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Andrea Koskey

City might hit mute on street acts

bucket drummer
The sound of music coming from street performers in and around Union Square and other neighborhoods could be silenced if legislation expected to be discussed by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday is adopted. The proposal would allow the Department of Public Health to fine performers because the noise is considered a nuisance and the high volume is considered a health concern. Read More

SF State student secures own graduation site to avoid pricey alternative

Jerry Garcia Ampitheater
It took a lot of hard work and determination, but Lea Lunden, a San Francisco State University psychology student, successfully secured an alternate graduation location. Lunden had been searching for a place she and her 300 psychology classmates could celebrate their accomplishments with their loved ones since she heard in February that the department’s official ceremony aboard a Hornblower cruise would price many families out. Read More

Bacon Bacon aroma set to end

Bacon Bacon
Few food items have enjoyed a more surprising recent resurgence than the savory strips of pig fat known as bacon. It is being wrapped around entrees, used to swizzle cocktails, and even serves as a flavor of ice cream. But now a popular pork-focused restaurant in the Upper Haight must close its doors Friday following months of failed negotiations with neighbors over neighborhood concerns about porcine aroma and grease disposal. Read More

S.F. schools officials accused of embezzlement and fraud

Richard Carranza
Six current or former employees of the San Francisco Unified School District are facing embezzlement and fraud charges stemming from the alleged misuse of an estimated $15 million in grant funding, the district attorney announced Tuesday. Money earmarked to provide students with support services, nutritional programs and violence-prevention programs was allegedly directed into bonuses, slush funds and unwarranted pay increases. Read More

Work grinds to a start on new Octavia housing units

A multiunit condo development in Hayes Valley broke ground earlier this month, adding another element to the Market and Octavia Area Plan that’s aimed at making the neighborhood more inviting. The 8 Octavia Blvd. development is expected to have 47 housing units — including one- to three-bedroom condos and one- and two-bedroom townhouses — along with ground-level retail and residential parking, according to developers. Read More

CCSF campuses make money, recent data show

CCSF
Seven of City College of San Francisco’s campuses make money for the district, despite anecdotes that have been used in discussing possible closures as the community college district works to overhaul its system. Read More

SF removing sidewalk concrete, replacing it with gardens

San Francisco’s sidewalks are receiving an upgrade that is removing concrete and replacing it with community gardens. The program, run by Friends of the Urban Forest in partnership with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, will help remove “excess” concrete and improve drainage during storms, as well as beautify neighborhoods. Read More

UC medical center workers to take strike vote at end of month

The University of California medical centers' patient care workers will hold a two-day strike at the end of the month, according to union officials. Roughly 13,000 workers are affected by this decision. The group voted to authorize a strike earlier this month and as a result the date was set for May 21 and May 22 when pharmacy technicians, hospitality assistants and nurses will walk off the job. Read More

America’s Cup concerts on San Francisco waterfront to be one-shot deal

America's Cup concert venue
The operators of the America’s Cup Pavilion made a voluntary agreement with nearby neighbors that if they were given permission to host 30 concerts there this summer, they would not apply to host shows at a similar venue around Piers 27-29 for 10 years. Live Nation, the operator of the outdoor music venue, was not required to impose such a restriction, but felt it was the proper thing to do after speaking with neighbors. Read More

S.F. schools praised for successes tied to increased funding

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Four years ago, students at Everett Middle School were afraid to walk the halls. The campus, located on the border of the Castro and Mission districts, had a reputation for violence and low test scores. The San Francisco Unified School District decided to turn to the federal government for help. Now, the changes made possible through the School Improvement Grants program are noticeable — and federal and state officials have taken notice as well, citing San Francisco as a model for how to approach underperforming schools and how to fund them. Read More

UC health workers authorize strike

Patient technical care workers throughout the University of California medical system voted to authorize a strike after months of failed labor negotiations. Dates and the duration of the strike have yet to be determined. Representatives from the workers’ union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, said members agreed to give a 10-day notice to allow for patient protection measures to be put in place. Read More

California College of the Arts cleared for SF expansion

California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts, which has been in Potrero Hill since the 1980s, is looking to grow in the next five years — a plan that is now possible due to special approval from San Francisco. The private art and design school is considering adding more buildings and even dorms for its students, but first the college needed the Planning Commission to create a special-use district to allow it to exist in the area. The use was required because the zoning in the neighborhood had changed four years ago. Read More

SF cafe worker diagnosed with typhoid fever; patrons may have been exposed to disease

A restaurant worker at the Nordstrom’s Café at Stonestown Galleria Mall in San Francisco was diagnosed with typhoid fever, and health officials are worried customers may have been exposed to the disease. The employee was diagnosed with the infectious disease last month and is believed to have contracted it when traveling outside the country. Read More

Accreditor too harsh on CCSF, complaint says

CCSF accreditation
A complaint filed against the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges requests the removal of the harshest sanction issued against City College of San Francisco, claiming the commission violated “federal law, state law and their own guidelines.” The California Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers Local 2121, which jointly filed the claim this week, say the commission is designed to review CCSF’s educational program but that instead it evaluated the administration and finances, among other things. Read More

Family launches $20M lawsuit over S.F. researcher’s death

The family of the researcher who died last year after being exposed to bacteria at the San Francisco Veterans Memorial Hospital is seeking damages in excess of $20 million. Richard Din, a 25-year-old employee of the Northern California Institute for Research and Education, contracted the rare Neisseria meningitidis in April 2012 while working to develop a vaccine for the strand of the disease. Read More
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