With the county's low-income insurance plan once again buckling under the weight of high health care costs and bordering on insolvency, the health professionals who oversee it are urging the state to raise its Medi-Cal reimbursement rates.The call for help comes just three years after the Health Plan of San Mateo — which serves about 56,000 Medi-Cal, Healthy Kids and Healthy Families members — nearly shut down for the same reason, officials said Wednesday. Read More

San Francisco International Airport will shut down one of its departure runways for 15 days starting Friday to allow for repaving, officials said Wednesday.The closure could cause airplanes to be rerouted for overland departures during periods of congestion, possibly increasing flight noise.After the initial shutdown, night work will continue for about five months, San Francisco International Airport spokesman Mike McCarron said in a prepared statement.The airport's noise-monitoring office and local elected officials Read More

A massive police sweep of Western Addition suspected crack dealers in the early hours of Tuesday morning resulted in the initial arrest of 14 people.The San Francisco Police Department expects to pick up the remainder of the targeted suspects — as many as 10 — today and tomorrow."These [raids] are targeting the areas in The City that have been subject to a spike in violence. There’s always a clear nexus between street violence, such as shootings and homicides, and the sale of narcotics," Deputy Chief Morris Tabac said. Read More

Riordan pitcher Nick Price didn’t allow a run or a hit in the first three innings, but Serra’s potent lineup proved why it’s ranked No. 21 in the country by USA Today in an explosive fourth inning.The Padres (15-1, 7-0) pieced together line drive after line drive to score nine runs on 10 hits in the inning. Host Riordan, which led 1-0 after two innings, never threatened afterwards.Serra’s Beau Witsoe pitched three innings for the winners before stepping aside for four different relievers to finish up. Witsoe didn’t allow a hit, but gave up his only run in the second. Read More

In The City, it appears the roller blade is mightier than the car.Skaters, bikers and pedestrians won a victory over museums, disability and neighborhood groups in a contentious battle over whether to close some of the eastern half of Golden Gate Park to cars on weekends.The Board of Supervisors voted 7-4 for a trial ordinance shutting down a 1.5-mile stretch of John F. Kennedy Drive and some connecting roads on Saturdays between Memorial Day and November. A similar ban, which has existed for nearly 40 years on Sundays, draws thousands of people each week. Read More

Community leaders in Daly City’s Bayshore are working to increase the contact between police and residents in their neighborhood in an effort to combat feelings of isolation and concerns about crime.While many residents would like to see more officers in their neighborhood, city budget constraints have kept staffing levels low in recent years. Instead, the department is working with a coalition of community groups to hold a series of meetings on current crime issues in all the city’s neighborhoods. Read More