured, a 30-year-old woman and a 53-year-old woman, were taken to the Intensive Care Unit at Stanford...

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Accident slows I-280 traffic in S.F.

Traffic is slowing considerably for drivers traveling north on Interstate 280 in San Francisco due to a two-car accident that has shut down two lanes, according to officials from the California Highway Patrol. The accident occurred at 7:53 a.m., when a black Cadillac collided with a Nissan on I-280 just north of John Daly Boulevard, according to CHP reports. One of the drivers involved in the accident complained of some pain, but the injuries did not appear to be serious, CHP officials said. Both left lanes were shut down so emergency vehicles could attend to the drivers. Traffic was backed up to Mission Street in Daly City as a result of the accident. The two lanes should re-open in...

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Three killed, two injured in violent weekend

The slayings of three men during the weekend has put San Francisco on pace with last year’s murder toll. The weekend killings bring The City’s 2008 homicide tally to 81. Last year, San Francisco had 82 killings at this time and eventually reached a decade high of 98 homicides. On Sunday, officers in the Tenderloin were searching for an assailant who stabbed 59-year-old Ralph Ruiz to death during a 10:45 a.m. argument on Hyde Street. Tenderloin Police Station Capt. Gary Jimenez said witnesses had come forward in the brazen daylight killing and police had obtained evidence from video cameras. “Our plainclothes and uniformed officers have been canvassing the...

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Card game may cost man’s life

A friendly game of cards nearly turned deadly Wednesday night in the Excelsior district after a man allegedly stabbed his playing partner in the back amid a fit of rage related to accusations of cheating, police said. San Francisco resident Augusto Soriano, 51, was booked on charges of aggravated assault for allegedly stabbing a 36-year-old man, said Capt. Denis O’Leary of the Ingleside Police Station. The victim was teaching his girlfriend how to play cards at a residence on the 400 block of Pope Street when the violent outburst from Soriano occurred, O’Leary said. Instead of innocently tutoring his girlfriend, Soriano thought the victim was skimming cards and the two began...

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Geary hit-and-run victim dies from injuries

A 73-year-old man who was struck Tuesday in a hit-and-run accident on Geary Boulevard died from his injuries, authorities said Thursday. The man, whose name has been withheld by the Medical Examiner’s Office pending family notification, was hit by a car driven by Ywe E. Emerson at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and 20th Avenue. Authorities said that Emerson was taking a left turn from 20th Avenue, when he struck the pedestrian, who was walking in a crosswalk. A witness followed Emerson’s vehicle and was able to provide police with the license plate number of the runaway driver. Tuesday’s pedestrian fatality was the eighth this year in San Francisco, according to...

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Motorcyclist plunges off I-80 in S.F.

A 38-year-old man died after crashing his motorcycle on Interstate 80 in San Francisco early this morning. The man, a San Francisco resident whose name has not been released by the Medical Examiner’s Office, was traveling eastbound on I-80 about 3:20 a.m. when he hit the south rail of the elevated highway, just west of Seventh Street, according to California Highway Patrol spokesman Shawn Chase. After striking the concrete wall, the man was thrown off his bike and into a fence about 70 feet to 80 feet below on Brannan Street, Chase said. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene. Chase said CHP officials have not yet determined how fast the man was traveling at the time of the...

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Oracle OpenWorld expected to snarl traffic

Already-busy downtown San Francisco will see another type of congestion today as Howard Street is shut down in preparation for the Oracle OpenWorld convention. More than 40,000 people are expected to attend the annual event at Moscone Center, and an overflow will close Howard Street from 8 tonight through 8 p.m. Sept. 26. During the closure, there will be no automobile traffic between Second and Third streets. Although the event, put on by Redwood City-based Oracle Corp., starts with registration Saturday and runs through Sept. 25, the rest of the time the closure is for setup and cleanup. Significant traffic congestion is expected daily around Howard Street, according to the San...

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Redwood City teen accused in killing turns himself in

A teenager accused of killing a 17-year-old Redwood City resident last weekend surrendered himself to San Mateo County authorities Tuesday night. The suspect, also 17 years old, was booked into the San Mateo County Youth Service Center in connection with the death of Solomone Zarate on Sept. 13, according to a statement issued by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Because of his age, the sheriff’s office did not release the name of the suspect, who, like Zarate, is from Redwood City. According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect is believed to be a member of the Nortenos, a gang comprised mostly of Hispanics with historical ties to Northern California. Based on an...

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Man fatally shot while riding bike in Richmond district

A man riding a bicycle was fatally shot in the Richmond district early this morning, the first homicide this year in the normally quiet neighborhood. Police were searching for two suspects in the shooting, which occurred about 1:40 a.m. on the 1300 block of Cabrillo Street. After being shot, the victim jumped off his bike and ran down Cabrillo Street, knocking on the doors of homes, police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens said. The noise prompted neighbors to call the police, but by the time officers arrived, the victim was already lying dead outside a residence, according to Gittens. The suspect appeared to be trying to gain entrance in to one of the homes but died from his wounds while...

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Accident cleared from Bay Bridge

An overturned vehicle that blocked two lanes of traffic near the westbound incline of the Bay Bridge has been cleared after causing significant backup for traffic into San Francisco. The single-vehicle accident occurred at 6:39 a.m. between Oakland and Yerba Buena Island, according to officials from the California Highway Patrol. By 7:08 a.m., the vehicle had been flipped back upright by emergency response teams, according to CHP reports. The man driving the vehicle was transported to a local medical center, but his injuries didn’t appear to be serious, CHP officials...

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Man accused of dumping body in bin appears in court

The man accused of killing a 73-year-old man and dumping his body into a garbage bin appeared in court Monday, where he postponed his arraignment and plea until Wednesday. Police discovered the body of Nestor San Juan wrapped in a plastic bag and stuffed into a trash receptacle in the basement of an apartment complex near Union Square on Thursday afternoon. On Friday, officers arrested Froilan Marroquin, a 31-year-old resident of San Francisco, Friday night about 10:30 p.m. at 540 Capp St., according to San Francisco police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens. San Juan was strangled before being dumped into the bin, Gittens said. Gittens said a joint investigation between the police...

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Mission violence continues with fatal shooting Sunday

The ongoing surge of violence in the Mission district continued Sunday night, when a San Francisco man was fatally shot on the corner of Valencia Street and Duboce Avenue. He was the eighth person killed in the neighborhood since Aug. 22. Emergency personnel responded to the scene after gunfire was heard on the corner about 9:30 p.m., police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens said. Gittens said the victim, 23-year-old Royshawn Holden, was having a verbal argument with another man before the incident. By the time police arrived, Holden was lying on the ground and had a gunshot wound. The suspect, a black male, fled northbound on Duboce in a green minivan, Gittens said. No arrests have been...

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Yacht-chartering company in hot water with state group

State officials have fined a San Francisco yacht-chartering company $30,000 for failing to put in required beautification efforts at its headquarters on Pier 9 at The Embarcadero. Garrett O’Doherty, founder of luxury cruise-rental company Signature Hospitality Group, has been in violation of state permitting codes since 2006 for ignoring or delaying orders to add benches, information signs, safety bollards and public access points to his bayside property, according to public documents. The improvements are required as part of an initiative to invigorate San Francisco’s once-dilapidated eastern waterfront. O’Doherty has racked up $128,500 in fines from the Bay...

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Median barrier study approved for Golden Gate Bridge

Next month contractors will begin the first-ever study on the possibilities of establishing a median barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge, a proposal that has been in discussion for 70 years. As expected, the bridge district’s board of directors unanimously approved a contract on Friday for engineers to start environmental analysis on a central barrier for the span. The study will test the impacts of a foot-wide, concrete median barrier on the bridge, which will replace the rubber pylons currently used to separate automobile travel on the span. To accommodate differing flows of traffic during the morning and evening commutes, the new barrier is designed to be easily moveable....

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Officials identify body found in garbage can

The Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the identity of the body found Thursday wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in a garbage bin, but the agency is waiting until family members are contacted before releasing any information. Police received a report about the body in the basement of an apartment complex at 520 Taylor St. about noon Thursday. The person who contacted police about the body was questioned by officers. Investigators were still determining how long the body was in the gray trash receptacle before it was discovered. On Thursday, police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens said investigators had not determined the age or sex of the body. The death is being treated as...

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Body found in trash bin at S.F. apartment building

The discovery of a body wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in a garbage bin in the basement of an apartment complex near Union Square is being investigated as a homicide by the San Francisco Police Department. Officers received a call reporting the body at 520 Taylor St. a little before noon Thursday, according to police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens. Investigators have not determined the age or sex of the body, Gittens said. They are still trying to figure out how long the body has been in the bin. The bin, a trash receptacle on wheels — not a Dumpster-sized container — was placed near a service door in the apartment complex, Gittens said. The person who called police...

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Crews pull plane out of Bay

Salvage crews are working on extracting a small passenger plane that crashed into the waters of the San Francisco Bay on Wednesday. A single-engine Cessna 210 Centurion carrying two people landed into shallow water about 1000 feet north of the Bay Bridge toll plaza. Neither occupant was seriously injured in the crash, which occurred at 1:51 p.m. The plane was owned by Air Flight Service, a Santa Clara-based company that specializes in aerial photographs. The plane’s two occupants, pilot Bruce Moody and passenger Matthew Barcelona, sustained mild hypothermia while waiting for Coast Guard boats to rescue them. An independent salvage company has been contracted to remove the plane...

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South City police search for man who held up cab driver

Police in South San Francisco are searching for a suspect in an attempted armed robbery of a taxi driver early Wednesday morning. About 3 a.m., the suspect called for a cab to pick him up at the 2400 block of Oakmont Avenue, according to a report released by the South San Francisco Police Department. When the car arrived, the suspect pointed a 9mm semi-automatic handgun at the cab driver’s stomach and demanded money. The cab driver, a 30-year-old male, panicked and stepped on the acceleration pedal, fleeing the scene without injury. Police described the suspect as a black male with a mustache, medium complexion and slender build. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Anyone...

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Man falls to his death while running from S.F. police

A suspected thief plunged to his death early Thursday after leaping over a 3-foot wall in a desperate attempt to avoid police officers. The man, identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office as 38-year-old James Cockrum of Daly City, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police went to Alta Street near Montgomery Street about 12:30 a.m. after receiving reports of an auto break-in, according to police. When officers arrived in the area near Coit Tower, they spotted Cockrum getting out of an Audi sedan, police said. They attempted to detain him, but Cockrum ran east on Alta Street. He stumbled once and dropped a screwdriver, then continued running. At the end of Alta Street, Cockrum...

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Newsom, panel say no to suicide barrier

Mayor Gavin Newsom and an advisory panel that he put together have suggested that the Golden Gate Bridge district should pursue alternative means to a suicide barrier, a position that is in contrast with The City’s previous stance on the subject. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District is currently weighing five alternatives for a suicide barrier on the bridge. The district also left open the option to keep the bridge without a physical barrier. In a letter submitted to the bridge district, a five-person panel of architects and engineers put together by Newsom wrote that funding intended for the physical suicide barrier would be better invested in training...

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Vehicles blocking commute into S.F.

Two incidents have slowed traffic into San Francisco on Wednesday morning. A vehicle with flat tire on the western span of the Bay Bridge near San Francisco has shut down one lane of traffic and forced significant backup all the way to Treasure Island, according California Highway Patrol officers. CHP and Bay Bridge patrol vehicles are following the car as it attempts to use the Fifth Street exit off the bridge, but the convoy is moving slowly, CHP officials said. Delays are present as of 8:30 a.m. Also in San Francisco, a vehicle is blocking part of the Highway 101 offramp near Octavia Boulevard. Command units are focused on ushering off the vehicle with the flat tire on the Bay...

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Golden Gate Bridge barrier moving forward

Head-on collisions on the Golden Gate Bridge could be reduced within three years if appproval for a movable median barrier moves forward as planned, a spokeswoman for the bridge district said. Creation of a 1-foot tall concrete barrier would replace the rubber pylons that are currently used to separate opposing traffic on the bridge. Safety advocates have been pushing for such a device for the last 70 years. On Thursday, officials from a Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District subcommittee will vote on approving a contract to carry out the required environmental-impact study on the barrier. On Friday, the vote will go before the full Board of Directors. It will likely...

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Mechanical problem delays S.F. BART service

Some BART passengers were still experiencing delays more than two hours after the system completely shut down service in downtown San Francisco due to mechanical problems. Trains on the system have been restored to normal speeds except for service from 16th Street station in San Francisco to the San Francisco Airport, according to BART officials. As a result, all passengers traveling westbound are experiencing residual 10-minute delays. Eastbound service is running on time. At 8:05 a.m., a train conductor noticed smoke coming from the electrical arcing of the system’s trackway near the Civic Center station in San Francisco. All service on the train was shut down from Montgomery...

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Auto thefts up near Ocean Beach parking lot

Reports of auto thefts are up near Ocean Beach, a crime that police say is often easily preventable. Opportunistic thieves are scouting out surfers who are lax with their security precautions, according to a report by The City's Richmond Police Station, which has partial jurisdiction over the five-mile beach expanse and its adjoining parking lots. Surfers frequently attempt to hide car keys on their tire or near their vehicle, according to Inspector Vince Repetto of the San Francisco Police Department's Auto Theft division. Prospective thieves monitor the surfers' actions from the thick foliage on the walking median of the Great Highway, Repetto said. Once a surfer heads out into the...

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Missing man found in Mission District

A 61-year-old man suffering from dementia was found by police officers on Sunday, one day after he was reported missing following a San Francisco Giants baseball game. At approximately 2 p.m. on Sunday, officers located Marvin Cooper at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Folsom streets, police said. Cooper went missing after being separated from family members at AT&T Park. Cooper's lip was bleeding when police found him, but appeared to be otherwise uninjured. Police are still trying to determine where he spent Saturday...

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Family of slain father, brothers to be recognized by 49ers

The surviving family members of the father and two brothers who were fatally shot earlier this year will be honored by the San Francisco 49ers before the team’s game Sunday. The team wouldn’t divulge specifics about the engagement, but acknowledged that relatives of Tony Bologna, 49, Michael, 20, and Matthew ,16, would be participating in a pregame ceremony that pays tribute to the hardships they’ve endured following the slayings, 49ers spokesman Pete Hillan said. The surviving son in the family, a recent graduate of Lincoln High School, will throw out the ceremonial “first pass” before the 49ers take the field against the Arizona Cardinals at 1:15 p.m....

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Police chief orders reinforcements for violence-plagued Mission

Violence has exploded in the Mission district this week and a surge in police numbers in the neighborhood has failed to quell gang-related killings. Six people have died from gunshot wounds in the area in two weeks. San Francisco police Chief Heather Fong said Friday that the department would use overtime funds to put additional police in the area. During a press conference to announce the extra resources, Fong read from a prepared statement and refused to answer questions about the violence or about police investigations. The department will raise the number of foot patrol officers, squad cars and specialized units in the neighborhood, Fong said. The department is also working with...

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Weather to stay warm for the weekend

San Franciscans might be wise to bulk up on supplies of sunscreen, bathing suits and cooling fans this weekend, as temperatures are expected to soar to near-record highs during the next few days. The expected high for Friday and Saturday is 89, just five degrees below the all-time record for those dates in San Francisco, according to Mark Ressler, lead meteorologist for the nationally syndicated Weather Channel. The forecast also calls for clear and sunny skies for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. An atypical pattern of warm air aloft the Bay Area is pushing weather conditions into San Francisco that are historically more consistent with California’s interior, Ressler said. The...

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Fatal shooting in Mission is second in two days

A San Francisco man killed in a drive-by shooting in the Mission district Tuesday night marks the fourth homicide in the neighborhood since Aug. 22 and the second in two days. Mark Guardado, a 45-year-old San Francisco resident, was walking on the corner of 24th Street and Treat Avenue about 10:30 p.m. when a suspect driving a motorcycle pulled up on him and fired multiple shots before fleeing, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Guardado was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. No suspects have been arrested yet, and the case is under investigation, police said. The homicide is the 68th in San Francisco this...

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San Bruno man arrested in shooting at Caltrain depot

Police officers arrested a San Bruno man in connection with the shooting of a woman found wounded at a Caltrain depot Monday night. Responding to reports about a serious injury, officers from the San Bruno Police Department discovered the woman at the city’s Caltrain station, with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to a release issued by the department. Officers arrested Christopher Sorro, 48, and booked him at the county jail on charges of attempted murder. The woman was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital for treatment, according to the release. The San Bruno Police Department is still investigating the case and is encouraging anyone with information to...

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Woman found dead at Sutro Baths identified

Medical officials have confirmed that the woman found dead on the rocks at Sutro Baths on Monday night is a 23-year-old Santa Clara resident who was declared missing and suicidal by her family. Yen-Bao Pham was last seen Saturday afternoon, according to a report issued by the San Francisco Police Department. Her family filed a missing person report Sunday, after she failed to return from her job in Mountain View the night before. Pham left a suicide note with specific instructions, and her family searched for her Saturday night after they located her unattended car on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach, a site she frequently walked with her sister, according to the SFPD release. Her...

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Toll hikes becoming a way of life

The toll to cross the Golden Gate Bridge will rise by a dollar today to $6, a cash total that is double the cost in 2002. As officials in charge of overseeing the bridge can attest, more toll increases for motorists may be on the horizon if nothing is done to streamline the bridge district’s operations. For the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, the increase makes crossing the bridge 33 percent more expensive than traversing the seven other bridges in the Bay Area. But the increase will also wipe out a five-year projected deficit of $91 million, the last vestige of an operating budget shortfall that stood at $454 million just six years ago. To make ends...

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Man killed in Mission, 67th homicide in '08

A man who was shot multiple times in the Mission district early Monday morning died later in the hospital, marking the 67th homicide of the year. San Francisco police officers responded to the scene at the unit block of San Carlos Street after reports of gunfire were heard at about 5:15 a.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. When they arrived, they discovered a man lying on the ground, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, police said. Officials from the Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the man died from his wounds after being transferred to San Francisco General Hospital. They had no further information on the victim. The man, whose name has not been...

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City packed with holiday weekend events

San Francisco streets normally brimming with automobiles will be replaced by walkers, bikers and festival-goers as The City plays host to a number of events on the long Labor Day weekend. Starting at 9 a.m. Sunday, the Embarcadero will be transformed into a pedestrian paradise as The City experiments with the first rendition of its Sunday Streets plan, a program backed by Mayor Gavin Newsom to promote fitness. For four hours, people are encouraged to bike, walk, Rollerblade, run or dance their way along the stretch of road that meanders from the Bayview to Chinatown along San Francisco Bay. Sunday will also feature the Hairrison Street Fair, celebrating its fifth year in San Francisco....

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Rash of robberies may be connected

Three store clerks were robbed at gunpoint in San Francisco within four hours early Thursday morning, and police say they believe two of the crimes are related. The first robbery occurred at 1:20 a.m. at a liquor store on the 3100 block of 24th Street, according to police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens. Two suspects — one black man and one white man — robbed the store of cash at gunpoint before fleeing on foot, Gittens said. The second robbery happened at a convenience store on the 3000 block of San Jose Avenue at 4:56 a.m. In that case, two black men held up the store clerk at gunpoint before taking cash from the register and leaving on foot. Ten minutes later, the third...

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Suicide barrier gaining support

The tide has turned against opposition to a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge, according to the agency that oversees the iconic span. Mental-health organizations have been advocating for a suicide barrier on the bridge for decades. More than 1,300 people are estimated to have committed suicide from the bridge since 1937, an average of nearly 20 people a year, or about one suicide every 2½ weeks. Eve Meyer, director of San Francisco Suicide Prevention, said the majority of all suicides off the Golden Gate Bridge are impulsive acts that could be prevented. “It’s a matter of the moment, and if you can get someone through that moment, the pain will move...

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Three S.F. stores robbed in four hours

Three store clerks were robbed at gunpoint in San Francisco within four hours early Thursday morning, and police say they believe two of the crimes are related. The first robbery occurred at 1:20 a.m. at a liquor stone on the 3100 block of 24th Street, according to police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens. Two suspects — one black male and one white male — robbed the store of cash at gunpoint before fleeing on foot, Gittens said. The second robbery happened at a convenience store on the 3000 block of San Jose Avenue at 4:56 a.m. In that case, two black males held up the store clerk at gunpoint before taking cash from the register and leaving on foot. Ten minutes later, the...

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Laptops a hot item in Mission district

The Mission district was struck by a series of laptop thefts in recent weeks, including a brazen robbery in which three suspects stormed into a cafe and grabbed a woman’s computer directly from her hands. At least seven laptops were stolen in the area from Aug. 7-17, according to a report released by the Mission Police Station. The thefts ranged from strong-arm robberies to criminal opportunism, notably in the case of the cafe robbery, which occurred Aug. 14 at Cafe Petra on Guerrero Street. A woman was sitting in the cafe about 9 p.m. when she noticed three men staring at her from the street outside, police said. Minutes later, the men stormed inside the cafe and bolted with her...

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Tenderloin shooting caught on tape

Footage from security cameras at Tenderloin businesses could lead to arrests in a nonfatal shooting in the neighborhood Tuesday night, police said. The suspected gang altercation near the intersection of Golden Gate Avenue and Leavenworth Street about 8 p.m. Tuesday night left one person with injuries from a gunshot that were not life-threatening, said Capt. Gary Jimenez of the Tenderloin Police Station. Three security cameras on businesses, however, were pointed toward the intersection, Jimenez said. “We believe an arrest is imminent due to the cameras,” he said. “And hopefully the quality of the tape will lead to a prosecution.” Due to the ongoing...

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Sea lion euthanized after canal rescue

A sea lion that was rescued from a South San Francisco canal was euthanized Wednesday after wildlife caretakers discovered it had an untreatable case of toxic poisoning. Around 6 a.m. Monday, a passer-by noticed a sea lion in the Colma Creek Drainage Canal on the 400 block of North Canal Street, South San Francisco police Cpl. Bruce McPhillips said. The sea lion, which was between 4 and 5 years old, “appeared to be in distress,” McPhillips said. Firefighters from a station across the street from the canal responded and observed the animal until Marine Mammal Rescue Center personnel arrived from Sausalito about 1:30 p.m., he said. Rescue Center personnel located the 8-foot...

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Four appearances planned for Newsom on Day 3

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has another packed slate of events on the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Denver. According to the mayor's office, Newsom will begin his day at noon by giving brief remarks at a forum hosted by the NDN, a progressive-policy think tank formerly known as the New Democratic Network. Other speakers featured in the session, which will take place at the Westin Hotel, include progressive blogger Arianna Huffington, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., and Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richard. The focus of the discussion will be “A Better Tomorrow.” Directly following his appearance at the NDN forum, Newsom will scoot across town to...

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Cleanup work on schedule following Outside Lands Festival

Outside Lands festival organizers are working to put Golden Gate Park back into the same shape it was before the three-day event — and in some instances even better. Under its permitting agreement with the Recreation and Park Department, Another Planet Entertainment, the group that hosted the festival, is supposed to have the concert site completely cleaned up by Wednesday. Greg Perloff of Another Planet Entertainment said his group has contracted out the cleanup work to Clean Vibes, an organization that specializes in responsible waste management of festival events. Perloff said there were approximately 100 people picking up trash. “We guaranteed the park department that...

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Newsom on Time's 'hotshot' panel in Denver

The morning after hosting a rock ‘n’ roll concert, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom returned to more familiar settings Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Newsom began his second day at the convention on a discussion panel group, as part of Time Magazine’s five Democratic “Hotshots to Watch,” according to a news release issued by the mayor’s office. Time’s feature on the up-and-coming Democrats, which also recognizes Congressional representatives from Alabama, South Dakota, Pennsylvania and Florida, appears in the magazine’s Sept. 1 edition. After completing the panel, which started at 9:45 a.m. MST at a local Denver...

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South City firefighters aid stranded sea lion

A California Sea Lion discovered two miles inland in a canal in South San Francisco is struggling to survive after an innovative rescue effort by nearby firefighters saved its life Monday. The four-year-old male sea lion was first spotted about 9 a.m. in the water near 400 North Canal St., just across the road from the No. 61 Fire Station, according to Captain Travis Nuckolls, who led the rescue effort Monday. The sea lion was swimming up and down the canal and appeared to be lost, Nuckolls said. The station’s firefighters kept a periodic watch on the sea lion to see if the outgoing tide would take it back out to San Francisco Bay. When the firefighters checked in on the sea lion...

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Nightclub drawing ire of neighbors

Neighbors are up in arms about rowdy behavior in a club near North Beach that erupted in violence and gunfire nearly two weeks ago. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Aug. 15, when security officers at Suede, a nightclub at 383 Bay St., were overwhelmed by an unruly crowd of partygoers eager to see an anticipated hip-hop act, according to police officers from Central station. The scene turned unmanageable when the performer, Atlanta-based rapper Young Jeezy, was spotted entering the club sometime after midnight, according to Hanson Wong, one of the managing partners at Suede. As the crowd grew with excitement from Jeezy’s appearance, patrons waiting in line...

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Muni accident sends passenger to hospital

A bus passenger was transported to a local hospital following a collision involving a Muni bus and a vehicle in The City's Mission district Monday morning. The injured person was on the 27-Bryant bus, which collided with a car on the corner of 23rd and Bryant streets just after 9 a.m., according to Kristen Holland, spokeswoman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Holland said she did not know the extent of the injuries of the passenger, who was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital following the accident and has not been identified. No one in the vehicle involved in the accident was taken to the hospital, according to Holland. The bus, which was headed...

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Two teens escape San Mateo County youth facility

Two teenagers escaped from a San Mateo County behavioral health center near Redwood City early Monday morning, and while one of the boys has been corralled by authorities, another remains on the loose. The two boys, both of whom were on juvenile probation, walked out of the Canyon Oaks Youth Center at 400 Edmonds Road about 12:30 a.m. on Monday, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Employing canine units in a yard-to-yard search, authorities found one of the boys, a 15-year-old, at Cordilleras and Bennett roads just 20 minutes after the escape, according to the sheriff's office. Upon his discovery, the boy was transferred to juvenile hall by authorities. The other boy,...

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Lights go out in SoMa area

Nearly 2,400 San Francisco customers were without power for 30 minutes Thursday afternoon following an outage in the South of Market neighborhood. The outage was first reported at 11:45 a.m. and Pacific Gas and Electric workers restored power by 12:18 a.m., according to company spokesman Joe Molica. Company crews are on the scene to determine what happened, but so far the problem doesn’t seem to be related to any equipment malfunctions, Molica said. The outage occurred at an overheard circuit at Harrison Street, so crews will not have to go underground to assess the situation, Molica...

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Con artists targeting Chinese community

Police officials are urging San Francisco’s Chinese community to be wary of thieves who may be posing as city workers to gain entry into homes. Since July 2, there have been five crimes reported in which a man identifying himself as a Water Department worker has stolen valuables from residents' homes. Four of those cases have happened since Aug. 14, and all the victims thus far have been Chinese, according to police. The suspect has stolen cash, jewelry and other possessions in the heists. The burglaries have all occurred in the Nob Hill and North Beach neighborhoods. In every case, the suspect has been described as Hispanic man between the ages of 30 and 50. As a precaution,...

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Police target dealers near Haight-Ashbury

Police at the station that patrols Golden Gate Park and the Haight-Ashbury have increased their patrol by plainclothes officers in an effort to crack down on crimes committed by people who regularly go there looking to score drugs or target potential robbery victims, the station’s captain said. Last week, a man who was taking photographs of the park near the Haight-Ashbury entrance was approached by six young adults who demanded his camera, according to police reports. One of the suspects kicked the man and grabbed the camera, while the others reached through his pockets and grabbed money. When the victim attempted to get his possessions back, another assailant mimicked having a...

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Update: Woman struck by N-Judah train at dangerous stop

The spot 63-year-old woman was struck by a Muni train on Judah Street was just a block away from where a pedestrian was dragged to death by a light-rail vehicles six months ago. The woman, who was knocked to the ground and suffered a head injury at 30th Avenue, was sent to San Francisco General Hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. Police officials are still investigating how the N-Judah light-rail vehicle struck the woman, whose name was not immediately available. The incident occurred at 8:51 a.m. The driver of the train was tested for drugs and alcohol and placed on administrative leave following Wednesday’s accident, which is the standard protocol for...

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Woman severely injured by N-Judah train

A woman was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a Muni train at the intersection of Judah Street and 30th Avenue, just one block away from where a pedestrian was dragged to death by a train six months earlier. Police officials are still investigating how an N-Judah light rail vehicle struck the woman, who was waiting at the outbound stop on Judah and 30th. The woman, whose identity has not yet been released, was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital after the incident at 8:51 a.m. The driver of the train was tested for drugs and alcohol and placed on administrative leave, which is the standard protocol for operators, according to Judson True of the San...

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N-Judah hits pedestrian

A pedestrian sustained potentially life-threatening injuries after being struck by an N-Judah train near 30th Avenue and Judah Street on Wednesday morning. The woman was struck by the train at 8:51 a.m. and subsequently transferred to San Francisco General Hospital, according to fire department officials. The San Francisco Police Department is investigating the incident. Bus service replaced the light rail line for western portion of the N-Judah’s route for about 50 minutes following the accident. Full service was restored at 9:42 a.m., according to Muni...

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Injured Feinstein will not attend convention

A broken ankle will keep Sen. Dianne Feinstein from attending next week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver, according to a statement released by the senator’s office. Feinstein slipped and broke her ankle Friday while walking with Rep. Ellen Tauscher on a nature path in the Tahoe forest, a day before the start of 12th annual Lake Tahoe Summit, a symposium on ecological issues. The 75-year-old senator and was scheduled to co-chair California’s delegation at the DNC, but after heeding the advice of her doctor, she opted to stay home for the event, according to her statement. “My doctor has advised me not to travel in the short-term, and so, regretfully, I...

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Teen missing from La Honda detention camp found

A 16-year-old boy who walked away from a juvenile detention camp in La Honda on Monday night was found near Woodside this morning, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. The boy had last been seen about 9:20 p.m. Monday at the Camp Glenwood facility, the sheriff's office reported. The boy was located about one eighth of a mile west of Skyline Boulevard on state Highway 84, or La Honda Road, in unincorporated San Mateo County near Woodside, according to the sheriff's office. The teen is in the custody of the sheriff's office. The detention center has no perimeter fence, which has contributed to recent problems of juveniles escaping the facility. Last week, officials...

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BART urges lawmakers to save transportation bill

With state legislators in the midst of a seven-week stalemate over California’s $15.2 billion budget deficit, BART officials have sent a letter out to local politicians urging them to support a program that could bring up to $50 million for the regional transportation system. The program in question, the State Transit Assistance Fund, would allocate $559 million for mass public-transit projects in urban areas, and road and infrastructure rehabilitation in rural areas in California, according to the state’s Web...

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Political figure says guards assaulted her

The vice president of one of The City’s Democratic organizations has filed assault charges against security guards who forcibly removed her from a San Francisco fundraiser for a group focused on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Catherine Cusic, 63, the vice president of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, said two to three officials fractured her arm and left serious bruises on her body when she was kicked out for distributing leaflets at the Human Rights Campaign gala dinner July 26. Cusic said she bought a $125 ticket for the event, held at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, with the intent of passing out pamphlets decrying the Human Rights Campaign for...

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BART urges lawmakers to save transit bill

With state legislators in the midst of a seven-week stalemate over California’s $17 billion budget deficit, BART officials have sent a letter to Bay Area politicians urging them to support a program that could bring up to $50 million for the regional transportation system. The program in question, the State Transit Assistance Fund, would allocate $559 million for mass public-transit projects in urban areas, and road and infrastructure rehabilitation in rural areas in California, according to the state’s Web site. To make up for the state’s massive budget deficit, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting the STA program. The move has raised the ire of public...

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Former CFO appears in court

The former chief financial officer of a San Francisco nonprofit was in court Thursday related to charges that he embezzled nearly $4 million from the organization. City prosecutors allege that Greg Colley, 48, of Sausalito, took $3.9 million from the Music Concourse Community Partnership, a local group that is in charge of operations at a parking garage near the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. On Thursday, Colley agreed to appear back in court Sept. 23, when a judge will set a date for a preliminary hearing in the case. Colley’s charges include embezzlement, laundering and identity theft. He could face up to nearly 15 years in prison if he is found guilty on all the charges....

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Police investigating death of man on Market Street

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a 56-year-old man who was found dead Friday morning in a residential hotel on Market Street. The man, who has not been identified, was killed from a single stab wound to the chest, but police officials have not labeled the death a homicide yet, said Sgt. Neville Gittens of the San Francisco Police Department. Until more information is attained from the Medical Examiner’s Office, police are treating the incident as a suspicious death, which could mean the wound was self-inflicted, Gittens said. Police received a call approximately 1:55 a.m. regarding a verbal altercation between two tenants at a hotel on the 1200 block of...

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Two men found fatally shot in car near USF

Administrators and students from the University of San Francisco expressed shock and disbelief at the discovery Thursday morning of two men fatally shot in a car parked on a street bounding the school’s campus. A bystander called police at approximately 5 a.m. on Thursday, to report three men sleeping in a beige Mazda 626 at 2245 Golden Gate Ave. with the car still running, Sgt. Neville Gittens, of the San Francisco Police Department, said. When police arrived, they found two men in the car — identified by the San Francisco Medical Examiner as Isiah Turner, 34, of San Francisco and Andre Helton, 18, of San Francisco — both dead from fatal gun shot wounds, Gittens said....

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Coyote pups are on the prowl

If you’ve seen a coyote in The City, you’re not the only one. The population of the four-legged creatures in San Francisco has grown to roughly two dozen from fewer than five last summer, according to wildlife officials. Once confined to the Presidio, coyotes have now been sighted in neighborhoods such as Diamond Heights, Glen Park, Twin Peaks and Bernal Heights, said Vicky Guldbech of Animal Care and Control. On Wednesday morning, officials from Animal Care and Control were dispatched to a coyote sighting in the Sunset district. Guldbech said her department gets at least one call each day regarding a coyote sighting, and that total could soon increase now that...

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Four ex-Balboa students accused in armed thefts

Four former students at Balboa High School in San Francisco face up to life in prison for their alleged roles in a string of armed robberies in San Mateo County. The suspects — Kary Lucius Amons, Vigil Erick Belen, Alan Ray Buggs and Anthony Daniel Defils — are all 19 years old. The group robbed three convenience markets at gunpoint in a two-month span stretching from October to December of 2007, according to prosecutors. They were arrested after police pulled over their vehicle following a robbery in Daly City on Dec. 11. The four men appeared in court Monday for a pretrial hearing. A number of dismissal motions by their lawyers were continued until the next court date,...

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Verbal altercation spurred shooting

A 39-year-old man was fatally shot near Glen Park on Tuesday night, marking the 61st homicide this year in San Francisco and the third in one week. Louis Diaz, a San Francisco resident, was killed about 6:30 p.m. on the 800 block of Chenery Street, San Francisco police Sgt. Wilfred Williams said. Diaz was shot multiple times from a close range after getting into a verbal argument with the suspect, Williams said. After shooting Diaz, the suspect, who is described as a white or Hispanic man in his 20s, then fled on foot, Williams said. The man has not been arrested, and Williams said he did not know if any witnesses were being questioned about the incident. The case is under...

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San Francisco a pedestrian's paradise

With iconic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the natural beauty provided by the Pacific Ocean, it’s no secret that San Francisco provides vistas that few other cities in the country — or even the world — can match. “Whenever I speak with prospective visitors, I always talk about the fact that you can walk from the ocean to the Bay in two hours,” said Angela Jackson of the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. “I strongly discourage renting a car because The City is so walkable.” Matching the eye-popping scenery is a dense cityscape that allows residents and visitors easy access to amenities such as shops, markets and parks...

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In China, eight is a magic number

The opening ceremony for the Summer Olympics in Beijing will feature thousands of athletes, hundreds of different countries, and, not coincidentally, clocks bearing plenty of the number eight. With a history of cultural goodwill attached to the number, Chinese officials elected to begin the Beijing Olympics at 8:08:08 p.m. on 8/8/2008. For those counting, that’s one date and time with six eights in it. Because of its unique pronunciation, eight is considered one of the luckiest numbers in Chinese tradition, said Fengyuan Ji of San Francisco’s Chinese Culture Center. A reported record 9,000 Chinese couples plan to tie the knot that day. In Chinese, eight is pronounced bat,...

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Muni driver attacked with fire extinguisher

A Muni operator was hospitalized on Monday night after a passenger struck him with a fire extinguisher following a heated altercation, authorities said. David Maldonado, 21, of San Francisco was booked on charges of aggravated assault after injuring the operator at Beach and Jones streets, near Fisherman’s Wharf, according to a police report. The incident occurred after an argument between the two men turned physical around 11:30 p.m., according to Sgt. Wilfred Williams of the San Francisco Police Department. Police were notified about the incident by someone nearby, and once they arrived at the scene, Maldonado was arrested without incident. Williams said the operator suffered...

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3-Minute Interview: Amy Caron

The 23-year-old Half Moon Bay native and professional skateboarder will be in Huntington Beach this weekend to skate in the second annual S3 Supergirl Jam.Are events like the Supergirl Jam attracting more women to sports like skateboarding? Definitely. When I was a kid there was no event that girls could compete in, let alone an event dedicated just to girls. Last year, I saw tons of little girls in the crowd,......

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San Francisco rocked by spate of robberies

Aided by a recent crime surge this past week, San Francisco robberies in 2008 are outpacing last year’s statistics, and with the economy still stumbling, the thievery trend could continue in the future, officials warn. Since July 17 there have been at least 20 cases of armed robberies throughout The City with victims in neighborhoods from Potrero Hill to the Marina to the Sunset. Continued...

 

World’s oldest profession to seek approval of voters

In November, San Francisco voters will weigh in on a ballot measure that would decriminalize prostitution, but police and city officials say it’s a bad idea.The Erotic Service Providers Union gathered the 12,000 signatures necessary to put the measure — which would bar authorities from spending money to investigate or prosecute for engaging in prostituion — on the ballot, according to San Francisco Election chief John Arntz.The measure would hurt The City’s ability to investigate and prosecute sex-trafficking crimes, said Mayor Gavin Newsom.In 2007, there were more than 1,500 arrests......

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One felony sticks in hotel attack

The New Jersey man who accosted Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel in a San Francisco hotel last year was found guilty of one felony and two misdemeanors on Monday, but jurors acquitted him on three other felony charges.Eric Hunt, 24, was convicted of felony false imprisonment with special hate crime allegations, as well as misdemeanor battery and elder abuse.However, Hunt was acquitted on charges of stalking, false imprisonment of an elder and attempted kidnapping — all felonies."Crimes motivated by hate are among the most reprehensible of offenses," District Attorney Kamala Harris......

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Lawyer: Media reports in triple killing are unfair

The attorney for the 21-year-old accused of killing a San Francisco father and his two sons said he will ask for a gag order — which would prevent those involved in the case from speaking publicly about it — in response to media reports that said the illegal immigrant was shielded from deportation by The City as a youth.Edwin Ramos, 21, appeared in court briefly on Monday and is scheduled to return......

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iPods a frequent target on public transportation

Thefts of iPods, especially on public-transportation vehicles, is a frequent problem that police and local transit agencies say they are working to combat.This week, police officers said they apprehended a would-be robber who tried to flee after snatching someone’s iPod on the N-Judah train. It was midmorning when the suspect approached the victim, a young man, and grabbed his iPod. The thief also tried unsuccessfully to seize the victim’s wallet and cell phone, but after scuffling for a few moments with the victim, took off from the train. Given a......

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Computer guru loses attorney before court

A network administrator accused of locking every city employee out of a new computer system will be in San Francisco Superior Court today for arraignment on four felony charges.Terry Childs, 43, is being held in lieu of $5 million bail, charged with four counts of computer tampering. If convicted, Childs could face up to seven years in state prison.The San Francisco’s......

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City network guru pleads not guilty in lockout case

The network administrator accused of locking down The City’s central database pleaded not guilty to four charges of computer tampering in his arraignment Thursday.City prosecutors have accused Terry Childs, 43, of creating a single password for FiberWAN, The City's network — which he helped create — thus denying other employees access to city records. He still has not provided authorities with the password.In court Thursday, Childs did not speak, but let his attorney enter his plea.Childs, who works in The Continued...

 

Hunt’s fate in jury’s hands

Published: Jul 18, 2008

The attorney for the New Jersey man accused of attacking novelist Elie Wiesel in a San Francisco hotel last year urged jurors to consider his client’s fragile state of mind at the time of the incident.The Superior Court jury will begin deliberating today on the fate of Eric Hunt, 24, who is charged with......

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Fatal beating marks 57th homicide of year

Published: Jul 17, 2008

A dangerous week in San Francisco continued with more violence early Wednesday morning, when a man was beaten to death in the Tenderloin, marking the fourth homicide in The City in six days.The man, who appeared to be homeless, was fatally struck around 2 a.m. Wednesday following a verbal altercation at the corner of Turk and Taylor streets, according to Sgt. Gary Jimenez of the Tenderloin Police Station.The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as 53-year-old Richard Weiland.Weiland’s death is the 57th homicide so far in 2008. In......

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Man found shot in car pushes city’s number of homicides to 56

Published: Jul 16, 2008

A San Francisco man was fatally shot while sitting in the front seat of a car in the Portola neighborhood Tuesday, marking The City’s 56th homicide of the year.At 11:12 a.m., emergency officials responded to 1233 Girard St., where Darrin Mitchell, 34, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the passenger seat of a Toyota Camry, San Francisco police Continued...

 

Police arrest man suspected in downtown stabbing spree

Published: Jul 16, 2008

Police arrested a San Francisco man Monday after a spree of knife violence on Market Street left three people with stab wounds.Using a steak knife, Duwayne Hyman, 25, allegedly stabbed three people in two hours, starting with an attempted robbery of a 17-year-old boy at the Montgomery Street BART station a little after noon Monday.The victim escaped without......

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One toll hike may not be enough

Published: Jul 15, 2008

Two more fare increases loom for drivers crossing the Golden Gate Bridge despite the recent decision to increase tolls by $1.The toll hike approved last week means cash-paying drivers will shell out $6 to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and that price could soon rise to $8.Citing the need to make up a projected five-year, $91 million operating budget shortfall, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District agreed to a $1 increase on cash and FasTrak tolls. The new rates may take effect in September.A separate proposal by the......

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Four injured in cable car derailment

Published: Jul 15, 2008

Four people were injured when a runaway cable car derailed Sunday.The Powell-Mason cable car became stuck shortly before midnight while making a left turn on Washington Street from Mason Street. Both operators got out to push, but the vehicle then began rolling downhill, said Muni spokesman Judson True.One operator got back on but could not reach the brakes because a door wouldn’t open. The other operator tripped while trying to board.The vehicle derailed on Powell Street. One woman suffered a broken leg, True said.The accident is under investigation. Both operators......

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City at risk seeks security funds

Published: Jul 14, 2008

The scenarios range from the unimaginably grim to the uncomfortably possible.A 6.9 magnitude earthquake that could kill 6,000 people, damage 1 million buildings, and leave an economic impact of $100 billion.An aerosol anthrax attack in downtown San Francisco that could expose 330,000 people, killing 99 percent of those who are untreated.A 10-kiloton nuclear warhead dropped on a major city in the Bay Area, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the evacuation of 500,000 people.Each horrific outcome is being considered by local officials, according to Vicki Hennessey, acting executive......

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County using federal monies productively

Published: Jul 14, 2008

Homeland Security dollars have helped San Mateo County purchase siren warnings for tsunami alerts, improved communications systems, and an all-purpose emergency vehicle that resembles a tank, according to officials. From 2003-05, San Mateo received its own, separate Urban Area Security Initiative grants from the federal government for terrorism and emergency prevention and response needs — receiving more than $3 million in three years. Now, per federal instruction, San Mateo is joined......

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Area grouping shrinks funds for The City

Published: Jul 14, 2008

In six years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security — an agency assigned to protect the U.S. from another terrorist attack on domestic soil — has grown to include 200,000 employees, managed by a budget that is more than $40 billion. In 2003, the DHS began issuing the Urban Area Security Initiative grant, given to various U.S. cities to protect against the......

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Bridge tolls expected to increase by September

Published: Jul 11, 2008

High fuel costs will likely drive a $1 toll increase on the Golden Gate Bridge to be implemented sooner than originally planned, bridge officials said. The rising cost of fuel — needed to power the district’s fleet of buses and ferries — has made it too costly to pass up the extra $1.4 million per month the raised tolls would generate, said Joseph Wire, the financial auditor for the Golden Gate......

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Crime & Punishment: Officers snatch suspect in Muni pickpocket case

Published: Jul 10, 2008

A pickpocket on a Muni bus was apprehended by police officers, thanks in large part to the dogged pursuit of the victim. The incident occurred Sunday approximately 6 p.m. on the 28-19th Avenue Muni bus, headed toward the Sunset, when the victim felt a man reach into his jacket pocket, according to Capt. Paul Chignell of the Taraval Police Station. After a quick search, the victim realized his wallet, which contained four $100 bills, had been stolen. The victim, a Chinese......

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Armed robber makes off with only a small lunchbox

Published: Jul 09, 2008

An armed burglar in the Excelsior district made off with an unusual cache of loot Monday night — a single lunchbox cooler. At approximately 11:45 p.m., the victim of the robbery went out to his car on Rolph Street, to sort through items in his trunk. While rummaging through his possessions, the victim heard a male voice behind him, demanding that he "give him all his stuff," according to Sgt. Neville Gittens of the Continued...

 

Water gushes out of pavement in S.F.

Published: Jul 08, 2008

Water from a broken century-old underground pipe burst through the surface of Taraval Street on Monday morning, warping the asphalt, leaving businesses stranded without water for five hours and disrupting service on Muni’s L-Taraval train.The 8-inch water main broke at approximately 9 a.m. in front of a Citibank building at the busy intersection of Taraval and 19th Avenue. The pipe, estimated to be 100 years old, snapped without warning, according to Suzanne......

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Reservoir on idle grounds

Published: Jul 07, 2008

It is property with a view of Alcatraz and a structure that has gone unused for 60 years.In the neighborhood where cable cars run down Hyde Street, residents walk their dogs at the modest Bay Street Park and tourists snap photos of the Bay, there is clamor for change at a Russian Hill site on Francisco street, between Larkin and Hyde streets.Bruce Keene, president of the Continued...

 

$1 price increase to take toll on shortfall

Published: Jul 07, 2008

Within six months it may cost $1 more to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and another toll increase is looming on the horizon.If approved this week, the $1 toll increase would bring cash fares up to $6 and FasTrak prices to $5, with the new rates likely to go into effect by January. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District said revenue from the toll increases would go toward offsetting a five-year, $91 million projected budget shortfall.But the future......

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A new vision emerges on the horizon

Published: Jul 07, 2008

For nearly a decade, Buffy Maquire has spent her days near Ocean Beach, a place she calls "a neglected jewel."The beach is frequently filled with litter, lacks appropriate lighting, needs emergency call boxes andfeatures ill-groomed walking paths, said Maquire, who owns the Java Beach Café on La Playa Street."It’s actually kind of gross," Maquire said. "Ocean Beach is sort of like a neglected jewel. A little beautification would benefit the entire city."The largest urban beach in the country, city officials said, Ocean Beach stretches for five miles and forms San......

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Recycling center faces the can

Published: Jul 05, 2008

It is said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. But in the Sunnydale housing projects, neighborhood groups say refuse would just be a nuisance. Officials are proposing a recycling center in the housing projects to help clean up trash and promote sound environmental practices. Neighborhood groups, however, say the project is ill-conceived and would blight revitalization efforts at nearby McLaren Park.The San Francisco Housing Authority, which oversees operations at the development, pays $35,000 per month to Continued...

 

Helicopter crashes, killing occupants

Published: Jul 05, 2008

A flight instructor and his student were killed Friday morning in Alameda County after the helicopter they were piloting struck power lines.Authorities have not released the names of the victims or determined if it was the instructor or the student controlling the helicopter at the time of the crash, which occurred at 12:30 a.m. near Livermore.The helicopter, registered to Atherton-based co-operation Continued...

 

Threat was made prior to plane fire

Published: Jul 04, 2008

The owners of the plane that caught fire on Saturday at SFO received a threat against its aircraft shortly before the incident, according to a report issued by federal officials Thursday. The Boeing 767 cargo airplane, owned by ABX Air, burst into flames at 10:15 p.m. Saturday, forcing the evacuation of its two pilots. The fire originated just outside of the plane’s cockpit, eventually burning a hole through the fuselage. The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that ABX Air received a threat within the week before the fire, but......

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Glitch disrupts cable car line

Published: Jul 03, 2008

An electrical malfunction shut down the California cable car line for two hours Wednesday morning, marking at least the fourth time in the last six weeks that equipment problems disrupted service on San Francisco’s iconic moving landmarks. Muni maintenance workers first reported a problem with the California line, which brings passengers from Drumm Street to Van Ness Avenue, at 6:04 a.m., Muni officials said. Service was restored by 8 a.m. The cable car......

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Police bust Hells Angels house

Published: Jul 03, 2008

An early-morning raid at the San Francisco clubhouse of the Hells Angels motorcycle group led to the arrest of one man already awaiting felony battery charges in Sonoma County.The sweep, coordinated by the Petaluma Police Department, was aimed at gathering more evidence for an ongoing investigation related to assaults in February......

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Mourners pack church in honor of slain men

Published: Jul 02, 2008

Dozens of photographs of birthdays, basketball games and graduations greeted mourners at the entrance of the tightly packed St. Paul Church on Tuesday, but all eyes were affixed on the caskets ahead of them, grave reminders that three lives were taken from a San Francisco family. A crowd of more than 1,200 people, made up of family members, friends, teammates and political dignitaries, showed up to pay their respects to Tony Bologna,......

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Mourners pack church in honor of slain men

Published: Jul 02, 2008

Dozens of photographs of birthdays, basketball games and graduations greeted mourners at the entrance of the tightly packed St. Paul Church on Tuesday, but all eyes were affixed on the caskets ahead of them, grave reminders that three lives were taken from a San Francisco family. A crowd of more than 1,200 people, made up of family members, friends, teammates and political dignitaries, showed up to pay their respects to Tony Bologna, 48, and his two sons, Michael 20, and Matthew, 16, who were fatally shot by a suspected gang......

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Peace Corps attracting more retiree volunteers

Published: Jun 30, 2008

When Philip Armstrong graduated from college 35 years ago, he immediately set out to explore the world, visiting Europe, Africa and the Middle East in an odyssey that left an indelible imprint in his mind.Armstrong didn’t get a chance to continue his travels until three weeks ago, when he retired from the Continued...

 

Homicide suspect held without bail

Published: Jun 28, 2008

The 21-year-old suspected gang member accused of gunning down a father and two of his sons was charged with three counts of murder and ordered held without bail Friday.Edwin Ramos, of El Sobrante, is accused of killing Tony Bologna, 48, and his two sons, Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16, after a traffic incident at the intersection of Maynard and Congdon streets. Bologna and......

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BART paramedics will offer delay triage

Published: Jun 27, 2008

A woman’s decision to lie down on the train tracks at the Montgomery Street BART station ended without any serious injuries. But the ensuing one-hour train delay brought to light a pressing need for the transit agency: on-site medical assistance.BART was forced to call on the Fire Department to extricate the woman, resulting in cascading delays that affected the entire system.With Wednesday’s events as a backdrop, BART’s board of directors elected to approve a three-year contract......

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BART to open sippy cup idea

Published: Jun 27, 2008

The controversial proposal to allow riders to bring sealable coffee cups on BART trains soon will be pored over by the agency’s board of directors.BART Director Lynette Sweet proposed allowing passengers to bring a so-called sippy cup onto the trains after the agency approved the addition of eight Peet’s Coffee and Tea kiosks at Bay Area stations.BART’s general manager, Dorothy......

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BART train rolls over woman — and she lives to tell her story

Published: Jun 26, 2008

A woman climbed onto the tracks at the Montgomery Street BART station Wednesday, lay down as a train approached and escaped with barely a scratch, officials from the transit agency said. Approximately 2:20 p.m., witnesses said the woman leaned over the platform, caught eye of an approaching train heading to the East Bay, then dropped down onto the tracks between the rails, according to BART spokesman Linton......

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North Fair Oaks community in shock after three slayings

Published: Jun 24, 2008

After adeadly weekend across the Bay Area, three men were fatally shot Monday afternoon in an unincorporated neighborhood of Redwood City.The triple slaying at a residence in the North Fair Oaks neighborhood of Redwood City is the deadliest single attack in the Peninsula in nearly three years.Police were notified of the shooting at 1:22 p.m. and arrived at the scene on the 500 block of Stanford Avenue four minutes later. The......

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Muni accident probe to focus on operator

Published: Jun 24, 2008

Two reports so far have found no evidence that mechanical or braking failures led to the June 14 crash of two Muni light-rail trains.On June 14, a T-Third rear-ended an N-Judah that was stopped at a signal near AT&T Park. The crash injured 16 people, sent 12 people to the hospital and caused between $1.2 million and $1.5 million in damages to the vehicles involved."Though our investigation is continuing, we have taken a careful look at the tracks, the signals and......

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Muni expects contract talks to get in gear

Published: Jun 21, 2008

Claiming that a "cooling-off" period is now drawing to a close, Muni Executive Director Nathaniel Ford said stalled contract negotiations with union officials representing transit operators will pick up again Monday or Tuesday.The two sides haven’t met since June 10, after bargaining broke down on several issues — in particular the operator union’s request for increased wages and benefits under reworked contracts. Representatives of the Transport Workers Union Local 250A — which includes approximately 1,900 Muni operators — walked away from the table.Ford told The Examiner on Friday that the......

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Dark cloud hangs over S.F. Zoo following tiger escape

Published: Jun 20, 2008

Dropping attendance rates, overflowing maintenance costs and low employee morale were part of a bleak forecast described Thursday by San Francisco Zoo officials, who are dealing with heightening budget problems as they search for a new executive director.After a Siberian tiger fatally mauled a zoo visitor on Christmas Day, operations at the facility have devolved into a "full mess," according to Nick Podell, chairman of the Continued...

 

Dog days ease the workplace

Published: Jun 19, 2008

Along with theusual assortment of coffee mugs, briefcases and BlackBerrys that Bay Area professionals bring to work, employees can add another accessory Friday — their pet dogs. The furry office additions will be part of the ninth annual Take Your Dog to Work Day, a nationwide event that is sponsored by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Dogs in the workplace......

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3-Minute Interview: Ron Conway

Published: Jun 19, 2008

The Silicon Valley venture capitalist has embarked on his latest — and most personal — investment. After hearing that his friend had a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease, Conway began working with UC San Francisco doctors to create a YouTube page that offers advice to people who have the disease. The site, Continued...

 

Speeding may have led to Muni light rail crash

Published: Jun 18, 2008

The Muni light-rail train that rear-ended another train Saturday was probably traveling about 14 mph too fast for the zone it was in, according to agency officials.A one-car T-Third train hit the back of a two-car N-Judah that was stopped at a red light on King Street near AT&T Park on Saturday.The T-Third was traveling at 17 mph in a 3 mph zone, and its operator did not attempt to use the vehicle’s emergency brake before the collision, according to Continued...

 

Answers delayed in Muni accident

Published: Jun 17, 2008

Three days after a train rammed into another train near AT&T Park, Muni officials are still searching for an explanation about the collision that injured 16 people, including 12 who were sent to local hospitals.Transit officials said they will release more information this week about what caused a one-car T-Third train to rear-end a two-car N-Judah train. At the time of the incident, the N-Judah was stopped at King Street, waiting for a signal to change. Both trains were headed in......

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Niners still set on Santa Clara

Published: Jun 17, 2008

Officials from the San Francisco 49ers said the team is committed to a site in Santa Clara, despite a request by the South Bay city to extend negotiations on a stadium by seven months.Santa Clara had pegged July 22 as the deadline for stadium negotiations with the 49ers on a site near the Great America theme park. However, a number of complications, including opposition to the move by Continued...

 

Trial run positive for double-deckers

Published: Jun 14, 2008

Muni riders may soon have a whole new outlook.Double-decker buses, cultural landmarks and transportation mainstays on the streets of London, could make their way to San Francisco — although it may take a few years for them to arrive.Muni unveiled a double-decker bus in December in a pilot project that lasted just less than one month. The bus, on loan from a British manufacturing company, was used on five different Muni lines. Passengers......

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Business owners not on board for plan to speed up Muni line

Published: Jun 13, 2008

Local businesses in the revitalized North of Panhandle neighborhood are fuming about a Muni proposal to strip parking spaces on a stretch of Divisadero Street to create a transit-only lane during the evening commute.Traffic congestion on the corridor slows the 24-Divisadero to a snaillike 2.8 mph, according to Judson True, spokesman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.To increase its on-time performance, Muni is proposing a pilot project that would create a traffic lane used solely by the......

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Driver rides Muni tracks to dead end

Published: Jun 12, 2008

A confused elderly woman drove her car into the West Portal Muni tunnel Wednesday and managed to traverse the entire 1.8-mile underground route to Market Street — the second case in two months of amotorist mistaking the railway tracks for a roadway.The San Francisco driver entered the West Portal tunnel about 10 a.m., according to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokesman Judson True. Unable to flag down the......

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3-Minute Interview: Linda Squires-Grohe

Published: Jun 10, 2008

The dean of City College of San Francisco’s School of Health and Physical Education is the recipient of The California Wellness Foundation’s Champion of Health Professions Diversity Award. She has worked at City College for 39 years. Why are community colleges so important? Because the door of education is shut to many, many students for a number of different circumstances. Education is the one thing that can level the playing field, and community college means educational access to all.What are some of the health programs you’ve helped create while at......

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Public to weigh in on toll hikes

Published: Jun 10, 2008

You can give your two cents about the Golden Gate Bridge toll increases that could raise cash fares to $7 on the iconic span at a public forum Wednesday.A $1 toll increase and a separate variable-pricing toll could combine with the current $5 cash toll to bring the final price tocross the bridge to $7.Neither toll would be implemented before September.Wednesday’s meeting will be at Marin County Civic Center......

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Restaurant ratings on the back burner

Published: Jun 09, 2008

In 2005, San Francisco health officials launched a new program to dole out health and safety scores to The City’s restaurants. Three years later, the program offers diners little more than vague insight into the potential health risks they face when going out to eat.City inspectors randomly visit each of San Francisco’s 6,700 eateries — from food carts to sit-down restaurants — at least twice a year to inspect safety conditions, said Richard Lee of the Department of Public Health. They start with 100 points and lose 12 points for......

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Bridgemont suspended one year by CCS

Published: Jun 09, 2008

With an enrollment hovering at just 50 students, San Francisco’s Bridgemont High School provided one of the feel-good sports stories of the year in 2007 when it defied heavy odds to capture the Central Coast Section Division V boys’ basketball championship.Less than two years later, that championship is likely to be erased and the goodwill the school gained from its recent successes has been replaced by revelations of frequent rules infractions.The......

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Club bouncer fatally shot after his shift

Published: Jun 07, 2008

Police are investigating the death of a San Francisco man who was fatally shot by two suspects in a fleeing car early Friday morning.At approximately 2:15 a.m., Germane Harris, 33, was standing on the corner of Harrison and 12th streets when the two suspects, driving a newer-model silver Volkswagen Jetta, pulled up and shot him, according to police Continued...

 

Sunny skies to reign for weekend events

Published: Jun 07, 2008

A bevy of activities in The City will be accompanied by sunny skies and temperatures that will reach the mid-70s this weekend. Whether the thousands of attendees to the 31st annual Haight Ashbury Street Fair go for the food, the live bands or the remnants of San Francisco’s famous counterculture, organizers hope the weather will help boost attendance. With alcohol off-limits for the second year in a row, warm temperatures are a more......

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Bridgemont suspended for one year

Published: Jun 06, 2008

With an enrollment hovering at just 50 students, San Francisco’s Bridgemont High School provided one of the feel-good sports stories of the year in 2007 when it defied heavy odds to capture the Central Coast Section Division V boys’ basketball championship. Less than two years later, that championship is likely to be erased and the goodwill the school gained from its recent successes has been replaced by revelations of frequent rules......

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Voter fatigue produces weak turnout in S.F.

Published: Jun 04, 2008

After a 65 percent showing for February’s presidential primary, voter turnout was expected to dip significantly for Tuesday’s election, according to Department of Elections Director John Arntz. He said Tuesday’s election appeared to be on par with the November 2007 polls, which drew 35 percent of The City’s 430,259 registered voters. Roughly 70,000 of San Francisco’s 166,894 absentee ballots had been collected by Tuesday afternoon, according to Arntz.......

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3-Minute Interview: Danielle Benjamin-Arrington

Published: Jun 03, 2008

The 2008 UC Berkeley graduate and Jackie Robinson Foundation scholar, who enrolled in college two weeks after her mother was killed, will be at AT&T Park today to present a scholarship sponsored by the Giants in conjunction with the JRF. Benjamin-Arrington co-founded Akanke, a program that pairs female black students at Cal with teenagers in a Richmond housing project.How were you able to focus on education after your mother was killed? I learned to stop focusing on the little things in life and be grateful for what I had. I......

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Transit cowboys drive into town

Published: May 31, 2008

The 2008 Rail Conference and International Rail Rodeo will be held in The City, beginning this weekend.Today, the five-day event will open with the 16th version of the Rail Rodeo, a street simulation competition that tests the prowess of the continent’s top transit rail operators and their crews. The event will take place at Muni’snew maintenance facility on 25th Street.Starting Sunday and lasting through Wednesday, the Rail Conference, held at the Hyatt......

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Technology will keep you moving

Published: May 31, 2008

With $58 million in federal funds on the way, Muni has plans to ease the pain of red-light weary drivers and bus riders idling along San Francisco’s major thoroughfares, starting with Gough, Polk and Franklin streets.Muni officials say they will be able to ease congestion through its traffic-management system — SFgo — byremotely changing traffic signals to respond to the volume of traffic on the roadway and give public-transit vehicles priority at intersections.Telegraph Hill resident Art Peterson said he frequently uses Polk to travel from his home to downtown and......

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Gas prices won’t stall commuters

Published: May 30, 2008

Soaring gas prices are hitting urban commuters hard, but a significant percentage of Bay Area drivers said costs would have to pass $5 per galloon before they would consider alternatives such as public transportation.San Francisco resident Jon Boutelle, who makes a daily commute in his Toyota hybrid from the Mission district to his job in South of Market, said gas prices would......

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Parking officers prepare to deal with rising tide of anger

Published: May 28, 2008

With assault cases against San Francisco’s parking control officers in double digits, The City is putting its ticket-dispensing employees through a new conflict-resolution program to help them defuse the angry reactions of unruly citizens.Assault cases against parking control officers, who are overseen by Muni, rose from 17 in 2005 to 28 in 2006. The numbers for 2007 have not yet been totaled, according to Muni officials.Last month, when the department’s board of directors approved a plan to add $10 to all......

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Proposal for City Hall garden taking root

Published: May 26, 2008

This summer, San Francisco will expand its reputation as a green city by showing it also has a green thumb.A vegetable garden may be planted in front of City Hall, featuring locally grown products such asbeets, collards and Asian greens. The quarter-acre plot would be made in the mold of a modern-day victory garden — a community-based agricultural program backed by the government during World War II as a way to improve morale and increase domestic production.If the proposal moves forward......

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3-Minute Interview: Joseph White

Published: May 24, 2008

The psychologist, social activist and professor emeritus at UC Irvine has been named San Francisco State University’s Alumnus of the Year. He will speak at the school’s graduation ceremonies today. What is black psychology? Well, if you go to a traditional black Baptist church on Sunday morning, you’ll see black psychology in action. There are seven aspects to black psychology: improvisation, resilience, spirituality, connectivity to others, emotional vitality,......

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Riding the rails and surfing the Internet

Published: May 23, 2008

BART riders will eventually be able to surf the Internet while riding on the train, officials from the transit agency said Thursday, after new pilot test results reaffirmed that the program’s pioneering technology works when riding above and below ground.The pilot project is being conducted by Wi-Fi Rail Inc., which is in negotiations with BART to provide the high-speed wireless network throughout the entire system."We rode the system 200 to 300 times, and each time the results were extremely positive,"......

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Crash victims still hospitalized

Published: May 23, 2008

A Sausalito woman and her 14-year-old female passenger remained hospitalized Thursday with major injuries following a three-vehicle crash on Golden Gate Bridge.Grace M. Dammann, 61, sustained fractures to both of her legs and arms in the collision Wednesday, according to the California Highway Patrol. The female youth, whose identity has not been released because she is a minor, traveling with Dammann......

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Financial trouble could leave women in shelter without a home

Published: May 23, 2008

The economic situation gripping the nation has extended its clutch to a new target: a charitable organization that houses about 60 women with mental and physical health problems.The Marian Residence for Women, a subsidiary of the St. Anthony Foundation, will close its doors this summer, leaving the women scrambling to find a new place to live.A private entity, St. Anthony Foundation is reliant on donations. Although this year’s charitable alms are consistent with past amounts, the fear that people will......

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Crossover crash shuts down Golden Gate Bridge traffic

Published: May 22, 2008

A man driving south on the Golden Gate Bridge sideswiped a northbound car before colliding head-on with a sport utility vehicle, leaving three people injured and closing the span for more than an hour.It was the second crossover accident in less than two months on the world-famous span, which has only 19-inch rubber tubes 25 feet apart to divide opposing traffic.At about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, a man driving a four-door gray Continued...

 

Greenhouse-gas fee has business groups fuming

Published: May 22, 2008

The Bay Area will become one of the first regions in the nation to charge businesses for emitting greenhouse gases.Business groups, however, say the plan to charge companies is unnecessary and could lead to litigation.In total, 2,500 firms will be affected, although 1,650 of those businesses will pay less than $1 per year, according to documents provided by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the nine-county regional group that approved the plan Wednesday.The fees would not be imposed upon vehicles, which are responsible for 50.6 percent of all greenhouse......

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Polluters may soon burn up money

Published: May 21, 2008

Bay Area factories, power plants, hospitals, airlines, oil refineries and other businesses that emit carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases may be among of the first in the nation to pay a tax to battle global warming.Approximately 2,500 regional businesses would be subject to the fee, including nearly 200 San Francisco businesses, said Brian Bateman of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the regional agency scheduled to vote on the......

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S.F. is king of fuel prices no more

Published: May 20, 2008

It will not lessen the pain at the gas pump, but Bay Area motorists may find some consolation in knowing others are finally paying more than them.The price of unleaded gas in New York City moved up to $4.06 per gallon Monday, edging San Francisco by one penny for the country’s highest gas prices, according to Michael Geeser of the AAA, which......

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State bond money to fund Muni fare box rehab project

Published: May 17, 2008

Muni is investing $19 million to repair all 1,250 fare boxes in its fleet with the hope that the rehab project will increase payment reliability for the cash-strapped agency.The transit agency collected $143 million in fares last fiscal year — 21 percent of its budget — but its transit fleet is equipped with outdated fare boxes. Acquired in 1991 with a 10-year shelf life, the fare boxes frequently break down, according to department documents. If a fare box on an active Muni vehicle is not working, it cannot......

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Pricey cab rides could get pricier

Published: May 17, 2008

Less than two years after the last price hike, the meter rates for San Francisco’s taxicabs could see another increase that would likely push The City’s rates to the highest in the nation.San Francisco taxi prices were last increased in November 2006, when the fee to begin a cab ride, or the flag-drop rate, went up 25 cents to $3.10 — the second-highest rate in the nation, trailing only Las Vegas.Since that......

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Impact of China quake reverberates in Bay Area

Published: May 13, 2008

Chinatown denizens were in shock but ready to help out with relief efforts after hearing the news that an earthquake killed about 10,000 people in China’s Sichuan province on Monday, local community leaders said.Many rescue officials fear the death toll will rise, as an unknown number of Chinese citizens remain trapped underneath rubble from the magnitude 7.9 temblor.The earthquake occurred in central China, hundreds of miles north of Continued...

 

First-grader caught with gun at school

Published: May 13, 2008

A 6-year-old first-grade student brought a gun to his elementary school in the Excelsior district on Friday, according to San Francisco school officials.Workers at Cleveland Elementary School found the gun in the boy’s backpack after hearing other students talking about the child having the weapon, according to Gentle Blythe, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Unified School District.After making......

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Muni may have new light-rail route with historic cars

Published: May 13, 2008

Muni may soon expand its light-rail service — but in a way that connects with the transit agency’s past.In 1979, Muni officials proposed the E-Embarcadero line, which would run from Fisherman’s Wharf to the train depot at Fourth and King streets. That route, however, was shelved in consideration of the shorterF-Market route, which was proposed a year later, according to Rick Laubscher, president of the Market Street Railways, a nonprofit organization dedicated......

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Proposal would turn streets into recreational spaces

Published: May 12, 2008

An idea to shut down portions of major city streets on Sunday mornings and open them for pedestrian, bicyclists and other exercisers has drawn the interest of Mayor Gavin Newsom.Such a street closure program would provide cheap, healthy and safe recreation opportunities for residents in urban areas, according to Wade Crowfoot, the mayor’s director of climate protection initiatives.Newsom, in an e-mail to The Examiner, said he was committed to getting more San Franciscans out of their cars and into the streets,......

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Talk of a third toll for bridge lingers

Published: May 10, 2008

Two separate Golden Gate Bridge toll increases that could cost drivers $7 to cross into San Francisco are in the works — and another talked-about toll could boost the total cost to $8, warned transportation officials.It currently costs cash-paying drivers $5 to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and a planned $1 increase to the toll will likely go into effect in January 2009. Additionally, a separate proposed toll increase would......

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Bridge toll proposal drives forward

Published: May 09, 2008

The Golden Gate Bridge toll could climb to as much as $7 by next year — nearly twice as much as the seven other Bay Area bridges.It currently costs $5 to cross the iconic span and a $1 increase is expected to be authorized in July. In addition, a $1 congestion fee is making it way through the approval process, which would target commuters during peak drive times in attempt to reduce the number of cars on the road during......

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Fog surrounding toll increases may start to lift

Published: May 08, 2008

When and how much? Those two aspects of the Golden Gate Bridge variable-toll pricing plan could become clearer after a committee meeting today.Approved in March, the variable-toll pricing would charge drivers extra for crossing the span during peak travel times.In earlier discussions, bridge officials speculated an extra cost in the range of 50 cents to $1 during peak travel times, although Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, who sits on the bridge district board,......

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Public voice may alter Muni’s plans

Published: May 07, 2008

Public outcry about the proposed elimination of bus lines will force Muni to steer its overhaul of the system in another direction, the transit agency’s top official said.After two weeks of community meetings, Muni Executive Director and CEO Nathaniel Ford said revisions of the agency’s systemwide revamping proposals will be made, but he stopped short of saying the feedback will result in restoration of proposed bus-line eliminations.Based on the suggestions of the Transit Effectiveness Project, a recently completed 18-month study aimed......

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BART may soon sell student-discount tickets online

Published: May 06, 2008

Half-price BART tickets for high school students may soon be just a click away.The tickets, which are sold at 148 public and private schools — including 47 in San Francisco — in the Bay Area, could soon be sold on the Internet under a pilot program by the transit agency.BART officials are hoping to increase the number of discounted student tickets sold from the current 24,000 users and at the same time......

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Presidio plans spark outcry for resistance

Published: May 05, 2008

As development proposals for the Presidio continue to raise eyebrows from the public, nearby neighborhood groups are pining to re-establish a dormant watchdog group so they can offer their opinions on the new changes at the former Army post. The Presidio Neighborhood Representative Work Group, a collective of nearby neighborhood groups and city agencies, was first established in 2001.The group was created as a way to offer streamlined feedback on new developments, particularly the proposal at the time to house George......

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In-line skating event concerns roll forth

Published: May 03, 2008

Sunday’s forecast for Golden Gate Park calls for sunny skies, temperatures in the 70s, and, to the ire of some park enthusiasts, lots of in-line skaters.Featuring 300 contestants from North America and Europe, the San Francisco Inline Skate Marathon will comprise a series of in-line skating races on a course that will snake its......

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AWOL operators drive Muni delays

Published: May 03, 2008

Muni’s performance goals for the 2008-09 fiscal year will include a concerted effort to tackle employment absenteeism, notably transit operators, whose high rates affect the transit system’s on-time numbers. Transit operators had an 11 percent rate of unscheduled absences during the past quarter of the 2007-08 fiscal year, according to Muni officials. Muni has 1,915 transit operators on active duty, according to department documents released in February; that calculates out to an average of 220 workers not showing up for their scheduled work detail — not counting vacation days. Unscheduled......

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Surfer killed by shark died doing what he loved

Published: May 01, 2008

A 25-year-old San Francisco resident who was killed in a shark attack off the coast of Mexico on Monday was described by co-workers as a gregarious, fun-loving friend who loved to surf.Adrian Ruiz bled to death after a shark bit a 15-inch gash into his lower right thigh, according to a statement from the public safety department of Guerrero, a southern Mexico state. Ruiz......

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Muni deployments leave buses vulnerable

Published: Apr 30, 2008

While Muni has increased the number of inspectors over the past year in an effort to crack down on freeloading transit users who cost The City millions in unpaid fares, none of those charged with checking for tickets and passes are deployed on The City’s buses — where, critics complain, they are needed most.With Muni proposing to raise parking fines and increase Fast Pass prices as a way to make up a projected two-year budget shortfall of $81.5 million, Supervisor Bevan......

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City seeks waiver for dicey crossings

Published: Apr 29, 2008

The City will argue before a Superior Court judge today that two dangerous intersections should be exempted from an injunction that has stalled implementation of San Francisco’s bike plan. Over the past five years, there have been nearly 30 collisions involving cars and pedestrians or bicyclists at the intersections of Fell Street and Masonic Avenue and at Market and Octavia streets — a total that far exceeds the amount of similar accidents in other parts of The City, according to a......

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Female ‘trailblazers’ earn the limelight at business events

Published: Apr 28, 2008

From the country’s first woman secretary of state, to up-and-coming "millennial generation" entrepreneurs, San Francisco will play host to thousands of California businesswomen this week, when two major conferences convene to recognize female achievement.On Tuesday, the Professional Business Women of California will hold the 19th annual San Francisco conference at Moscone Center. Featuring former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and journalist Cokie Roberts as its keynote speakers, the event is expected to draw some 5,000 California businesswomen, said Jan Barlow, the organization’s president.Three days later, the San Francisco......

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Underperforming Muni routes fall victim to transit project findings

Published: Apr 26, 2008

For Kimberly Bell, the 75-minute trek on public transportation from her home in Hunters Point to her son’s house in the Outer Sunset is long enough. Now, with new route changes proposed by Muni officials, Bell’s trip could take even longer.Bell was one of about 15 riders Friday on the 66-Quintara, a little-used community-connector bus line in the Sunset district. The route is one of several slated for elimination as part of an overhaul of The City’s public transportation system."I really......

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The Bay has two tales of whales

Published: Apr 25, 2008

A gray whale made an appearance about a quarter mile off Crissy Field on Thursday morning, providing a sightseeing bonus for tourists who first caught a glimpse of the creature while aboard a tour boat in the Bay.The whale was first seen about at approximately 10:30 a.m. and later at 4:30 p.m., according to U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman Lauren Kolumbic. The sightings followed a report Wednesday of a similar whale near......

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Obsolete Muni fare system becomes token of the past

Published: Apr 25, 2008

As Muni moves into a new era of payment options, the metal transit token is going extinct.Introduced in the 1940s, the dime-size tokens have been unavailable to the general public since 2005, according to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokesman Judson True.Good for 90 minutes of travel, the tokens are being phased out because of their incompatibility with Muni’s increasingly modern system."We believe that it’s important to provide clients with prepaid fare media, and that means transitioning to......

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Double fines steer toward new zone

Published: Apr 24, 2008

San Francisco motorists may have to pay twice the price for speeding and other driving offenses on Lombard Street and Van Ness Avenue — a last-minute addition to a law working its way through the state Legislature to increase the safety of 19th Avenue.Efforts by state Sen. Leland Yee to create a double-fine zone along the 19th Avenue corridor have repeatedly failed in the Legislature, which has jurisdiction on 19th Avenue since......

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Despite a lawsuit, campus vote nears

Published: Apr 23, 2008

City College of San Francisco’s board of trustees will move forward with a vote Thursday to approve the design of the school’s new Chinatown campus, despite a lawsuit filed by neighbors opposing the 190-foot building proposal.If the board approves the design, the state architect will review the design of the building later this summer — the final technical hurdle for the long-awaited campus, according to Jim Blomquist, vice chancellor for facilities at CCSF. If subsequent planning steps are approved on schedule, construction of the campus could begin by the end......

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Transit agency seeks balance in driving Bay Area’s future

Published: Apr 21, 2008

Bay Area residents will soon have a chance to voice their opinion about which potential infrastructure projects should have more than $50 billion steered toward them.The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the region’s transportation planning organization, will begin holding open-house summits next month about its long-term planning policy. "We very much want to hear what real people have to say," agency spokesman John Goodwin said. "We’re hoping these workshops determine the perennial question:......

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Rigidity of surplus-property funds spending may loosen

Published: Apr 19, 2008

The San Francisco Unified School District would have more spending options with money gained from selling its surplus property under state legislation that is moving through Sacramento.Under current law, school districts must use all sales revenue from such property sales for building and other capital improvements, such as structural maintenance projects.The proposed bill, authored by Assemblymember Fiona Ma, whose district includes......

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Zoo upgrades costing millions

Published: Apr 18, 2008

In the wake of a fatal Christmas Day tiger mauling, the San Francisco Zoo has spent nearly $2 million in security upgrades, an official said.Increased staffing for after-hour shifts, a centrally located gun safe, direct access to the local police station and a handheld pendant that can trigger a code-red alarm with the touch of a button are some of the improvements San Francisco Zoo officials are implementing as a way to improve security at the facility."We have put forth a substantial effort to improve the functionality of the facility,"......

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3-Minute Interview: Guadalupe Rivera Marín

Published: Apr 17, 2008

The daughter of Mexican muralist Diego Rivera will speak at the Commonwealth Club tonight about how art and culture can transcend borders. A former member of the Mexican Congress, Rivera Marin is also working on a children’s book about her father.Your discussion at the Commonwealth Club is focused on breaking down borders. What does that mean to you? One of things I......

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Museum plan for Presidio getting heat

Published: Apr 16, 2008

The proposed contemporary art museum to house Gap founders Doris and Donald Fisher’s personal collection in the Presidio has drawn fire from a high-ranking official from the National Park Service. In a letter sent to The Presidio Trust on April 4, National Park Service General Superintendent Brian O’Neill said Fisher’s 100,000-square-foot Contemporary Art Museum at the Presidio "would result in an adverse......

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Citation price increase plan raises assault worries

Published: Apr 16, 2008

Higher prices for parking citations could raise more than money — it could increase attacks against parking control officers, a group of workers told Muni’s board of directors. Despite the concerns of violence, the board Tuesday unanimously approved the department’s budget plan for the upcoming two years. Part of the approved budget includes a plan to add $10 to all parking citations under $90 that are not capped. The move projected to net the department $27 million over the next two years, could also further endanger the employees who issue......

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Sweep of salons nails violators

Published: Apr 15, 2008

A surprise sweep of San Francisco beauty salons by the state this weekend uncovered violations in 16 out of 19 of the businesses inspected.Five establishments were written up because of visible unsanitary conditions and one salon was suspended due to its health practices as a result of the sweep, which was aimed at uncovering unlicensed workers and businesses and conducted by the California Department of Consumer Affairs.Six businesses were......

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Parking meter prices will depend on what time it is

Published: Apr 12, 2008

An unpopular proposal to increase meter rates citywide by 50 cents has been shelved by Muni officials, who are counting, instead, on a program of costlier parking stays during peak travel times in certain parts of The City to help make up a budget shortfall.The variable-pricing scheme is part of Muni’s SFpark program, a collection of pilot projects that will be implemented this September. Motorists can expect higher hourly rates for meters during peak times in the morning, but summarily less for parking during slower times in the afternoon. A......

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Commuters await price for congestion toll

Published: Apr 11, 2008

In two weeks, Golden Gate Bridge officials are expected to reveal how much a new congestion-based toll increase will cost drivers coming into The City. A proposed second toll on Doyle Drive is still in the works, but with less certainty on the timing.The congestion toll could add as much as $2 during peak times to the current $5 price to cross the bridge, Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, who sits on......

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Torchbearers blanketed by wall of police

Published: Apr 10, 2008

A large police presence during the Olympic torch relay through The City may have averted the chaos that marred the Paris and London legs of the journey, but it also made catching a glimpse of the torchbearers nearly impossible for spectators. Even as the torch started up its unplanned route on Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco Police Department patrol officers......

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New west link for Bay Bridge up this weekend

Published: Apr 09, 2008

Motorists tired of the snaky freeway approach from downtown San Francisco to the Bay Bridge will be alleviated of the muddling traffic route this weekend when a newly repaired permanent structure of the bridge’s west approach is opened. The approach, a one-mile stretch of Interstate 80 connecting Fifth Street to the Bay Bridge’s west anchorage at Beale Street, had been substituted with a temporary structure since March 2007, Continued...

 

Protesters dodge security for risky stunt

Published: Apr 08, 2008

Dressed in casual clothing and using baby carriages to conceal and transport climbing equipment, three members of a pro-Tibet independence group were able to evade heightened security measures on the Golden Gate Bridge Monday to complete a risky 150-foot climb up the span’s suspension ropes in protest of the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.By the time officials from the Continued...

 

Proposal for Presidio movie theater has historians up in arms

Published: Apr 07, 2008

A plan to reopen and expand a shuttered movie theater in the Presidio has angered local historians who believe an inappropriate "urbanizing" is taking place at the former Army base.The proposal would more than double the size of the current structure, a 13,000-square-foot, one-screen theater that was built in 1939 and has been out of service since at least 1989, said Dana Polk, a spokeswoman for the Presidio Trust, the federally appointed organization that oversees operations at the decommissioned Army base. The plan was recently submitted by the San Francisco......

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Firefighters uncover marijuana at Mission district fire

Published: Apr 05, 2008

Firefighters tackling a three-alarm blaze in the Mission district on Thursday night stumbled upon an unexpected discovery while fending off the flames — a room filled with marijuana plants.San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Mindy Talmadge said firefighters on the scene at 1142 S. Van Ness Ave. came across a "horticultural type of thing" on the building’s top floor. Police Department spokesman Sgt. Steve Mannina confirmed that 25 to 30 marijuana plants were confiscated from the house. No criminal charges have yet been filed, although police are investigating the case,......

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Planting meters may save jobs

Published: Apr 05, 2008

Installing parking meters in Golden Gate Park could generate an estimated $250,000 a year, Yomi Agunbiade, the head of San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department told the agency’s governing board Thursday.Having already slashed $3.4 million from its budget earlier this year — which included the elimination of several vacant gardening positions — the Recreation and Park Department was asked March 18 to cut an additional $2.85 million by Mayor Gavin Newsom.The parking-meter proposal, suggested by the Recreation and Park Commission, the department’s regulatory body, came as an alternative to slashing......

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Reception tepid for pay-by-cell meters

Published: Apr 04, 2008

As Elio Sciacqua raced from his work truck on Geary and 15th Avenue to pump change into his parking meter Thursday, one important detail scribed on the 4-foot post managed to miss his attention.On the meter, surrounded by bright green borders, read the phrase, "Pay by phone & go! 1-866-490-PARK.""I had no idea you could pay for meters with your cell phone," Sciacqua said. "I’m usually too busy to take the time to look."With Muni officials proposing a $10 increase......

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Bloody Muni accident is 19th this year

Published: Apr 03, 2008

Blood-soaked asphalt and tattered clothes marked the scene of a harrowing collision involving a pedestrian and a Muni bus that left a man with life-threatening injuries on Wednesday.The unidentified man, believed to be between 50 and 70 years old, was struck by the right front end of a two-trolley 38-Geary bus at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Fillmore Street, according to San Francisco Police Department spokesman Sgt. Wilfred Williams.The accident is the 19th instance this year of a Muni-versus-pedestrian collision, according to Examiner counts; to date, there has been......

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Driver suffers from case of tunnel vision

Published: Apr 02, 2008

Late-night Muni service in the subway to West Portal recently resumed, but one allegedly drunken driver may have taken the idea a bit too far. Alexey Serdyukov, 27, drove his 2005 Nissan Maxima in the West Portal tunnel just before 2 a.m. Tuesday and managed to get all the way past the Forest Hills Station before the vehicle’s tires became stuck in the underground tunnel’s increasingly narrow passage, according to San Francisco police Sgt. Wilfred Williams. Just a few hundred feet from the Castro station, the San Francisco resident ditched......

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BART’s food policy stands despite new coffee kiosks

Published: Apr 01, 2008

Coffee and food will soon be easier to purchase at many BART stations, but officials for the transit agency are reminding patrons that eating and drinking are forbidden within paid areas.In the past, getting a citation for having food or drinks aboard BART was rare. In 2006, BART police issued 765 citations for eating, drinking, and smoking violations. In 2007 the numbers grew to 896, according to BART spokesman Linton Johnson.But with 101.7 million total patron trips in 2007, only......

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3-Minute Interview: Ed Holmes

Published: Apr 01, 2008

The man also known as Bishop Joey is the founder of the First Church of the Last Laugh, the organization behind today’s Saint Stupid’s Day Parade, an annual downtown event on April Fools’ Day for nearly 30 years. Holmes, a performing artist, member of the San Francisco Mime Troupe and frequent political satirist, will lead the crowd from Justin Herman Plaza through Market Street.What are the origins of the Saint Stupid’s Day Parade? It started in 1979 with about a dozen people basically talking about the culture in America. I......

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Slowdown sought for treacherous stretch of 19th Avenue

Published: Mar 29, 2008

Drivers looking to whiz through The City on 19th Avenue may soon find themselves slowing down for a 2½-mile stretch.Caltrans recently completed a study that suggests the speed limit on 19th Avenue between Lincoln Way and Eucalyptus Drive — which is part of state Highway 1 — be lowered from 35 mph to 30 mph, Caltrans spokeswoman Brigetta Smith said.That stretch of 19th Avenue runs though the Sunset district, which makes for a dangerous combination of high speeds and......

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New Fast Pass proposal would push cost to $55

Published: Mar 29, 2008

Muni patrons have a respite from a Fast Pass price increase, but maybe only for one more year.Despite a strong public outcry and opposition from its board of directors, Muni has proposed implementing a $10 increase to the monthly pass — although not until the 2009-10 fiscal year, according to the agency’s most recent budget proposal.Faced with an $80.7 million projected budget shortfall over the next two years, Muni officials are also considering raising discounted pass prices by $5, imposing......

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3-Minute Interview: Jack Hirschman

Published: Mar 28, 2008

San Francisco’s poet laureate since 2006 has published more than 100 collections of poems in his 50-plus year career. A native New Yorker, Hirschman has lived in San Francisco for more than 30 years. On Tuesday, The 75-year-old will kick off National Poetry Month by reading from his latest collection of poetry, "All That’s Left," at the San Francisco Main Library.Is there a particular theme from "All That’s Left" that you will specifically draw upon when you read? My poems are lyrical and political. The themes emerge from the wounds......

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Cosco Busan was sole ship to brave the fog when it hit Bay Bridge

Published: Mar 28, 2008

As heavy fog hung over the Bay on Nov. 7, at least four container ships decided to remain docked. U.S. Coast Guard officials say that only one ship decided to leave port — the Cosco Busan.The ship was the only large vessel in the area when it swiped the base of the Bay Bridge, dumping 53,000 gallons of oil into the Bay, according to the Coast Guard.Visibility was less than a quarter-mile, but Capt. John Cota still gave the go-ahead to pilot the 900-foot, 65,000-gross-ton cargo ship from its moorings,......

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Crash won't accelerate bridge-median plan

Published: Mar 28, 2008

Construction of a long-awaited movable median on the Golden Gate Bridge cannot be expedited, despite a head-on crash Wednesday that left many clamoring for the divider, bridge officials said.Because the structure is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District must adhere to strict design guidelines aimed at preserving the original aesthetics of the iconic span, district spokeswoman Mary Currie said......

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$100K lotto mystery in Excelsior

Published: Mar 27, 2008

A winning Mega Millions ticket sold in the Excelsior district, worth $106,073, is still unclaimed, according to Olga Gallardo of the California State Lottery.The ticket was picked up at Manila Oriental Market on 4175 Mission St.Tuesday’s mystery winner missed the $95 million jackpot by misplaying only the Mega Ball number. "It could be anybody," Jenny Louie, a clerk at the market said. "We get so many people in here to play on Saturdays and Sundays. There are a lot......

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USF evacuates chemistry building due to funky odor

Published: Mar 26, 2008

Wispy plumes of smoke, liquids frothing out of beakers and loud explosions are all well-documented outputs of chemistry experiments, but University of San Francisco officials realized yet another effect of student lab work: potent odor.An entire building on the USF campus was evacuated for 1½ hours on Monday after faculty at the Harney Science Center began noticing a suspicious-smelling banana scent wafting through the halls.Continued...

 

Woman survives being struck by F-Market street car

Published: Mar 26, 2008

A 55-year-old woman was struck by a historic Muni street car in front of the Ferry Building on Tuesday, though her injuries were not life-threatening, according to police officials.The woman, whose identity was not released, was hit by an F-Market street car but her legs did not get caught under the vehicle, which prevented any serious injuries from occurring, said Sgt. Steve Mannina, a spokesman for the San......

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Park vandalism is top gripe posted to online watchdog

Published: Mar 22, 2008

For the second straight year, acts of vandalism ranked as the top-reported concern about San Francisco parks, according to a study by a city nonprofit that compiled complaints from more than 1,500 San Francisco residents in 2007.ParkScan, an online data program that allows users to report incidents at public parks, showed that 51 percent of the complaints lodged by San Francisco residents dealt with graffiti, damaged property, litter or dumping. Launched in 2003 by the Continued...

 

City’s crime cameras shortsighted

Published: Mar 21, 2008

Cameras in The City have little effect in deterring crime on violent street corners, according to a new study.Seventy-four cameras have been installed in some of the San Francisco’s most dangerous neighborhoods as city officials battle with an increasing homicide rate that was just two short of hitting triple digits last year.Homicides within 250 feet of the cameras were eradicated. However, homicides in areas from 250 feet to 500 feet increased."It shows that if people are going to commit a......

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Surviving bridge plunge nearly impossible

Published: Mar 20, 2008

A San Francisco man who jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge on March 9 and was pulled out of the water alive beat tough odds.The man is believed to be the 28th person to live out of approximately 1,300 attempts during the iconic span’s 70-year history — a survival rate of roughly 2 percent — according to Paul......

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Muni looks at ways to offset looming shortfall

Published: Mar 19, 2008

Muni’s board of directors left open the possibility for a series of fare, fee and fine increases to reconcile a budget deficit that is projected at nearly $82 million over the next two years, although the idea of raising monthly Fast Pass prices was greeted with negative reactions. San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency officials are posing an increase to the 30-day Fast Pass from its current price of $45 to $52 for 2009 and $60 by 2010.......

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Peak hours cost peak prices

Published: Mar 17, 2008

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in the future may be more than just a scenic excursion — it could be a financial endeavor costing you $8.The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation board of directors voted Friday to approve a toll that would fluctuate based on the amount of traffic on the bridge, or so-called congestion pricing. The toll could tack as much as $2 during peak times to cross the bridge, according to Continued...

 

Woman hit Thursday by truck dies

Published: Mar 15, 2008

A woman who ran in front of a red light and was struck by a vehicle on Sunset Boulevard died from her injuries early Friday morning, according to San Francisco Police Department officials.Because no family members had been contacted yet, the San Francisco Medical Examiner would not release the name or age of the deceased, who was struck approximately 10:25 p.m. on Thursday by a Toyota Tacoma traveling......

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Congestion fare zooming ahead

Published: Mar 14, 2008

In addition to a proposed $1 toll increase, fares for drivers crossing the Golden Gate Bridge during peak traffic times would receive an additional boost under a separate motion before bridge officials today. The resolution, passed unanimously by the bridge’s finance subcommittee Thursday, would meet federal guidelines for some form of congestion-related tolling on Golden Gate Bridge or Doyle Drive — a mandate required by the federal government for Bay Area officials to retain $158.7 million awarded to the region by the Department of Transportation in August 2007, according to......

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Intervention is in the cards for Chinese gambling community

Published: Mar 14, 2008

Central to Chinese culture is the idea of luck — a concept seen as a stream of good fortune that runs concurrently with jubilant times, such as the recent passing of the Lunar New Year.Unfortunately, luck can also bring about unwelcome consequences — none more evident than the gambling wave some say is currently enveloping San Francisco’s Chinese community.Motivated by a poll that found over 70 percent of Chinatown residents were concerned with gambling problems in their family, three Bay Area......

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Man survives plunge from Golden Gate

Published: Mar 13, 2008

An unidentified man who jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge in a suicide attempt on Sunday is in serious but stable condition at John Muir Medical Center, according to officials from the California Highway Patrol.The man jumped off the east railing of the expanse approximately 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, before alerted rescue authorities could prevent him from plunging, CHP spokesman Mark Bunger said.Coast Guard officials rescued the unconscious man from the water and delivered him to Park Presidio fire paramedics, who then transferred the man to the John Muir center......

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3-Minute Interview: Carl Wilkens

Published: Mar 12, 2008

Living in Rwanda in the early 1990s as a missionary, Wilkens witnessed the genocide that killed 500,000 Tutsis, the nation’s ethnic minority. He stayed in Rwanda during the uprising — the only American to do so — and provided support to orphanages in the capital, Kigali. Wilkens has been speaking at schools nationwide with the organization Facing History and Ourselves. In The City, he visited Continued...

 

Muni underground train stations lack guardrails for blind

Published: Mar 10, 2008

It has been five years, and Chris Gray still doesn’t know what went wrong. He remembers hustling to enter the door of an underground Muni train at the Van Ness Station late in the evening of Jan. 15, 2003, when, in an instant, something went terribly awry.Instead of boarding the train, Gray, who has been blind since birth, mistakenly stepped in between the gap of the two-car train and tumbled off the platform, resulting in a broken femur and a harrowing near-death experience."I can’t exactly remember how I was positioned......

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Interest in district on rise

Published: Mar 08, 2008

More families applied to San Francisco public schools this year than last, a welcome improvement for a district that has struggled for years with declining enrollment. With more competition for preferred schools, however, a smaller percentage of parents received one of their application choices, according to data released by the district Friday.A total of 13,250 applications were submitted for the 2008-09 school year, a 308-person increase from the first-round applications submitted in 2007-08, San Francisco Unified School District spokeswoman Gentle Blythe said.In contrast to the increase in applicants was the......

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Music fest to rock Polo Fields

Published: Mar 07, 2008

A three-day music festival at Golden Gate Park in August is expected to draw an estimated 160,000 attendees — as well as the usual neighborhood concerns about noise levels and traffic congestion.The Outside Lands Festival, organized by Bay Area promotion group Another Planet Entertainment, will feature headlining acts Radiohead, Tom Petty and Jack Johnson over the course of three nights on Aug. 22-24. The festival has been permitted to test the viability of Golden Gate Park hosting evening events, according to Recreation and Park Department spokeswoman Rose Marie Dennis, who......

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Is Fast Pass a quick fix for budget?

Published: Mar 05, 2008

Faced with a budget deficit that could balloon to $66 million by 2010, Muni is considering raising the price of the $45 monthly Fast Pass to as high as $60 within the next two years. The price hike is based on recommendations from a panel of transportation experts appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, which said San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency should charge Fast Pass holders 35 to......

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Day-laborer center stalled a year later

Published: Mar 04, 2008

A plan to bring a new day-laborer center to Bayshore Boulevard, touted by city officials as a way to alleviate the growing number of workers on César Chávez Street, has been met with a series of logistical obstacles, leaving its future in doubt.Last March, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office announced the plan for the new center, saying that it would be a hiring point, as well as a training center. Day......

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3-Minute Interview: Stacey Boyd

Published: Mar 04, 2008

Boyd is the founder of Savvy Source for Parents, an online resource providing information on more than 100,000 preschools across the country. Boyd informally started the program about three years ago while she was searching for a preschool in San Francisco to send her daughter. Information can be found online at www.savvysource.com.How did living in San Francisco affect your decision to start Savvy Source for Parents? When my daughter was about 6 months old, I realized I had little to no information about any preschools in San Francisco. I......

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Rome wasn’t built in a day — but playground will be

Published: Mar 03, 2008

For the past five years, Pierre Barolette has kept a guarded eye on his two young boys while they played on the Balboa Park playground, an aging edifice rife with splinters, rust spots and loose chains."The structure is so rickety," Barolette said. "It’s hard to relax when you see your children climbing around on such an old playground."Barolette’s safety concerns — and those of the rest of the Mission Terrace community that neighbors the Balboa Park playground on San Jose Avenue — will be put to rest in a single......

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Truant students receive CARE

Published: Mar 01, 2008

As a way to combat rising truancy rates in San Francisco’s public schools, city officials have created a new program in Bayview-Hunters Point to help foundering students stay on the road to academic recovery.The Center for Academic Re-entry and Empowerment, or CARE, opened on Feb. 19 and offers school credit for truant youths, ages 13 to 16 years old, who complete a nine-week course that......

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MTA considers $21M payout in ’03 Muni death

Published: Mar 01, 2008

A $21 million settlement for the death of a 4-year-old girl who was fatally struck by a Muni maintenance truck in 2003 will be discussed Tuesday in a closed-door session by board members of the Municipal Transportation Agency.Elizabeth Dominguez was killed when a maintenance truck driven by Muni employee Sebastian Garcia spun out of control and crushed her against a building wall as she walked home from preschool with family and......

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Two Caltrain incidents tie up commute for riders

Published: Feb 29, 2008

Two incidents on opposite ends of Caltrain’s service route left evening commuters saddled with delays Thursday.At approximately 3 p.m. an unidentified man — illegally walking on the train tracks — was fatally killed after being struck by a Capital Corridor Amtrak train at the College Park station near San......

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Spanish war soldiers honored

Published: Feb 29, 2008

With his legs trembling and his voice shaking, David Smith, a 94-year-old veteran of the International Brigade that fought in the Spanish Civil War, made a frank admission on Thursday morning. "I never cried the entire time I was in Spain," said Smith, who was deployed in the war from 1937 to 1939. "But I am crying now." The tears flowing from Smith’s eyes were not of anguish, but of joy-the result of witnessing the groundbreaking for a new monument at Justin Herman Plaza, created to honor the American unit......

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EZ Rider a breeze for BART commuters

Published: Feb 28, 2008

A little-publicized pilot program by BART that provides a permanent card that riders can add money to electronically has signed up an estimated 22,000 passengers in its first 16 months. Launched in October 2006, the EZ Rider pass is electronically scanned by sensors at all BART gates, and is available for any commuter willing to make $45 payments — for which they’ll receive $48 in value — that are automatically culled from a credit card. Anytime the value of an EZ Rider card dips below $10, the card is refilled......

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School district pitches resolution to boost math, English proficiency

Published: Feb 27, 2008

Faced with an ever-widening achievement gap split on racial and ethnic lines, San Francisco school board members introduced a resolution Tuesday that aims to boost at least 60 percent of the district’s students to proficiency in math and English within the next four years. Proficiency standards are defined as grade-level mastery of the state’s standardized tests. "This resolution is the basis of parents saying, ‘we’re tired of our kids being left behind,’" said Continued...

 

3-Minute Interview: Carol Ruth Silver

Published: Feb 27, 2008

The former San Francisco supervisor was a friend and ally of Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in The City. Silver played a supporting role and acted as a consultant for an upcoming biopic about Milk, who was killed in 1978 by political foe Dan White. For the movie, which stars Sean Penn and recently wrapped filming in the Castro, Silver played Thelma, a composite of the motherly figures who supported Milk’s political aspirations. What memories were brought from being involved in this film? It......

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Rally, petition to demand safety boost on Masonic Avenue

Published: Feb 27, 2008

An excessive speed limit, dangerous intersections and an overall lack of pedestrian safety are some of the concerns community residents have raised about Masonic Avenue, an arterial pathway in San Francisco that is home to a Muni line and a city-sanctioned bike-path route.Today, neighborhood and safety groups will hold a rally in front of the San Francisco Day School on Masonic and Golden Gate avenues to raise awareness......

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Officials launch anonymous crime tip line

Published: Feb 26, 2008

Bay Area police may now have one more tool to fight crime — anonymous informants.Safety officials Monday announced the launch of an annonymous tip line that offers rewards of up to $2,000 to anyone who calls (800) 222-TIPS and gives information that leads to an indictment.Police Chief Heather Fong, who was one of 30 local law enforcement officials at a news conference Monday for the launch of Bay Area Crimestoppers, said the service will be a welcome addition for the......

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Improved Treasure Island service has residents smiling

Published: Feb 23, 2008

A long-anticipated downtown route extension of Muni’s Treasure Island bus service will allow residents out on the island to take greater advantage of amenities on San Francisco’s mainland. Starting today, the Muni 108-Treasure Island bus will continue past its previous final destination at the Transbay Terminal to terminate at the Caltrain station at Fourth and King streets. Treasure Island has no grocery store or other commercial amenities, although redevelopment plans for the future include such conveniences. Residents have complained that the Transbay Terminal, located at Mission and First streets, doesn’t......

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Yee resubmits double-fine zone legislation

Published: Feb 23, 2008

Despite three failed attempts, state Sen. Leland Yee is confident his latest bill to impose a double-fine zone on the dangerous stretch of Highway 1 in San Francisco will win the approval of state legislators.The new pedestrian safety measure would double the amount of base fines for traffic violations on the 19th Avenue-Park Presidio corridor, which operates as state Highway 1 and acts as a connecting point for Marin and......

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Rec and Park slashes budget by $3.4M per mayor's request

Published: Feb 22, 2008

San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Commission approved a budget Thursday that included $3.4 million in cost savings, through the elimination of unfilled positions and fee increases, in response to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s request that all city departments shave at least 8 percent off their budgets.Newsom, who attended the meeting, said that with a $233 million budget deficit, the only way to reconcile the gap is through belt-tightening."Look, I don’t like......

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3-Minute Interview: Oliver Chin

Published: Feb 22, 2008

The San Francisco resident is a children’s author who annually crafts tales incorporating animals of the Chinese zodiac. His latest offering, "Year of the Rat," tells the tale of Ralph, a baby rat seeking out mischief and adventure. "Year of the Rat" follows Chin’s previous Chinese zodiac-themed stories, "Year of the Pig" (2007) and "Year of the Dog" (2006). Since publishing his latest book in December, Chin has held readings of "Year of the Rat" at local community centers, bookstores......

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Chinese New Year to culminate in downtown parade, festival

Published: Feb 22, 2008

When the new moon rose blankly into the nightsky on Feb. 7, it marked the end of the lunar year 4705, but for Chinese families across San Francisco, the passing of that milestone was only the beginning of a nearly three-week celebration that ushers in Chinese New Year.Boisterous gatherings, long lines of banquet food and streams of gifts highlight the extended stretch of revelry, starting with the new moon appearance that marks the onset of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, and culminating with the Lantern Festival, occurring 15 days later......

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Preschoolers may learn ABCs of budget cuts the hard way

Published: Feb 21, 2008

A look of apprehension falls over Elizabeth Hernandez’s face when she glances over at her daughter Daniela, a 3-year-old who casually scales the lone play structure in the Bernal Preschool’s diminutive outside activity area."She seems bored," said Hernandez, a Bernal Heights resident whose daughter attended the neighborhood preschool for six months. "There just isn’t that much for her to do when she goes outside to play."Daniela is one of 24 children in the preschool who cram into the bottom floor......

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Disney museum moving ahead with little criticism

Published: Feb 19, 2008

While the news of Doris and Donald Fisher’s contemporary art museum proposed for the Presidio’s historic Main Parade Ground has made headlines as well as drawn some criticism for its modern architectural design, another major project in development at the former Army base — the Walt Disney Family Museum — is moving forward with little attention. Approved in the fall of 2006 by the Presidio Trust — the panel created by the federal government to oversee operations of the former military base, which is now part of the Golden Gate......

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Tenderloin residents up in arms over neighborhood post office

Published: Feb 16, 2008

The letters on the facade of the U.S. Post Office at 101 Hyde St. are faded and weary. A single employee helps a streaming line of patrons with general delivery queries. The stamp-dispensing machine in the lobby bears a note that says its services are out of order. Located in the Tenderloin, the facility’s open doors, lack of security figures and dearth of full-time employees make it a sheltered haven for criminal activity, said Elaine Zamora, a neighborhood resident and member of the advocacy group The New Tenderloin. "We need......

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Pedestrian-related deaths jumped in 2007

Published: Feb 15, 2008

Traffic collisions involving pedestrians in San Francisco increased from 2006 to 2007, but a study points out another glaring statistic — the number of senior-citizen deaths from these accidents.According to a report released Thursday at the City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee meeting, there was a 50 percent rise in fatalities in pedestrian-versus-auto collisions.The 2007 police report by the traffic division of the police department also points out that there were 13 pedestrian deaths involving San Francisco residents older than 65 — a stark increase from the two recorded fatalities......

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Lack of funds may dead-end transit projects

Published: Feb 14, 2008

A package of transit projects are slated to coincide with the proposed development of up to 15,000 new housing units in The City’s southeast sector, but funding shortfalls could limit the number of travel options in the region, transportation officials said Wednesday.Plans for the area would augment the Bayshore Caltrain station so it would link up with an extended Muni T-Third line, which currently ends about a quarter of a mile away at Sunnydale Avenue. It would also......

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Transit officials eye cameras to recoup lost FasTrak tolls

Published: Feb 13, 2008

With FasTrak violators driving away with $7 million in unpaid tolls last year, regional transportation officials will decide today on security improvements geared at slicing that total in half. Up for approval in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is a $7.5 million contract authorizing the installation of a new camera system capable of snapping photos of passing automobiles’ front and rear license plates, MTC spokesman Randy Rentschler said. The contract — with New York-based TRMI Systems Integration — is worth $7.5 million. "We look at it like this — this contract......

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City’s coyote situation getting ugly

Published: Feb 12, 2008

With a coyote population that has doubled in San Francisco over the past year, city animal officials are investigating new safety measures as the wild canines enter their breeding season — particularly since two of the animals were slain last summer because of aggressive behavior.At the time of the two coyote killings — shot by state animal officials after numerous attacks on domesticated dogs — there were approximately six members of the species in San Francisco, according to Continued...

 

3-Minute Interview: Leon Leyson

Published: Feb 12, 2008

The man born Leib Lejzon was the youngest of the Jewish Holocaust survivors employed by Oskar Schindler during World War II, a story later immortalized in the film "Schindler’s List." Leyson began working in Schindler’s enamelware factory in 1943 at just 13 years of age. Though his two older brothers died during the Holocaust, Leyson’s parents, sister and another brother survived because of Schindler’s efforts. Leyson spoke in San Francisco......

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Library shuts doors, readies for next chapter

Published: Feb 09, 2008

With an infusion of new funding approved by voters in November, The City’s branch library improvement program is moving forward, although minor delays have held up the expected opening of some of the restored branches, according to library officials. Today, the 70-year-old Bernal Heights Branch Library is closing for a $5.7 million makeover that is scheduled for completion by early 2010. Two other branch libraries also are in the midst of improvement projects — Richmond and Portola — and renovation work is in the finishing stages for the Noe Valley......

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Bay Area’s 211 call service expands to seven counties

Published: Feb 09, 2008

The United Way of the Bay Area’s 211 program, a call-center program that links local residents with health and human service agencies, will expand its coverage from three Bay Area counties to seven, according to the organization’s officials. Already present in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Alameda counties, the call service will now include coverage in Marin, Napa, Contra Costa and Solano counties, United Way spokeswoman Maria Stokes said. The formal expansion will start Monday — or 2/11. The United Way first introduced the 211 program to the Bay Area......

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Golden Gate Bridge closer to a real median

Published: Feb 08, 2008

Frank Schweiger can still list off the injuries as if they occurred yesterday — broken femur, ruptured Achilles tendon, two broken feet and a broken left forearm — all the result of a head-on collision, suffered 24 years ago when he was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. "I was in O.R. for 13 straight hours," said Schweiger, 70, who now lives in Novato.......

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Zoo experts to analyze safety measures

Published: Feb 08, 2008

Safety measures and practices at the San Francisco Zoo will be put under the microscope by a newly formed seven-person panel.Members of the peer-review team assigned by the Mayor’s Office were announced during Thursday’s Recreation and Park Commission meeting.Selected by city and zoo officials, the group will conduct a thorough analysis of the safety measures, zoo and Recreation and Park Department spokeswoman Rose Marie Dennis said. Rick Barongi, director of......

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Bernal Heights group to meet with city about unsolved killing, violence

Published: Feb 07, 2008

Bernal Heights resident Erick Balderas was not unlike most 21-year-olds. He liked to rap, enjoyed watching boxing and dreamed of one day becoming famous.Unlike his peers, however, Balderas’ days of watching sports and daydreaming about a life in the spotlight are over. On Nov. 18, 2007, while waiting in a car outside a friend’s house on 23rd and Treat streets in the Mission district, Balderas was killed by gunmen who opened fire from a nearby vehicle. According to the San Francisco Police Department officials, no suspects have been found and......

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3-Minute Interview: Steve Backman

Published: Feb 07, 2008

For more than 20 years, the San Francisco native has been crafting visual works of art using the unlikely medium of toothpicks. His collection, which frequently features San Francisco landmarks, includes a 13-foot version of the Golden Gate Bridge made from 30,000 toothpicks and a cable car meticulously crafted from 4,000 toothpicks. His latest creation is another rendition of the Golden Gate Bridge — this time derived from a single......

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San Franciscans vote in record numbers

Published: Feb 06, 2008

With up to 60 percent of San Francisco’s 415,761 registered voters expected to cast ballots, according to Department of Elections Director John Arntz, this year’s primary election should yield the biggest turnout in city history. More than 42 percent of registered voters turned out in March 2004 for San Francisco’s last primary election. Lengthy lines were present at polling stations across The City on Tuesday.wreisman@examiner.com......

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‘Global Peace Center’ rejected at polls

Published: Feb 06, 2008

San Francisco voted against transforming Alcatraz Island and its iconic former prison complex into a "Global Peace Center." Proposition C called for Alcatraz to be transferred from the federal government to the authority ofSan Francisco in order to create a peace center. The measure’s backers gathered 18,000 signatures, but the idea did not gain the needed approval from San Francisco voters to move it forward.wreisman@examiner.com ......

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Report: Park police got guns but no ammo or training

Published: Feb 05, 2008

The vast majority of officers from the San Francisco division of the U.S. Park Police — one of five departments that oversee homeland security on Golden Gate Bridge — did not receive proper weapons training for more than a year because of management gaffes on the federal level, according to a new government report.Ninety-three percent of Park Police officers did not meet minimum qualifications to operate pistols due in large part to a lack of ammunition needed for training sessions, a study by the Department of the Interior revealed.After upgrading......

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S.F. lends a hand to residents confused about city services

Published: Feb 04, 2008

San Francisco parents frustrated with finding the right services for their families will receive assistance from a new city program aimed at bridging the gap between public agencies and community needs. A group of 20 "community conveners," selected by the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, will act as information centers for parents around The City, helping to coordinate family services, promote neighborhood events and organize community assessment meetings. According to department Director Margaret Brodkin, the genesis of the community convener program emerged two years ago when department officials......

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Polk residents alarmed by fire-engine sirens

Published: Feb 04, 2008

Fire engines blaring sirens and air horns down lower Polk Street have drawn the ire of residents who believe emergency situations could be handled with a more dialed-down approach.The root of the controversy is Station 3 at 1067 Post St. — the busiest fire station in the nation with 7,439 engine runs counted in 2007, according to San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Mindy Talmadge. The overwhelming majority of runs dispatched are medical emergencies, due in large part to the station’s proximity to the Tenderloin, where drug abuse is common,......

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MTA suffers with Doyle Drive toll failure

Published: Feb 04, 2008

Funding for Doyle Drive isn’t all that San Francisco will lose if state legislation isn’t passed to implement a toll on the seismically unsafe road — federal funds for city programs aimed at improving traffic flow and making parking easier to find will also be withheld.SFgo, a transit signal priority system in development by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for years, will miss out on $58......

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Bay Area gets increased funds for homeland security

Published: Feb 02, 2008

The Bay Area will receive significant increases in federal funds for port security and regional transportation this year, according to an announcement made Friday by the Department of Homeland Security. Federal funding for transit infrastructure protection in the Bay Area will increase from $13.8 million to $28.2 million for the upcoming fiscal year, and port security funds will go up from $14 million to $25.5 million. According to Continued...

 

Mayor’s program pays for youths to work in The City

Published: Feb 02, 2008

Allan Lin sat transfixed before a pile of building bricks, focusing intently on how he would transform the aimless heap into a worthy architectural structure.Though it was a Monday, Lin, an 18-year-old senior at Galileo High School, wasn’t playing hooky, nor was he taking part in a new class devoted to construction toys. Instead, he was at the San Francisco firm KMD Architects, learning the principles of architecture via the valuable lessons of Legos, as part of a career day program sponsored by the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program.More......

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Newsom weeds out park gardeners despite promising growth

Published: Feb 01, 2008

Eight months after Mayor Gavin Newsom touted a budget infusion of $2.7 million into The City’s Recreation and Park Department for 15 new gardeners and 35 new custodians dedicated to improving the upkeep of The City’s parks, 35 gardening positions are on the chopping block. Instructed by the Mayor’s Office to slash $5.5 million from its budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Rec and Park is considering such cost-cutting measures as abandoning subsidies to golf courses, eliminating 30 to 35 unfilled gardening positions and increasing fees for the Japanese Tea......

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Presidio Trust approves Gap founders’ art museum

Published: Jan 31, 2008

Don and Doris Fisher’s private art collection took one step closer to becoming open to the public, after the Presidio Trust announced plans on Wednesday to move forward in development with the Gap Inc. founders on a contemporary art museum in the Presidio.Pending the results of forthcoming environmental impact studies, construction on the museum could begin sometime in 2009, with museum doors opening as early as 2010, although many details......

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Worker killed in collapse identified

Published: Jan 30, 2008

A 43-year-old Stanislaus county man has been identified as the worker killed Monday when a five-story building in the Bayview collapsed. Luis Gonzalez, of Ceres, was crushed when part of a 79-year-old former Pacific Gas & Electric power plant he was working to demolish came down unexpectedly.Two other workers were injured but survived; as of Monday night, one worker was in serious condition and the other in stable condition, according to a spokesperson for San Francisco General Hospital. On Tuesday, no updates on the condition of the men were provided.Kate......

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Doyle seismic repairs shake up North Bay

Published: Jan 30, 2008

North Bay residents need to pay a fair share of the costs of seismically upgrading Doyle Drive since they compose the majority of Golden Gate Bridge commuters, the head of a San Francisco transportation agency said Tuesday.Despite accounting for only 16 percent of automobiles on the state-owned road, the city and county of San Francisco has secured $640 million in local, state and federal sources for the restoration of Doyle Drive, said Jose Luis Moscovich, executive director of the San Francisco Transportation Authority. Meanwhile, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma counties, whose......

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Power plant collapses during demolition; at least one killed

Published: Jan 29, 2008

One man was killedand another two were critically injured Monday when a five-story metal structure collapsed during demolition preparations at the former Pacific Gas and Electric power plant in Bayview-Hunters Point. Emergency officials were investigating the cause of the collapse, which occurred at 1100 Evans Ave. just before noon Monday, San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Mindy Talmadge said. According to Talmadge, the top section of the structure dropped in a "pancake collapse," causing the rest of edifice to twist and crumble to the ground. Rescue officials were able to......

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3-Minute Interview: Joe Tuman

Published: Jan 28, 2008

The professor of legal and political communications at San Francisco State University is a frequent political analyst at CBS5 News and a former political speechwriter. The author of several essays that examine the relationship between politics and mass communication, Tuman recently finished his latest book, "Political Communications in American Campaigns," which he will speak about today at the Commonwealth Club.As a political analyst, this must be a busy time for you. If I were an accountant, this would be my tax season.You mention rhetoric as a powerful tool in political......

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Golden Gate Bridge board OKs toll-hike meetings

Published: Jan 26, 2008

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge could soon mean less green for drivers on the reddish span. A decision by the bridge’s board of directors gave the green light to a public-outreach process to investigate a proposed $1 fare increase.Commuters using the iconic span could face the higher toll as soon as July 1. "We know people aren’t going to like a toll increase, but we’ve got to balance the budget," bridge spokeswoman Mary Currie said. In Friday’s board meeting, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District approved three informational......

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Pair of restaurants set to make history

Published: Jan 26, 2008

Two restaurants will make history this weekend when they open their doors.Epic Roasthouse and Waterbar are the first free-standing structures to be built solely for culinary purposes in The City in more than 100 years, said Pat Kuleto, the chief restaurateur behind both buildings."I think these will be two of the best restaurants of their kind in America," Kuleto said. "We’re at the best location in San Francisco and we have some of the very best chefs in the country."Erecting the buildings adjacent to each other at 369 and......

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Woman hit by bus may have broken both legs

Published: Jan 26, 2008

An elderly woman was injured Friday morning when she was struck by a school bus while darting across Bayshore Boulevard, officials from the California Highway Patrol said.The woman, who has not been identified, was racing to catch a Muni bus when a school bus owned by First Student collided with her, resulting in lower-body injuries, said California Highway Patrol spokesperson Shawn Chase, who cited eyewitness accounts."Apparently she ran out......

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Port rule could sink revenue source

Published: Jan 25, 2008

A new interpretation of a 120-year-old U.S. maritime law could result in The City losing up to $42 million in annual cruise ship revenue, San Francisco Port officials said.The 1886 Passenger Vessel Services Act requires foreign-owned passenger ships — which includes all but two of the major ocean liners operating in the world — must make a short stop in a foreign port sometime between departure and arrival in a......

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Search for S.F. torch bearer is on

Published: Jan 25, 2008

You could be a part of the next Olympics.San Francisco officials Thursday launched the search for a person to carry the Olympic torch through The City on April 9 as it makes its way to Beijing for the 2008 Summer Games.Anyone interested in becoming a part of the Olympic tradition is now eligible to write a 200-word essay, detailing their qualifications to hoist the flame through the streets of San Francisco. Because San Francisco is the only city in North America to participate in the international torch relay, applicants from......

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More people riding bicycles, report says

Published: Jan 24, 2008

The number of San Francisco bike riders rose by 15 percent from 2006 to 2007, according to a report by The City’s bicycle program.In the study, which will be presented today at the Bicycle Advisory Committee, observers from the Municipal Transportation Agency’s Bicycle Program counted 6,454 cyclists on the streets during sample days in August 2007, which is 800 more than noted in 2006, the first year of the bicycle counting program. "The report is a wonderfully encouraging sign," said Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition,......

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Howard Street fair has a new location to show Weird-ness

Published: Jan 24, 2008

The show may go on for the How Weird Street Faire.After the event was nearly canceled last year, the fate of the How Weird Street Faire — at its new proposed location — will be decided today by The City’s festival planning department. The electronic-music-based festival has been a staple on Howard Street since 2000, but noise complaints by residents resulted in city planning officials deciding that last year’s event would be the last at its longtime location at 12th and Howard streets.Following months of neighborhood outreach, Brad Olsen, director......

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3-Minute Interview: Beth Lisick

Published: Jan 24, 2008

The Bay Area author and poet, a fixture in San Francisco literary circles for more than a decade, just released her latest book, an immersion-based account of the self-help industry, titled, "Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone." Lisick, who convenes monthly storytelling meetings at Café Du Nord, will be reading from her new book Thursday at Diesel, A Bookstore, in Continued...

 

Seiji Horibuchi: Japanese culture on U.S. shores

Published: Jan 21, 2008

As founder of Viz Media, one of the largest Japanese entertainment companies based in the United States, Seiji Horibuchi is obligated to keep close tabs on the two countries’ latest pop-culture movements.The constant immersion in consumer demographics and trends is a far cry from the nomadic routine Horibuchi embraced when he first moved to California."When I came to America, I was obsessed with the California lifestyle of the ’60s," said Horibuchi, who moved to the Bay Area in 1975 from his native Japan. "I basically came here, moved out to......

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3-Minute Interview: Rachel Kesel

Published: Jan 19, 2008

The San Francisco resident is one of the founding members of The Compact, a group that has vowed to abstain from buying new products to cut down on consumerism. It is based on two principles: don’t purchase anything new (exceptions being food, health services and underwear), and make efforts to acquire possessions through bartering and borrowing. The Compact grew from nine friends in San Francisco to 8,700 people worldwide. Did you ever expect it to get this big?......

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Victims of tiger mauling may face manslaughter charges

Published: Jan 19, 2008

The warrant obtained by the San Francisco Police Department to search the car and cell phones of the San Jose brothers mauled by a tiger at the San Francisco Zoo was based on the potential of manslaughter charges being filed against the two, a police spokesman said. Kulbir and Continued...

 

Peace house proposed for Alcatraz Island

Published: Jan 18, 2008

Could Alcatraz Island house a wonder that is comparable to the Taj Mahal or Parthenon? The idea may seem unlikely now, but one Bay Area man envisions that future for the defunct prison. If San Francisco voters approve a Feb. 5 ballot initiative that would restore operating power of Alcatraz back......

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Riders say N-Judah stop is dangerous

Published: Jan 18, 2008

The stop where Mark Callaghan was fatally injured while attempting to board an N-Judah train is notoriously unsafe, according to neighbors and frequent passengers. The boarding platform for inbound trains is long enough to cover just one car of the two-car train. If a passenger wants to board the first train, they must stand in, or run into, the street, according to Muni patrons. Kelly McDougall, who works near the stop at the Animal Collection Pet Store, said that when she boards the train she’s "very reluctant to get on......

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Zoo: Blood inside tiger fence

Published: Jan 18, 2008

Blood found inside the fenced-in area overlooking the tiger moat is one piece of evidence investigators are examining in the San Francisco Zoo tiger mauling that killed one San Jose teenager and injured two of his friends on Christmas Day, a zoo spokesperson said Thursday. Take our poll: Whose story do you believe?The Police Department cut down a sign inside the spectator fence at the tiger exhibit that had blood on it and took it back for investigation, said Sam Singer, a media relations specialist hired by the zoo, citing......

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Naked man found buried in sand at Ocean Beach

Published: Jan 16, 2008

Authorities are investigating what caused the death of a naked man found buried face-down under a mound of sand at Ocean Beach, clad only in his socks.A small group of young adults discovered the body early Tuesday, approximately 5 a.m., when they tried to use the fire pits across the Great Highway from the Beach Chalet restaurant near Fulton Street, National Park Service spokesman Rich Weideman said. The man appeared to be in his mid-40s, was overweight and looked very pale, Weideman said.The group was alerted to the man after......

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3-Minute Interview: John Frawley

Published: Jan 16, 2008

The director of the Aquarium of the Bay is one of the founders of Future Sea Level, a project created in 2006 to raise awareness about the effects of climate change. Using nature-friendly tape, Frawley and volunteers mark off areas of public buildings where sea levels could be in San Francisco if polar caps in Antarctica and Continued...

 

3-Minute Interview: Rob Logan

Published: Jan 15, 2008

Rob Logan, a 25-year-old San Francisco resident, will put his puzzle-solving prowess on display tonight as a contestant on the venerable game show "Wheel of Fortune." Logan, who grew up in Texas, was one of 600 people who tried out for the show in May at the San Francisco Hilton. After waiting six months for a reply, Logan was invited to......

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Muni worker lauded for saving blind man

Published: Jan 15, 2008

A San Francisco Muni worker who helped save a blind man from being run over by an underground train will be honored today by the Municipal Transportation Agency for his heroism. Last January, Muni fare inspector Tony Lama was working at Van Ness station when he glimpsed a blind man mistakenly trying to enter a two-car train directly at the location where the vehicle’s cars connected. Unaware of his surroundings, the blind man stepped out and fell down below to the rail tracks. Reacting quickly, Lama raced to the exiting......

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Two-alarm fire displaces nine in Potrero Hil

Published: Jan 11, 2008

A two-alarm fire in Potrero Hill on Thursday morning gutted one home and left two neighboring residences with considerable structural damage. The fire began at 911 Minnesota Ave. at approximately 10 a.m., and spread to the two adjacent homes at 909 and 913 Minnesota, said firefighter Jim Bardem, who headed the response. By the time firefighters arrived at the scene, 911 Minnesota Ave. was fully involved with flames, said Bardem. The blaze was totally contained by 11:43 a.m. The fire displaced nine residents from the three homes, although no one......

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School bomb threat revealed to be hoax

Published: Jan 10, 2008

A bomb threat forcing the evacuation of a high school in Pacific Heights on Wednesday morning turned out to be the work of a prankster, as police uncovered no evidence of foul play. Responding to a 911 call, police cordoned off the block in front of Metropolitan Arts and Tech High School, located at 2340 Jackson St., at about 9:15 a.m., but bomb-sniffing dogs found nothing of merit after a 90-minute search, Continued...

 

Rabid bat prompts warning

Published: Jan 10, 2008

San Francisco health officials have notified Marina residents that an ailing bat found on a sidewalk at Mallorca Way and Beach Street intersection Saturday night later tested positive for rabies. The bat, which was shooed out of a nearby home, was on the sidewalk from approximately 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Anyone who may have come into contact with the bat should call the Continued...

 

Elderly woman hit by Muni car

Published: Jan 09, 2008

A 90-year-old woman was struck by a streetcar on the N-Judah Muni line at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Irving Street on Monday night, continuing a recent trend of Muni vehicles colliding with pedestrians. The woman, whose name was not revealed, suffered nonlife-threatening injuries when her foot was apparently run over by the streetcar as it turned from Irving Avenue onto 9th Avenue, police spokesman Sgt. Steve Mannina said.......

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Unpaid tolls to cost MTC $3.5M

Published: Jan 09, 2008

FasTrak lane scofflaws are expected to drive away this fiscal year with $3.5 million in unpaid tolls and fines, according to estimates by a Bay Area transportation agency. New policy decisions have helped the Metropolitan Transportation Commission reduce the $6.86 million they lost last fiscal year in unpaid toll revenue, but there are still tens of thousands of drivers each month who cruise through the FasTrak toll lane at seven Bay Area bridges without paying, much to the discouragement of the organization’s officials. "We’re basically hoping drivers will be decent......

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Worker jumps off crane and into Bay

Published: Jan 08, 2008

A San Francisco dockworker narrowly escaped serious injury on Monday morning, when he jumped into chilly waters moments before the 55-ton crane he was operating collapsed into the ocean. The man, whose identity was not released, leapt into the water from his position inside the operating cab after the crane snapped and slowly teetered into a nearby drydock, said Ira Maybaum of BAE Systems, the ship-cleaning company that employs......

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Electricity still out for many

Published: Jan 08, 2008

After the storms of the weekend subsided, there were still 340 residences in San Francisco without power — 98 of the households left without electricity for more than two days. The households remain the top priority for repair in San Francisco, said Darlene Chiu, spokesperson for Pacific Gas and Electric Co., although she added it is not......

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Prep basketball preview: Pappageorge's climb

Published: Jan 07, 2008

It was nearly a year ago, but the memories still sting fresh for Burlingame guard Peter Pappageorge.Pappageorge, then a sophomore spot-up shooter with a penchant for offensive explosions, had led the Panthers to the Central Coast Section Division III semifinals, where they matched up with St. Ignatius. Unable to shake the Wildcats’ tenacious man-to-man defense, Pappageorge was held scoreless in......

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William Coleman: CEO pushes environmentally conscious practices

Published: Jan 04, 2008

William Coleman, president and chief executive officer of Green Building Exchange, says he is gratified by the increasing number of businesses willing to adopt environmentally conscious practices. He personally remembers a time when anyone mentioning that idea to corporations was greeted only with skeptical looks. "When I graduated college, there wasn’t an environmental field to go into," says Coleman, who earned a Bachelor of Science in environmental studies in 1973 from the University of New Mexico. "Since then, I’ve seen an enormous shift in businesses willing to embrace environmental parameters."......

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Prep basketball preview: Harrigan's Irish again have look of a champion

Published: Jan 03, 2008

Watching Sacred Heart Cathedral girls’ basketball coach Brian Harrigan patrol the sideline is nearly as exhausting as being forced to suit up and face his team’s suffocating man-to-man defense.He exhorts, stomps, screams and pleads — all animated displays of his passion for basketball.Yet despite the dramatics, Harrigan takes little credit for Sacred Heart’s success — a sustained level of achievement that ranks among the best in the state."It’s all about the players," said Harrigan, who has a career coaching record......

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Guards lead Mission in comeback victory

Published: Dec 19, 2007

Moments after missing a driving lay up at the second quarter buzzer, Mission junior guard Demaree Hampton kicked the ground in disgust, his anger on display after an exasperating first half.It would be his last frustrated look of the night.Hampton spearheaded a second-half explosion for Mission (5-3), scoring 27 of his game-high 37 points over the final two quarters as the host Bears rallied to a 79-69 victory over Oakland Tech......

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Bay Area Holiday Angels: Melita Rines

Published: Dec 18, 2007

The Examiner celebrates people who made a difference in 2007. Occupation: Office administratorResidence: India BasinWhat she does: Rines serves as the chair of the board of directors of the India Basin Neighborhood Association. An active environmentalist, Rines has also been part of Communities for a Better Environment and the Restoration Advisory Board for Hunters......

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Bay Area Holiday Angels: John Beatty

Published: Dec 17, 2007

The Examiner celebrates people who made a difference in 2007. Occupation: ElectricianResidence: Mill ValleyWhat He Did: On the morning of Nov. 27, John Beatty was making his daily commute south on the Golden Gate Bridge when he noticed that a Jeep Grand Cherokee in front of him was driving......

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Bay Area Holiday Angels: Joyce Hayes

Published: Dec 14, 2007

The Examiner celebrates people who made a difference in 2007. Occupation: Family outreach and community manager Residence: Emeryville What she does: Since 1976, Hayes has been the guiding force behind Glide Memorial Church’s children center. In the early 1970s, Hayes helped stage weekend theater and art shows for children that slowly grew to include part-time child care, eventually becoming a full-functioning community center for children. More than 200 children are currently enrolled. Why she does it: The ascendancy of Glide’s children......

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Dr.Ikeda: Running an expanding burn center in S.F.

Published: Dec 14, 2007

As the medical director of one of the biggest burn treatment centers west of the Mississippi, Clyde Ikeda admits he’s seen many heartbreaking cases, but for him, doing nothing to help those patients would be much worse than any of the distressing scenes he’s witnessed in his career. "With burn victims it’s not just physical pain, but a lot of emotional pain as well, so it can be very difficult to see patients in so much suffering," said Ikeda, the head practitioner at the Bothin Burn Center at St. Francis......

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Bay Area Holiday Angels: Anh Lê

Published: Dec 13, 2007

The Examiner celebrates people who made a difference in 2007.Occupation: Outreach specialistResidence: North BeachWhat he does: Lê is as an outreach specialist for Network For Elders, a San Francisco-based advocacy group that organizes seniors and encourages community bonds. Before joining Network For Elders, Lê worked for the Senior Action Network as the director of Senior University, a citywide educational training session for seniors. The basis of SU was to instill......

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Bay Area Holiday Angels: Sheryl Davis

Published: Dec 12, 2007

The Examiner celebrates people who made a difference in 2007. Sheryl DavisOccupation: Outreach program coordinatorResidence: Western AdditionWhat she does: Davis is the chief organizer of Mo Magic, a Western Addition-based community activism group. Davis helps convene semi-monthly meetings where neighborhood groups, local merchants and various city agencies discuss planning of community-based activities. Under Davis’ direction, Mo Magic has established backpack giveaways for area children, family-style dances and events at City......

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CCSF: Last meeting with Mount San Antonio still haunts Rush

Published: Dec 08, 2007

It’s been 10 years since his team last faced Mount San Antonio College, but the memories still run painfully fresh for City College ofSan Francisco football coach George Rush. "We let a 10-point lead get away in the second half," Rush said of the Rams’ 38-35 loss in the 1997 state title game that acted......

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Jay Tompt: Making hardware stores better

Published: Dec 07, 2007

Jay Tompt admits he was a bit skeptical when personnel from Plan-It Hardware approached him about a position with their fledgling company. "I was a little incredulous at first," said Tompt, now the vice president at Plan-It. "I knew nothing about hardware, knew nothing about construction. I’m not even handy." A San Francisco-based hardware distributor, Plan-It Hardware was created by its parent company, California Hardware, with an environmentally friendly emphasis. Tompt, who was previously employed with the sustainable plastics company Earthware Biodegradables, initially balked at the job offer, but after......

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It’s nice to receive

Published: Dec 07, 2007

When City College of San Francisco quarterback Jeremiah Masoli scans the field on a passing play and finds his first receiving option blanketed by coverage, hitting the panic button is probably the last thing on his mind.That’s because Masoli can rest easy knowing there isn’t one first receiving option for the Rams — there are four. And that will be pretty important Saturday, when the NorCal champion......

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Misfiring Lowell still able to get past Oceana

Published: Dec 07, 2007

With its star player ailing and its best shooter misfiring for most of the game, the Lowell boys’ basketball team still managed to do what it has done so frequently over the past two seasons — win. Travis Hom, playing for the first time in two weeks because of a wrist injury, scored 10 points and Alex McNabb added 11 —......

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Colin Kinsella: Drawing on locale for his ingenuity

Published: Dec 03, 2007

With previous work stops affording him the opportunity to travel to London, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Colin Kinsella has seen most of the world during his career in marketing and advertising. But according to him, no comparison can be made to his job location — San Francisco — where he works for Avenue A Razorfish as the president of the company’s West Coast region."There’s nothing quite like the Bay Area," said Kinsella, who originally hails from St. Louis. "It’s certainly one of the most dynamic areas in the......

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CCSF wary of potent Sierra offense

Published: Dec 01, 2007

Although its momentous seven-game winning streak has been interrupted by over two weeks of inactivity, a little break from action might be just what the City College of San Francisco football team needs. The more time off, the better to study today’s foe, Sierra College, a squad Rams coach George Rush calls "the most consistently efficient offensive team around." Sierra, out of the Valley Conference, is ranked second among Northern California junior college teams and will take on CCSF, the top-ranked NorCal squad, in the Hawaiian Punch Community College Bowl......

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Emerging real estate trends

Published: Nov 30, 2007

San Francisco ranks fifth in the nation as a location for real estate development and investment, according to a national study released Thursday in San Francisco.The City lost out to top-rated New York City, which was deemed the most desirable metropolitan area to invest in development and real estate in the nation, according to the 2008 Emerging Trends study, an annual survey of real estate industry professionalsput out by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the nonprofit Urban Land Institute. Seattle was the only West Coast city to rank higher than San Francisco on......

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Cal, Stanford renew their rivalry

Published: Nov 30, 2007

While it may lack the epic drama of two undefeated titans facing off with a national championship on the line, Saturday’s 110th staging of the Big Game between Cal and Stanford could have a surprisingly significant impact in the dynamics ofmajor college football in the Bay Area. Led by the offensive wizardry of coach Jeff Tedford, Cal (6-5, 3-5 Pac-10 Conference) has been the toast of the town for the past half-decade, posting 43 victories over the previous five seasons — including five straight against Stanford. Making the Bears’ success......

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Masoli will look to keep tradition alive

Published: Nov 30, 2007

During his 31 seasons prowling the sideline for City College of San Francisco, George Rush has coached many great quarterbacks — recent examples being former Cal starter Joe Ayoob and current Nebraska backup Zac Lee — yet his eyes still light up with an awed sense of discovery when he mentions the name of his current signal-caller, Jeremiah Masoli."When his career is finished I think he could very well go down as one of the top quarterbacks we’ve ever had," Rush said. "He’s improved so much in the time......

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Steven Addis: Managing brands with his ideals

Published: Nov 26, 2007

Although he has been involved in the brand-management industry for nearly 20 years, in many ways Steven Addis is just now beginning to trulywork.A year ago, Addis offered partnership of his firm to longtime co-worker John Creson, and the two decided to focus specifically on companies that reflected their ideals. With that, the Addis Creson brand-management firm was born."We decided that we didn’t want to be all things for all people. We wanted to be narrow and deep," said Addis, who graduated from UC Berkeley in 1983 with a focus......

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Marman makes statement for Mustangs

Published: Nov 23, 2007

With the score 7-0 just seconds before halftime, Thursday’s San Francisco Section championship resembled little more than a ho-hum affair. Then Deshon Marman happened. The Mustangs’ junior defensive end came up with two enormous plays on defense and special teams in a 10-second span that completely altered the course of the game, helping Lincoln cruise to a 49-0 victory and its third straight Turkey Bowl title. With the Mustangs leading 7-0 with 10 seconds remaining in the first half and Washington punting from their own 8-yard line, Marman burst though......

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Marman looking for his own slice

Published: Nov 22, 2007

Unlike many of his Lincoln football teammates who are used to playing annually for the San Francisco Section championship, Deshon Marman will be a Turkey Bowl novice when his team squares off against Washington for The City title today. While the Mustangs were winning back-to-back City championships, Marman was suiting up for Riordan, where his brother John currently plays. After deciding to transfer to Lincoln for his junior year, Marman wants a part of the championship glory that his teammates have been fortunate enough to taste twice already. "I’m going......

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Defense carries Lincoln

Published: Nov 16, 2007

Even though they were leading by 20 points and there was less than two minutes to play, there was going to be no let up from members of the Lincoln defense.With Mission perched on the Lincoln 3-yard line, the stout Mustangs defense stiffened, keeping the Bears out of the end zone and preserving a shutout in a hard-fought 20-0 win in the San Francisco Section semifinals.Playing in a pea-soup-thick fog, there was little offense between the two squads, but the Mustangs got big plays from their defense and special teams......

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Mission surprising again

Published: Nov 15, 2007

Despite dropping their first three games to start the Academic Athletic Association season, there was no panic among a core group of players on the Mission football team. They had experienced a similar back-against-the-wall scenario in their careers, albeit on a different playing surface.Four players who keyed Mission’s underdog run in the San Francisco Section basketball playoffs last winter are again playing big roles again for their school, only this time they’re doing it on the football field.Junior Demaree Hampton and seniors Harry Howard, Grant Thomas and Ronell Foster have......

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Jeanine Payer: Bling as business

Published: Nov 09, 2007

More than 16 years ago, when she was in her early 20s and just barely out of art school, Jeanine Payer moved her fledgling company from a basement apartment in the Tenderloin into the Phelan Building at 730 Market St., historically the center of the jewelry industry in San Francisco.She viewed the decision as a necessary move to legitimize her business, but also one rife with unknowns. "I was the only woman in the building. Back then the industry was overseen almost entirely by older men," Payer said.......

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Henderson wastes no time running on Galileo

Published: Nov 09, 2007

Playing in front of his home crowd for the last time in his career, Lincoln senior running back David Henderson wasn’t about to go out quietly.Henderson scored the first time he touched the ball by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown and then emphatically finalized his night by reaching the end zone on his last carry of the game as the Mustangs defeated Galileo 48-14 to cap off an undefeated Academic Athletic Association season. The Mustangs won their first AAA title since 1987 and are the No. 1 seed......

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Dons look to rebound

Published: Nov 08, 2007

After a disappointing 13-18 season, marked dolefully by senior guard Armondo Surratt’s ailments and the academic uncertainty of talented yet mercurial swingman Antonio Kellogg, there was hope entering this season that injuries and grade problems would be a remnant of the past for the USF men’s basketball team.Unfortunately for the Dons, that rosy scenario will not be a reality.Forward Jay Watkins, coming off a solid 2006-07 campaign in which he was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman team, will miss the first semester because of academic ineligibility, senior forward......

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Dons hope offense can lead climb up conference ladder

Published: Nov 08, 2007

The tired sporting cliche about defense winning championships may still prove accurate, but, as evidenced by last season’s USF women’s basketball team, a little offense never hurt anyone. The Dons, who finished 10-21, averaged a West Coast Conference-worst 58.6 points per game, including three games in which they scored less than 40 points.Second-year coach Tanya Haave thinks the Dons have found the answer for those scoring woes in 6-foot-1 junior forward Necolia Simmons, a transfer who was a junior college All-American at San Joaquin Delta College last season. Simmons gives......

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Colt has talent to go with heart

Published: Nov 02, 2007

El Camino interim football coach Mark Turner had a begrudging smile on his face and a related anecdote in mind when recalling the play that knocked out Colts running back Charles Truong last year with a broken collarbone."I first noticed Chuck as a freshman who was just this little guy trying to run over everybody," said Turner, who has led the team this season in place of Eric Jacobsen due to the coach’s medical issues. "When he broke his collarbone last year against Menlo [on Oct. 6], he was trying......

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S.F. Chamber of Commerce to hand out Ebbie Awards

Published: Nov 01, 2007

It may not quite be the Emmies or the Oscars, but the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce will pay tribute tonight to top performers at the annual Excellence in Business Awards, or Ebbies.Startup airline Virgin America and the financial services firm Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) have already been named as winners in their respective categories, while other winners will be announced tonight. Eleven San Francisco companies have been named as finalists in five business categories.Charles Schwab will be honored with the Excellence in Business Award, and Virgin America will take......

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Dallas Kachan: Starting green trade magazine

Published: Oct 29, 2007

In an emerging industry as exclusive as the clean-technology sector, the professional world is pretty small. So it was no surprise that Inside Greentech founder Dallas Kachan eventually met up with the industry’s leading investment organization, the Cleantech Network.Inside Greentech, the clean technology online trade publication Kachan created in October 2006, was bought up by the Cleantech Network, an interconnected group of technology companies and investors, in August of this year. "When I was first looking into naming rights for the publication, I noticed that all the Cleantech URLs were......

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Anthony DiTonno: Providing long-term, noninvasive pain relief

Published: Oct 26, 2007

San Mateo-based pharmaceutical company NeurogesX’s search for treatments for chronic pain has led the company to look in some surprizing places.Presiding over the hunt for NeurogesX is Anthony DiTonno, a 25-year veteran in the medical industry who joined the company in April of 2003. Since being promoted to president and CEO in August of that year, DiTonno has helped oversee the development of NeurogesX’s top pain-relieving product, the NGX-4010 dermal patch.Created to treat neuropathic pain, a chronic pain often described as a burning sensation by its victims, NGX-4010 overwhelms receptors......

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Swanson, defense looking to rebound

Published: Oct 26, 2007

While every player, coach and fan in attendance had a vested interest in the City College of San Francisco football game last weekend against College of San Mateo, one particular group of individuals had a little bit more on the line than the rest.That group, the players making up the CCSF defense, had just been shredded for 42 points, including 14 in a fourth-quarter breakdown that saw the Rams’ blow a 10-point lead.So, when CCSF quarterback Jeremiah Masoli found a streaking Andre Wells inthe back of the end zone for......

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Adam Kleinberg: Giving Traction to marketing

Published: Oct 22, 2007

2001 was a year most businesses in the Bay Area would like to forget. The dot-com bust had just finished decimating the economy in Silicon Valley, and companies with even the loosest of working relationships with the technology world were feeling the cruel aftereffects.One Bay Area business, however, managed to defy the logic of that disastrous year. Traction, a San Francisco-based marketing and advertising agency, was born at a time when so many other companies met their untimely end."We really had no intention of starting an agency in 2001," said......

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Moimoi a two-way punisher

Published: Oct 19, 2007

As a two-way star manning on both lines for Menlo-Atherton, Litani Moimoi has the capability of delivering crushing pancake blocks on offense or chasing down running backs on defense. But for the Bears’ senior captain, there is one moment on the football field that stands above all other plays."There’s no feeling in football quite like sacking the quarterback," Moimoi said. "That’s when you really know all the hard work has paid off."Moimoi has felt that uniquely gratifying experience plenty this season — 11 times to be exact — to help......

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Williams hits the books as hard as his opponents

Published: Oct 19, 2007

He’s 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, runs the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds, owns a 30-inch vertical leap and, on a personal note, has a handshake that could turn bone into chalk with the simplest of motions.He’s Gerald Williams, City College of San Francisco’s starting linebacker and resident tackling machine, and he’ll probably be the most talented football player on the field Saturday when his Rams (5-1) visit the College of San Mateo (5-1) at 1 p.m. CCSF enters the contest, which will take place in San Mateo, ranked sixth in the......

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Making his own legend

Published: Oct 12, 2007

The temptation is a considerable one, but to compare Jerry Rice Jr.’s lithe frame, athletic explosiveness and recent football achievements to his famous father would be an unfair assessment.That’s because the Menlo School’s junior wide receiver has proven to be a player of his own unique mold."We let him know that there is no way for us to imagine what it’s like being in his shoes," Menlo coach Mark Newton. "There is a ridiculous amount of pressure put on him that he didn’t ask for. But he’s so humble and......

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Robert Krughoff: Gathering company data

Published: Oct 08, 2007

Consumer’s Checkbook may be based in Washington, D.C., but company founder Robert Krughoff says he had the Bay Area in mind when he created his upstart publication.The first of its kind when it debuted in 1976, Consumer’s Checkbook compiles data from the opinions and commentary of its 120,000 subscribers, who systematically rate the services of everything in their area from veterinarians to auto mechanics. The publication now offers localized editions in seven different metropolitan districts. The San Francisco edition launched in 1981, the second-longest tenure of any city besides Krughoff’s......

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Bell is ringing up some big numbers

Published: Oct 04, 2007

In the West Catholic Athletic League — a collection of high schools that could rival any in the state of California in terms of sheer competitiveness — having star-quality athletes is essential for teams looking to rise above the rest of the talent-heavy field.Riordan High School has one of those players in senior Darius Bell, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior quarterback-safety whose versatility has been the driving force behind his team’s 3-1 start.After starting the season slow, Bell has exploded. Commanding a spread offense seldom seen in prep football, Bell completed......

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Christopher Edwards: Running a press in an Internet age

Published: Sep 28, 2007

As a fourth-generation printer who has personally spent nearly 30 years in the industry, Christopher Edwards has seen an array of technological innovations drastically alter his chosen profession. Through it all, however, he has managed to maintain the same view on what makes up the most important part of his job."It has been, and always will be for me, about building relationships," said Edwards, who founded Infinity Press, a small commercial printing company in San Carlos. "I’m never going to be able to mass-produce something and sell it cheap like......

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They either made or crushed your team’s chances

Published: Sep 28, 2007

The fantasy baseball season ends this weekend with many owners looking back on the year cursing the disappointments of a struggling player or praising the efforts on an unheralded star.Here’s a look at a few players who made their fantasy baseball bosses either jump for joy or tear their hair out in frustration:» BUST: Richie Sexson, Mariners: Anyone who still thinks this guy is worth picking up in the fantasy draft has lost their mind. Seattle’s $15 million man whiffed his way through a miserable year, batting .205 with only......

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Pair of freshmen set tone as Lowell tops Galileo

Published: Sep 26, 2007

Although their high school careers are barely a month old, Lowell boys’ soccer defenders Julian Enis and Penn Scoble don’t look like freshmen — and they certainly didn’t play like freshmen in the Cardinals’ impressive 4-1 win over Galileo in Academic Athletic Association play Tuesday.Scoble, the Cardinals’ freshman stopper, headed in a corner kick from Mark Mastromonaco just eight minutes into the match, then teamed up with Enis on the back line for the rest of the game to lead a dominant defensive effort against the Lions."We played very well,......

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Unexpected surprises — and disappointments

Published: Sep 21, 2007

If you’re still playing fantasy baseball right now, chances are you are deep in your playoffs. That alone is a good enough indicator that you know plenty about what you are doing and any additional advice on this season would probably fall upon deaf ears.Advice for next season, however, is a different story.This year has seen the diminishing stats of several aging veterans, the emergence of a number of young prospects and the unexpected career years out of some overlooked journeymen. What can be expected from some of these same......

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Deniz Bolbol: Finding a firm of the perfect size

Published: Sep 17, 2007

During her 14-year career in the public relations industry, Deniz Bolbol has worked with diverse companies ranging from the high-profile Ketchum Inc., to smaller agencies such as the locally operated Eastwick Communications.Bolbol was recently hired as vice president at MWW Group, a nationwide public relations agency with offices in San Francisco, and she now believes that she has found just the right mix of the big and small. "I’ve been so impressed with the experience and dedication of the staff, but there is also a very fun, refreshing side here......

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From barber’s chair to starting in NFL

Published: Sep 14, 2007

The story of how City College of San Francisco’s most recent NFL star arrived on campus probably won’t go down in the annals of high-end recruiting persistence.Gibril Wilson, the fourth-year starting safety for the New York Giants, was sitting at his localbarbershop when fate, not the constant communication of any of the Rams’ coaches, paved the way for his arrival to the CCSF football team."I was getting my hair cut when one of the guys who always hung out there asked me where I was going to play ball next......

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For fantasy playoffs, sleeper starters can be key

Published: Sep 14, 2007

Fantasy baseball playoffs have arrived, which, for owners in most leagues, means that all the meticulous, yearlong roster tweaking and adjusting will all boil down to a one-week, one-on-one showdown for the right to keep playing.With just seven days to work with,it’s essential for fantasy owners to get the most out of their roster — and no players maximize their worth more than pitchers slated to start two games in one week.A host of baseball’s best pitchers are lined up to pitch two games in the coming week, including Brandon......

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Bay Area schools only now tapping pipeline

Published: Sep 13, 2007

With Danville residents Sam Keller and Kyle Wright starting at quarterback for national powers Nebraska and Miami (Fla.), respectively, and Salesian High School of Richmond graduate Jahvid Best electrifying fans as a dynamic freshman running back at Cal, it’s clear to see that Bay Area high schools have a bevy of talented football players ready to perform on a national collegiate level.But it’s not just the local high schools in the Bay Area that are producing droves of Division I players. The nearby community colleges, including City College of San......

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Jucos benefit from change in recruiting regulations

Published: Sep 13, 2007

Take a quick scan at the harsh penalties doled out in the past to the UNLV men’s basketball team or Southern Methodist University’s football team and it is evident that the recruiting processes of big-timeDivision I sports programs are carefully monitored by college athletics’ powerful governing body, the NCAA.The scene is decidedly different for California junior college sports, where programs are judged based more on the simple honesty of school officials than through any sort of far-reaching investigative probes.The regulatory organization of the 72 California junior college football programs is......

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Great divide: Polls exclude state

Published: Sep 12, 2007

Division I college football has never been a stranger to controversy when it comes to determining a singular top team in the land. For years, two differing polls, working independently of each other (under one title or another) placed their respective votes on college football’s best teams.The results of these two such polls have yielded some famously uneven decisions (Michigan and Nebraska sharing a championship in 1997 and, five years after the advent of the Bowl Championship Series that was supposed to erase any doubt of a title-holder, LSU and......

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CCSF wasn’t always a powerhouse

Published: Sep 10, 2007

As usual, the City College of San Francisco opened the season as one of the top-ranked junior college football teams in the nation and the Rams did nothing to discredit those lofty expectations with 63-13 and 48-17 wins over Solano Community College and Cabrillo College, respectively.Such thrashings have become commonplace since coach George Rush’s arrival at CCSF in 1977. Under his watch, the Rams have put up some staggering numbers — 15 conference championships, five state crowns and five national titles.However, despite their recent history of football excellence, the......

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Oldies can still be goodies during final month

Published: Sep 07, 2007

The end of the baseball season is usually the time most fans get to see their team’s emerging young prospects, the beneficiaries of the expanded September roster looking to impress with their first stint of major-league playing experience.However, September can be equally as important for players at the opposite end of their professional careers, like soon-to-be free agents auditioning for a contract next year or seasoned pros looking to get their teams into the playoffs.For seemingly all different motives, a particular trio of slow-starting veterans has turned their games up......

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Changing roles for pitchers need to be monitored

Published: Aug 31, 2007

As baseball enters its final month, pitching becomes more scrutinized than ever. A versatile pitcher who can assume a variety of roles becomes crucial for managers locked in a battle for the postseason.As important as these pitchers may be for their major-league teams, they are equally as perplexing for fantasy baseball owners. A starter or closer is a whole lot more valuable than a middle reliever, so it’s up to fantasy users to keep a close eye on the pitchers who yo-yo between the bullpen and the rotation.Boston’s Julian Tavarez......

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Creating an online space to remember the deceased

Published: Aug 31, 2007

Most people see the recent explosion of social-networking Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook as new avenues to stayin touch with friends or promote breaking cultural trends. Richard Derks, co-founder of Respectance, an online tribute site with offices in San Francisco, saw the latest networking developments as an opportunity to create something a little more profound. "We wanted to take the community aspects of MySpace and Facebook and apply to them this specific niche of paying tribute to the deceased," said Derks, who co-founded the music file-sharing site Kazaa......

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On Deck: Examiner baseball

Published: Aug 31, 2007

What a difference two years can make. In 2005, the Houston Astros were the National League champions and Phil Garner was the toast of Texas. This season, with the Astros hovering near the bottom of the NL Central standings, owner Drayton McLane canned Garner and general manager Tim Purpura. Garner, who joined the Astros in 2004, became the third managerial victimof 2007 (Seattle also made a change, but that came a result of Mike Hargrove’s resignation). Cecil Cooper, who won two Gold Gloves and made two All-Star Games while playing......

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Ready for prime time?

Published: Aug 30, 2007

Coming off a surprising 7-9 season — highlighted by a star-making performance from running back Frank Gore and some assuring signs of improvement by second-year quarterback Alex Smith — the 49ers enter this season as a legitimate division title contender for the first time in recent memory.But unlike in seasons past, when Bill Walsh, George Siefert and Steve Mariucci presided over high-scoring teams during the Niners’ heyday, this year’s edition will likely be defined by the progress made on the other side of the ball, as defensive-minded coach Mike Nolan......

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Kiffin hopes to cure

Published: Aug 30, 2007

On Aug. 13, with the regular-season opener still four weeks away, Lane Kiffin was already in the hospital, suffering from the exhaustive effects of mononucleosis. Thus is the life of a Raiders coach.Inheriting a 2-14 team that scored the fewest points in the NFL last season could be reason enough for discomfort, but add to that the holdout of No. 1overall pick JaMarcus Russell and the four-game suspension of running back Dominic Rhodes for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and you can understand why Kiffin, at 32 the youngest......

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Talent abounds at CCSF

Published: Aug 30, 2007

As a team that is consistently in the running for the junior college national championship, the expectations entering every season are typically quite bold for the City College of San Francisco football team.But the hopes entering this season may be even higher than usual."There is certainly more talent here than last season," said coach George Rush, whose 2006 team went 10-2 and played in the state title game, where it lost 49-35 to El Camino of Torrance. "This may be the most athletic team we’ve had here since 2001."Leading the......

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CSM has voids to fill — and must fix defense

Published: Aug 30, 2007

The College of San Mateo football team struggled through a tough 2006 in the competitive NorCal Conference, going 1-4 — including three games in which the defense surrendered 44 or more points — while winning fewer than eight games for just the second time since 2000.This season won’t get any easier as the Bulldogs must contend with the losses of several key contributors, but there still remains a solid group of veterans coming back for coach Larry Owens.Leading the group of returnees from a 6-4 team is quarterback David Singleton,......

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David Verhoef: Making TV ads — and more

Published: Aug 27, 2007

David Verhoef, the recently hired director of integrated productions at San Francisco-based advertising agency Publicis and Hal Riney, originally had plans to make a lifelong career out of acting, until a little Hollywood-style divine intervention paved the way for an occupation change. "I was acting as an extra on the set of ‘Highway to Heaven’ in 1986, and I saw this huge sign on a trailer on the set — Michael Landon Productions," Verhoef said. "That’s when I said to myself, ‘Hey, maybe I should give this production thing a......

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Knost joins elite company

Published: Aug 27, 2007

With his Texas-style name and his Texas-sized game, Dallas native Colt Knost capped off a memorable summer and joined an elite list of golfers by winning the U.S. Amateur Championship at the Olympic Club in San Francisco on Sunday.Knost defeated Michael Thompson 2-and-1 in a tightly contested 36-hole match-play championship final in which neither player led by more than two holes. By virtue of his previous victory in the U.S. Amateur Public Links earlier this summer, Knost became just the sixth golfer in history to hold two U.S. Golf Association......

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Larry Bearg: Growing an organic food delivery firm

Published: Aug 24, 2007

In 1997, when Larry Bearg and his then-wife, Lorene Reed, first took over Planet Organics — an organic food delivery service with a customer base of just 75 people — they had little idea of what to expect, but they have since seen their investment steadily grow. They attribute their success to a rudimentary, yet effective business model. "We’ve grown to 5,000 customers, in large part to good old sweat equity and credit-card debt," said Bearg, who acts as the CEO of the company while Reed retains the title of......

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Davis is capitalizing on his Giant opportunity

Published: Aug 24, 2007

On July 31, the Pittsburgh Pirates made some trade-deadline headlines — a surprising and rare occurrence for a team perennially out of playoff contention by June — but the debate around the league concerning the trade did not arise from the usual postseason ramifications, but mostly out of bizarre curiosity.Pundits around the league were mystified as to why the Pirates would acquire Matt Morris, a pitcher not only clearly past his prime, but one with a fat contract. While everyone was questioning the merits of Morris, few people noticed who......

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Power outages lead to tough roster decisions

Published: Aug 17, 2007

This season has been marked by a mysterious drop in the power numbers of nearly all of baseball’s premier sluggers (perhaps not too mysterious actually, considering the increased steroids testing in place).Fantasy baseball owners holding on to sluggers such as David Ortiz, Travis Hafner and Carlos Delgado desperately waiting for the perennial power hitters to snap out of their season-long funk may have already waited too long. Yet despite some of their curiously low home run totals, some of these heavy hitters may be able to contribute in ways other......

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Tom Murphy: A news Web site for baby boomers

Published: Aug 13, 2007

The founding editor of financial-news behemoth MarketWatch has launched a second news venture, this time targeting the aging baby boomer demographic. Called RedwoodAge.com, Tom Murphy’s online news site is already up, running and reporting."People over 40 don’t really care at all about the Paris and Lindsay stories," said Murphy, a longtime San Francisco resident who now resides in Marin County. "We care much more about other things, like the war situation, education and health care issues."Murphy, 54, supervised the San Francisco bureau of The Associated Press, was the first......

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Make way for the young guys as dog days hit

Published: Aug 10, 2007

With the trading deadline passed, and nearly half the teams in baseball out of legitimate playoff contention, August is the time lineups begin to be shuffled in favor of seeing whether young players and prospects can handle a prominent role in the bigs.Late-season call-ups could be an important boon for fantasy owners, who could benefit from these unheralded players’ additional playing time and increased productivity.The Cincinnati Reds, who haven’t played an important game in August in a decade, have had ample opportunities to plug in young players in the late-summer......

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Trading deadline alters roles, fantasy values

Published: Aug 03, 2007

With the highly anticipated Tuesday trading deadline provoking a bevy of moves aimed at improving the playoff chances of contenders around the league, many players involved in the transactions could see their statistics altered greatly by the different roles they will play on their new teams — an alteration that will have quite an impact with fantasy baseball owners.One player likely to be adversely affected (at least on paper) by the change of scenery is new Boston Red Sox reliever Eric Gagne. The 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner with......

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Oliver’s twists, turns keep owners on their toes

Published: Jul 27, 2007

To say that left-hander Oliver Perez suffered through a tough year last season would kind of be like saying George Steinbrenner has a slight penchant for spending freely on baseball players.Perez’s 2006 numbers — split between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets — were inexcusably awful, as the Mexico native went just 3-13 with a 6.55 ERA, leaving many people wondering whether he would ever return to the pitcher that went 12-10 with a 2.99 ERA for Pittsburgh in 2004.Thankfully for Mets fans — and fantasy owners —......

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Bringing power to Dodgers — and fantasy teams

Published: Jul 20, 2007

When the weak-hitting Los Angeles Dodgers called up highly touted prospect James Loney in early June, they were looking for some much-needed offensive pop. Unable to contend for a National League West title on just a formidable pitching staff, Los Angeles was in desperate need of a jolt to boost their anemic run support (even now, no Dodger has more than 11 home runs).Loney, who was picked in the first round of the 2002 draft, could be the long-awaited cure for the Dodgers’ offensive woes — as well as a......

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Kutches & Abrego: Self-starters overcomeadversity

Published: Jul 13, 2007

For Andrew John Kutches and Christian Abrego, two Bay Area students recently recognized as Young Entrepreneurs of the Year by the National Founding for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), that honor was a testament not only to what they’ve accomplished, but also to what they’ve overcome. Kutches experienced a turbulent youth growing up in San Francisco, and after continually getting himself in trouble with the police, wound up at Log Cabin Ranch, a juvenile rehabilitation center located near Half Moon Bay. It was there, through a NFTE training center called Turning Heads,......

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Buyer beware: Searching for young gems is iffy

Published: Jul 13, 2007

As fantasy baseball continues to grow in popularity and "experts" persist on developing increasingly sophisticated methods to track a player’s value, the ability for a fantasy owner to discover an unknown yet productive player has become paramount.Taking a risk on a young star can certainly reap rewards, but if an owner is willing to use up a roster spot on an up-and-coming player, they must also be alert and recognize if that player could be prone to extended slumps — especially ones brought on by injuries.Two such notable examples of......

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Scott Lowe & Rio Miura: Finding a niche in the Bay

Published: Jul 06, 2007

There is a common saying that you are a product of your environment. For Scott Lowe and Rio Miura, founders of Metromint, an all-natural mineral water with mint flavors, their environment — the Bay Area — was essential to the success of their product."We had an unusual bottle design and a new product that really didn’t have a niche yet," said Lowe, who met Miura in her native Japan while on business; they married several years later. "We needed consumers that were willing to take a risk with us, and......

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Rockies unearth a shortstop keeper in Tulowitzki

Published: Jul 06, 2007

As the seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft, Troy Tulowitzki entered the Colorado Rockies’ organization with tremendous expectations after his career at Long Beach State.Like most young players, the former Fremont High School of Sunnyvale star struggled with the adjustment to pro ball, but now, midway through this season, he looks like a legitimate NL Rookie of the Year candidate, a potential building block for a historically mediocre organization and a prize pickup for most fantasy baseball league owners.Tulowitzki got a brief call-up to the Rockies in 2006 after......

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Young Hart starts pumping out hits for Brewers

Published: Jun 29, 2007

While J.J. Hardy was attracting plenty of attention for his much-improved play early in the season and Prince Fielder has continued his emergence as one of the National League’s premier power hitters, the Milwaukee Brewers most likely would not be sitting in first place in the NL Central if not for the efforts of versatile right fielder Corey Hart.Through Wednesday, Hart is batting .315 (tops among Milwaukee regulars), with 10 home runs, 31 RBIs, 35 runs and 16 stolen bases (tying him for sixth in the NL), to help lead......

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Rios builds on first All-Star trip for Blue Jays

Published: Jun 22, 2007

Although Toronto — mainly due to a slew of pitching injuries — has regressed in disappointing fashion from last year’s second-place finish in the American League East, there has been one Blue Jay in particular who has not let this season’s adversity affect him — fourth-year pro Alex Rios.Playing in the underexposed baseball market of Toronto, Rios has flown under the radar in right field, despite showing improvement in each season. After a slow start to 2007, the 26-year-old Alabama native appears to finally be coming into his own as......

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What a relief: Carmona is thriving as a starter

Published: Jun 15, 2007

There were few available players last year that were more unappealing to fantasy baseball owners than the young Cleveland Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona. Switching between relief work and starting duties, Carmona compiled an ugly 1-10 record with a 5.42 ERA and three blown saves in a disastrous season for the 22-year-old rookie.What a difference a year makes.After steadily working on his fastball (it now tops out at 97 mph) to complement his hard sinkers, Carmona has proven nearly indispensable this season as the Indians’ No. 2 starter, racking up a......

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Ben Casnocha: Business prodigy living a large start-up life

Published: Jun 08, 2007

When he was 12 years old, Ben Casnocha was presented with a school assignment to think up ideas for a Web site that could function as a tool for community service needs.It’s fair to say that he completed that particular assignment — and that it made a lasting impression.Inspired by the project, Casnocha soon founded Comcate in 2000, an online software company that provides customer-service resources for small city and county government agencies. Comcate offers its services to cities such as Beverly Hills and Alameda, and larger districts such as......

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Mike Lohner: Direct sales guru sells fine jewelry

Published: Jun 01, 2007

Mike Lohner, CEO of Burlingame-based Luxe Jewels, admits he’s a bit of amateur when it comes to identifying the traits of fine jewelry."I usually have to rely on my wife as a test for what jewelry is considered fashionable," said Lohner, who was hired at Luxe in April. "But I’m pretty sure I wasn’t hired for my fashion expertise. I was brought here to build our brand, and to help solidify our direct selling strategy."Lohner attracted the attention of Luxe founder Jessica Herrin after he took over at Home Interiors,......

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Upton finally finds a home — and is producing

Published: Jun 01, 2007

As the second player drafted in the 2002 draft, Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton entered the majors bagged with immense expectations.Debuting in 2004 at 19 years old — making him the youngest Devil Ray ever to suit up — he was supposed to be a savior for the moribund franchise, but instead he struggled defensively at shortstop and third base. His offensive numbers, while showing signs of explosiveness, never earned him a permanent position on Tampa Bay’s roster.His first two seasons in the majors (2004 and 2006 — he remained in......

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Brian Cowley: Ad solutions for cell phones

Published: May 28, 2007

Brian Cowley, the recently hired president and CEO of San Francisco-based mobile advertising agency Ad Infuse, is no stranger to the perils of unwanted marketing campaigns — especially on hand-held devices — so he knows the key to success in his company’s field is to approach consumers with the utmost of precision."Cell phone users are obviously wielding more of a personalized device, so they’ll be particularly unhappy with spam," said Cowley, who joined Ad Infuse in March. "So, we have to be much more diligent with our market research to......

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Rookies can make — and break — your team

Published: May 25, 2007

For fantasy baseball owners, there is no gamble quite like signing an unproven rookie. With all the hype and boasting of can’t-miss prospects, figuring out which young talent will succeed is usually nothing more than a crapshoot. For every rookie that comes out of nowhere with a masterful opening year (Albert Pujols), there is a highly touted bust that never materializes (the troubled Jeff Allison).This year has been no different, as rookies continue to delight, annoy and — most often — confuse owners who have taken a chance on them.Take,......

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Lick-Wilmerding silenced on two-hitter by Salesian

Published: May 24, 2007

After giving up 11 runs and yet still finding a way to beat Crystal Springs Uplands in the Bay Counties League West championship game Saturday, conventional thinking would be that the Lick-Wilmerding baseball team would be quite satisfied with surrendering just one run in its North Coast Section Class A quarterfinal playoff game.That conventional thinking would be wrong.Daniel Alcaire pitched a shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out six to lead fourth-seeded Salesian of Richmond to a 1-0 victory over fifth-seeded Lick-Wilmerding. The Tigers finished their season at 18-7.......

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Lowell stays alive

Published: May 22, 2007

It probably wasn’t the result the Lowell girls’ soccer team was hoping for, but at least the Cardinals can take solace knowing they still have another game to play.Despite dominating the proceeding, the Cardinals were forced to settle for a scoreless tie against Oakland Tech in Monday’s Game 2 of the Transbay Series at Boxer Stadium.After dropping the first meeting of the best-of-three series 2-0 Friday in Oakland, the Cardinals needed at least a tie to force the deciding third match, which will take place on Thursday at Tech (11-7-3).......

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Jay Adelson: Helping Net users Digg their content

Published: May 21, 2007

When Jay Adelson first began discussing plans with Kevin Rose, the founder of user-suggested new content Web site Digg.com, the two had modest ideas for the future of the project."It’s been said that only one out of 10 startups are successful, so we thought, ‘Whynot have 10 ideas for startups in mind?’" said Adelson, CEO of San Francisco based-Digg. "Really, we all believed Digg was started just as an experiment to gauge the collective wisdom of social media."The "experiment" certainly paid off, as Digg is now one of the 100......

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Gary Bauer: From high school entrepreneur to limo executive

Published: May 18, 2007

While most kids his age were lazing idly and sleeping in late, Gary Bauer, founder of Bauer’s Worldwide Transportation, was taking a decidedly different approach.As a precocious high school student, Bauer was already operating his own landscaping company in Marin County during the day, and transporting his buddies at night in a Cadillac he bought for $3,000."I would do landscaping from 6 in the morning to 6 at night, and drive the Cadillac from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m." said Bauer, who grew up in Novato and now lives in......

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Dragons look to take next step in Year 2

Published: May 18, 2007

In their inaugural season last year, the San Francisco Dragons had one of the better offenses in Major League Lacrosse and perhaps the most dangerous player in league history.In Year 2, the Dragons are hoping a little defense will take them further.The Dragons will get a stiff test when they open their second season Saturday on the road against the Denver Outlaws at Invesco Field, the same team that eliminated San Francisco in the MLL semifinals 23-14. That came after the Dragons were the only team to beat the Outlaws......

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Interleague will put a big hurt on some lineups

Published: May 18, 2007

With the onset of interleague play this weekend, many fantasy baseball owners will be scrambling to sign or release players who will be most susceptible to the change of action the crisscrossing format will bring.Toronto slugger Frank Thomas stands out as one of the more notable players who will be affected adversely by the weekend adjustment, as his Blue Jays travel to Philadelphia, where he will not be able to suit up as a designated hitter.Last year, in a similar position playing for the A’s, Thomas, whose fielding skills and......

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Lowell faces tough task

Published: May 18, 2007

It could be safe to assume that after one game the Lowell softball team has seen enough of Oakland Tech pitcher Marika Zumbro.Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they are going to be facing her again real soon.Zumbro pitched a three-hitter, struck out 16 and went 3-for-3 to lead Oakland Tech to a 5-1 victory over Lowell at Laney College in the first game of the Transbay Series.The Cardinals (18-3) will look to even the best-of-three series, which pits the winners of the Oakland and San Francisco sections, Tuesday at Lang Field.Tech......

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Costume shops await crowds

Published: May 16, 2007

This Saturday, Costumes on Haight, a well-known San Francisco outfit outlet, is geared to experience one of its busiest days of the year.Normally, one would assume a store specializing in costumes would be relatively quiet, considering Halloween is still more than five months away. However, this Sunday is Bay to Breakers. The 7.46-mile race through The City is well known not only as a sporting event but as a chance for hundreds of slightly depraved citizens to dress in outfits normally associated with a New Year’s masquerade ball or Mardi......

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Joel Postman: Advising firms about blogging

Published: May 14, 2007

Blogging is an interest that has clearly found its niche in online culture, but rarely has the undertaking translated into anything more than a passing hobby.However, for Joel Postman, a proficiency in the blogosphere was essential to his hiring as the director of emerging media at San Francisco-based public relations firm Eastwick Communications."When I first really became aware of blogging in late 2003, I thought it was a pretty inane concept," said Postman, who graduated from Humboldt State with a degree in journalism. "But the more I looked into it,......

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Hardy is brewing up a storm in Milwaukee

Published: May 11, 2007

Although coming into this season J.J. Hardy’s career statistics were pedestrian at best — .246 average, 14 homers, 64 RBIs — if one peered closer at the numbers, it was clear Milwaukee’s 24-year-old shortstop had plenty to offer.In his only extensive playing time not marred by injuries, Hardy displayed a clear potential to be one of the best shortstops in the National League, offensively and defensively.Over the latter stages of his rookie year in 2005, he hit .308 over 185 at-bats after the All-Star break, with eight home runs and......

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Mora finishes the job in Washington’s rout

Published: May 10, 2007

With his team leading Galileo 12-2 in the top of the fifth inning, Washington starting pitcher Tommy Mora gave up two runs, costing his team an opportunity to end the game early due to the 10-run rule. In the bottom of the fifth, Mora, this time at the plate, would not give the Lions a second chance again.Mora smacked a two-run single with Washington leading 12-4 to give the Eagles a shortened 14-4 victory over Galileo in the San Francisco Section baseball semifinals at Big Rec-Nealon."I wasn’t really thinking about......

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Rusty Galileo blanks ISA

Published: May 08, 2007

For a team that hadn’t practiced in five days or played a game in 11 days, Galileo not surprisingly looked a little flat Monday, but the Lions displayed just enough urgency to keep their season alive against International Studies Academy.Danny Huang and Dylan Nelson combined to pitch a three-hit shutout and the Lions played error-free ball in winning a succinct 5-0 decision against ISA at Hennessey Field in the opening round of the San Francisco Section baseball playoffs.D’Eante Bernstine went 1-for-2 with a run and two RBIs and Cody Klein......

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Gary Hermansen: The 'real geeky side' of VoIP

Published: May 04, 2007

As the CEO of Global IP Solutions, a media-processing company specializing in Voice over Internet Protocol products, one would think Gary Hermansen’s business model would deal with state-of-the-art technological developments and complex industry materials. Instead, Hermansen prefers to theorize with much simpler objects — rocks. "I think of our company as I would a field full of rocks," said Hermansen, who heads GIPS’ San Francisco headquarters in the SoMa district. "You don’t know want to pick up every little rock you see because you won’t be able to hold all of......

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Mets have found their Maine man

Published: May 04, 2007

In Game 6 of the National League Championship Series last year, the New York Mets, with their season on the line down three games to two, handed the ball over to little-known starter John Maine, who had just 27 career regular-season appearances (24 starts) at that point.Facing a loaded St. Louis lineup and squaring off against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, Maine was unflappable in the pressure situation, pitching 5¹/³ innings of two-hit, shutout ball to lift the Mets to a 4-2 victory and force a Game 7.Unfortunately for the Mets,......

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Held to one hit, Lincoln uses 18 walks, earns No. 1 seed

Published: May 04, 2007

Any time a team is held to just one hit, they are almost assured of a loss. But that was far from the case in the Lincoln-Washington softball game Thursday at Rossi Field.Despite batting just 1-for-21 as a team, Lincoln scored plenty of runs — taking advantage of 18 free passes from Washington pitchers — to win 14-8 in an Academic Athletic Association game.Mary Ganal walked four times and scored four runs and three other Mustangs scored twice as Lincoln (17-1 AAA) clinched the No. 1 seed and a first-round......

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Railey’s slam powers Dons

Published: May 02, 2007

Heading into Tuesday’s matchup with Cal, the USF baseball team’s bullish leadoff man, Joey Railey, was still searching for his first home run of the year.Against the Bears, he ended his drought in timely fashion.Railey went 2-for-5, including a sixth-inning grand slam, Brian Chavez went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and the Dons exploded for a huge sixth inning en route to a dominant 13-4 victory over Cal in nonconference play at Benedetti Diamond.What appeared at first to be a ho-hum first inning proved to be the initial catalyst for the......

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At 23, Hamels is already a long-term keeper

Published: Apr 27, 2007

When Cole Hamels struck out 15 batters in a complete-game, five-hit masterpiece over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, few baseball insiders were surprised.Despite being just 23 years old, the highly touted Hamels has already displayed an uncanny ability to strike batters out and after polishing his game as a rookie in 2006, he seems poised to establish himself as the Philadelphia Phillies’ No. 1 starter and one of the best young pitchers in the National League.Last year, Hamels struck out 145 batters in just 132 innings, good for an average......

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Washington completes 2-gane sweep of Galileo

Published: Apr 27, 2007

Two games in two days against the same team equaled the same result for the Washington baseball team.Kevin Shue pitched an eight-hitter and O’Koyea Dickson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Eagles past Galileo at Big Rec, the second consecutive time in as many days Washington beat its Academic Athletic Association rival in convincing fashion.With the win, the Eagles moved two games ahead of the Lions in the AAA standings. Washington is 13-2, while Galileo falls to 11-4.With the score tied 3-3, Washington exploded for nine runs in......

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Washington rolls to win

Published: Apr 26, 2007

Tommy Mora pitched a four-hitter and went 2-for-4 with three RBIs to lead Washington to a 14-4 win over Galileo in an Academic Athletic Association baseball game at Hennessey Field.With the score tied 1-1, the Eagles exploded for 10 runs in the third inning with Mora, O’Koyea Dickson (2-for-3, two RBIs) and Chris McMahon each knocking in two runs apiece with timely hits.Leading 11-3 heading into the top of fifth, the Eagles added three more runs to go up 14-3, putting them in position to win in a run-ruled shortened......

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Lowell gets revenge

Published: Apr 25, 2007

Lowell senior catcher Sati Houston remembers well the last time the Cardinals faced off against Academic Athletic Association softball rival Lincoln."They pretty much took it to us last game," Houston said of a 12-7 loss to Lincoln on March 15. "We were looking to get back at them this game and try and get our dignity back."In the rematch between the two teams Tuesday, Houston made sure the Cardinals exacted their revenge, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs to help Lowell win a 17-11 slugfest to hand Lincoln its first loss......

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Battery chargers

Published: Apr 24, 2007

In high school softball, where a starting pitcher can suit up every single game on the mound for her team, the relationship between the staff ace and the everyday catcher can mean the difference between a great season or a miserable one.For Lincoln pitcher Christine Collins and battery mate Tuai Tunai, that relationship could not be stronger — and the results are telling. The Mustangs are experiencing their most successful season in more than 20 years.The senior duo has been the backbone of Lincoln’s historic run this season as the......

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Luke Macaulay: Poise under fire

Published: Apr 23, 2007

As the former press secretary for the Northern California U.S. Attorney, Luke Macaulay has mastered the art of staying composed under pressure — a skill developed by the near-endless parade of high-profile cases he handled during his three years at the position. "They were looking for a high-energy guy who could handle a lot of tasks, and I pretty much fit that bill," said Macaulay, who graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in Liberal Studies. "That said, I waspretty much thrown into the fire as the new guy handling......

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Reid Kathrein: Fighting Goliath on David’s behalf

Published: Apr 20, 2007

Whether the perception is accurate or not, corporate lawyers aren’t traditionally seen as harbingers of good, seeking to defend the everyman from dishonesty.But that’s exactly how San Francisco attorney Reid Kathrein sees his role."I really like the David and Goliath thing," said Kathrein, who was recently named head of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP’s San Francisco office. "I grew up with that mentality, to help out the little guy against the big corporation. Every day now I wake up excited to go after our cases."HBSS specializes is class-action lawsuits, complex......

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Kinsler is a very young power Ranger

Published: Apr 20, 2007

The names among the 2007 American League home run leaders read off like an All-Star team from the past five years — MVP winners Justin Morneau and Alex Rodriguez and perennial slugger David Ortiz are just some of the big-time players among this year’s top long-ball specialists.But there is one player near the top of the AL home run list who doesn’t quite register the same celebratory familiarity.That player would be Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, who ranks second to A-Rod (nine), in the AL with seven home runs.Only......

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Fans credit Nellie for Warriors’ run

Published: Apr 20, 2007

With their 120-98 thrashing of Portland on Wednesday, the Warriors completed a dramatic late-season turnaround. For their efforts, they found themselves in a position that has been foreign to them since 1994 — a postseason participant.Just months ago, the Warriors were foundering with a 26-35 record and it seemed that they would extend their NBA-worst streak of consecutive seasons without a playoff berth to 13.But with midseason acquisitions Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington breathing new life into the team, the Warriors finished the season hotter than any squad in the......

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Pearce again shuts down St. Ignatius

Published: Apr 18, 2007

Sacred Heart Cathedral may have lost out on this year’s Bruce-Mahoney Trophy to St. Ignatius during boys’ basketball season, but the Irish baseball team is still playing its crosstown rival for like there is plenty at stake.Sacred Heart starting pitcher Sonny Pearce pitched 6¹/³ strong innings and leadoff man Eric Herrera reached base five times and scored three runs to lead the Irish to a 13-6 victory over St. Ignatius in West Coast Athletic League play at Marchbank Park.It was the second stellar outing for Pearce in this rivalry this......

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Memorabilia unveiled for FanFest

Published: Apr 13, 2007

Hunt Auctions unveiled a portion of its memorabilia collection to members of the media Thursday at AT&T Park, as a preview of the historic Major League Baseball items that will be auctioned off July 10 as part of the FanFest at the Moscone Center during All-Star week.Among more than 200 collectibles that will be auctioned off is a signed Willie Mays Giants jersey from 1958, the first year the club played in San Francisco. That item is expected to fetch somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000.Also on display was a Reggie......

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Unable to play field, Bartholomay thrives

Published: Apr 13, 2007

Hitting one grand slam in a season is an accomplishment most softball players would be proud of.San Francisco State senior Kristin Bartholomay pulled off that impressive feat twice. In one game."The pitcher kept throwing my favorite pitch — an inside drop," Bartholomay said of the homers. "After the two grand slams, she stopped throwing that one."Bartholomay’s monster 3-for-4, two-homer, eight-RBI performance in the Gators’ 17-15 victory over Cal State Bernardino on April 6 was the centerpiece of a weeklong batting tear that garnered her Player of the Week honors from......

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Railey sets tone — on and off field

Published: Apr 13, 2007

While opening their season playing home games at College of San Mateo and traveling all over the country to take on nationally ranked foes, the USF baseball team struggled to find the consistency that marked last year’s historically successful season.Still, despite all the distractions, the Dons remain in the hunt for a repeat trip to the postseason with an 18-17 record, including 2-4 in the ultra-competitive West Coast Conference, and they owe much of their success to one player — junior leadoff man Joey Railey, who has remained a constant......

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McCann quickly jumps to top tier of catching corps

Published: Apr 13, 2007

Atlanta’s incredible 14-year reign atop the National League East ended last year with a thud, but at least one memorable development emerged from the disappointing season — the evolution of Brian McCann as one of the premier catchers in the NL.McCann, who was born in Athens, Ga., and grew up a Braves fan, saw limited action during his rookie campaign of 2005, playing in just 59 games. But last season as a 22-year-old, he exploded onto the scene, leading the Braves in batting average (.333) and slugging percentage (.572), while......

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Dons find right tonic for win

Published: Apr 11, 2007

Of the four wins the USF baseball team had previously registered this season against Sacramento State, three have come directly after a Dons loss.Tuesday, the Hornets once again proved to be the cure for what ails USF. Getting a much-needed win before their weekend showdown with 10th-ranked Pepperdine, the Dons belted out 13 hits, had 21 players see action and dominated from the start in an 8-1 win over Sacramento State at Benedetti Diamond. The win capped off a five-game sweep of Sacramento State.Eleven players collected at least one hit......

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Gerry Laybourne: Breaking stereotypes

Published: Apr 09, 2007

As a pioneering female media executive, Oxygen Channel founder Gerry Laybourne has served as a voice for audiences others habitually neglected."A lot of these programming ideas that I’ve developed have come from simple outrage," Laybourne said. "I hate anybody that puts my audience in a box and assumes they are going to like one particular show or behave one specific way."Laybourne, whose irreverent attitude helped her establish an influential career as a media power broker despite the skewed gender politics of TV, visited San Francisco recently to discuss one of......

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Michael Brill: Virtual winemaker lets vino lovers taste their dream

Published: Apr 06, 2007

When San Francisco resident and amateur wine lover Michael Brill decided to rip up his backyard in Potrero Hill in 2002 and turn it into a makeshift vineyard, he expected a little help from his friends with the project — but what he got was a community gathering of interested individuals."I would be working in my backyard on my grapevine, and people would wander by and check it out," said Brill, who previously worked at a software company. "These people would end up sticking around all day, helping me crush......