Visitacion Valley Turns a Page

Wish I could have been there today - was out gardening with Quesada Gardens until too late to make the festivities...

Read more about the new Visitacion Valley Branch of the SF Public Library at SFGate

Portola Garden Tour

The Portola Garden Tour date has been announced as Saturday, October 15th, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tell your friends and mark your calendars! We'll have more new gardens, music, demonstrations, a raffle and door prizes. The garden tour is always a fun day in The Portola to see the gardens, meet your friends and make new friends. It's another don't-leave The-Portola-weekend with The Portola Festival following the next day, Sunday, October 16th on San Bruno Avenue.

More information will become available as the date nears.Tickets will be available at local outlets and through your neighborhood gardeners after September 1st.

"Like" us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portola-District-Garden-Tour/127720603979795 or
visit our website for information and photos of past garden tours.

If you would like to show your garden or know someone who does, please contact
Ruth Wallace at(415) 585-8399 or (415) 420-6185 rwallace@portolagardentour.com

The Arrogance of an Agency

John Ehrlich talks to Portola residents

Last night, the SFWater Department held a community meeting to discuss, as they put it, "The future of Bacon Street and the University Mound Reservoir."  On hand were Suzanne Gautier of SFWater, John Ehrlich of Homeland Security, SFPD Captain Chignell, and representatives from SFFD and the SFPUC.  Also on hand were about 150 angry Portola residents.  The residents weren't there because Ms Gautier had invited them.  Ms Gautier had done her level best to ensure that no one showed up.  That's the kind of outreach she did.  Neighbors were there because Ron Parsall and Pat Connon had gone door to door for several days to tell them of the meeting and to collect petition signatures.

Read more about the proposed closure here.

SFWater set up a 15x15 tent to contain the meeting because the SFPUC caretaker's house couldn't accommodate the crowd they expected. As it turned out, their 15x15 tent couldn't do it either.  As people streamed in and chair after chair was taken, it became clear that this would be a much bigger meeting than SFWater had ever imagined.  What it also showed, and what they continued to display throughout the evening, was that they simply didn't understand the neighborhood or its people.  Most of the people huddled under the tent were elderly.  Why hold an outdoor event for 70-80 year olds?  You only do that if you want to keep people angry, which they certainly did.

After a few well reasoned and respectful arguments from neighbors, John Ehrlich was asked why they want to permanently close the street.  His arrogance and condescension were outrageous, and even after someone in the crowd told him to knock it off, he continued talking down to the crowd.

Basically, their message was that the closure was only a proposal, not their plan.  Bullshit.  They've already contacted SF Planning Department to see if they need to do further environmental review in order to permanently close the street.  They "took the liberty," according the Gautier, of installing hydraulic barriers.  They've been planning this permanent closure for a while.

Neighbor after neighbor gave impassioned speech and reasoned argument to keep the road open, while SFWater and Homeland Security gave nothing but flimsy excuses.  Ron Parsall presented Gautier with a 527-name petition against closure.  Gautier and Ehrlich left the meeting with their tails between their legs and their plan in tatters, but still unable and unwilling to tell neighbors what the timeline would be for next steps and when the road would open again, permanently.  Gautier did concede a little in saying, "Well, I guess the next step will be that we reopen the road, yes?" as she looked over to Ehrlich, "and then we discuss what we want to do from there."

Congratulations to the Portola neighbors who attended, vented their anger but were mostly respectful, and who have sent a message to all agencies like SFWater that the Southeast of San Francisco is not going to be ignored or put upon any longer.

The Bayview is practically the Marina when it comes to safety

I don't know why I let myself get dragged into these things or upset by them.  Earlier this morning I posted a link to a San Francisco Examiner story on the City Carshare mini-pods, and Supervisor Cohen's insistence that the southeast section of the city be considered for some sites.  As always happens, a couple of folks started making comments on how unsafe the Bayview is, the "caliber" of its residents, and how of course City Carshare would be stupid to even consider putting pods there, that their cars would be stolen in a heartbeat and used for criminal activity in a neighborhood as dangerous as the Bayview, and that Supervisor Cohen was on another planet for even suggesting it.

Well, let's set the record straight with some numbers, shall we?  For some fun, let's head over to http://www.crimemapping.com/map/ca/sanfrancisco

Try the following inputs: 94105, 94114, 94124, Bernal Heights, and the Marina.  Use a 1-mile radius so you get as little overlap as possible.

                                 All Crimes     Car theft
94105 (Downtown): 274                15
94114 (Castro):         201                 5
Bernal Heights:        152                10
94124 (Bayview):      94                  3
Marina:                      84                  5

So, the Bayview is almost as safe as the Marina overall, and is the place you're least likely to get your car stolen of these five neighborhoods.

Car sharing rare in San Francisco's lower-income areas

I posted a link to an article about this yesterday, and today the Examiner has also run with the story.  In both, it is mentioned that Supervisor Cohen demanded that car sharing companies look to expand southward into Dogpatch and beyond.  Seems like a reasonable demand, especially since, in poorer neighborhoods like the Bayview, where residents may not be able to afford a car on their own, car sharing could be quite a popular option.  I know for our household, where we only have one car, to be get to the nearest car share lot either in Bernal Heights or at 18th and Indiana can be quite a haul, and discourages me from using Carshare at all.

Looking at the comments in the Examiner article - and yes, I realize the Examiner is the paper that endorsed John McCain for president, and so some of its readers may not be the most liberal - I see a great deal of racism/classism being displayed by all of the commenters so far, and it disgusts me. 

exsfer writes:

"You have got to be kidding me!!    Please do a story 6 month's to 1 year after Zipcar starts in the Bayview and see how many of their vehicles are stolen and / or used in crimes."

Miles_Long writes:

"In case you haven’t ever walked thru Bay View, I highly suggest you give that a try and see if that is the caliber of people you want to loan a car to. I know you live in a world where all cultures and people are equally valued and are equally wonderful, but here in the real world there is this very un-politically correct reality that Bay view folk aren’t the greatest of people. I know that’s not the way it should be, but that is the way it is."

Freda writes:

"There's a reason for this."

Maria writes:

Is she serious?

to which Flemingrandolph replied:

It's hard to get inside the minds of people like her... Likely , yes!! Another planet/solar system.

And finally (so far, I'm sure), Pacifickid writes:

"Don't they just steal the car in those neighborhoods??"

Please head over to the San Francisco Examiner if you have something to say...

Public outrage over shooting death in San Francisco's Bayview is misplaced

My only question is, with all the video surveillance in the vicinity (on the Muni platform, at the Opera House, on all the traffic signals in the Bayview at Palou and Third St), why aren't the police releasing these recordings to show that they are indeed telling the truth in the matter and putting all this furor to rest once and for all?

However, I must concur with the San Francisco Examiner on this one,

...it is past time to end the furor over Kenneth Wade Harding, the man who allegedly shot himself while running from San Francisco police, and for that matter, to reassess the entire Harding family.

There will always be a few who will use any incident involving police to raise hell and rail about past misconduct. Residents of the Bayview have a deep-seated mistrust of police that spilled over at a public gathering last week in which about 15 people out of more than 200 shouted down the gathered speakers and all but ended a chance for city officials to discuss the incident with concerned neighbors.

But as sad as it is that Harding died apparently from a self-inflicted wound from a gun that police said was removed by onlookers at the scene, the tale relayed by his mother and a family attorney of a hopeful rap star trying to turn his life around rings as hollow as an empty tin can.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

Poll: Most Chinese voters would support Ed Lee for SF mayor

Our interim Mayor realizes he likes the top job and that he wants to keep it, and so is planning to announce that he'll be a mayoral candidate this fall. By doing so, he'd be going back on his promise to only remain in office for a year, a promise that put him there in the first place. Ex-supervisors, like D10's Sophie Maxwell, who voted to put him into office, will be ticked, I'm sure, when he announces his candidacy. Not unexpectedly, it seems that his incumbent status would serve him very well among the city's Chinese community, leaving all other candidates in the dust. Is this just business as usual SF politics?

More from the Bay Citizen,

SFMTA to Test On-Street Car Share Parking Spaces

Right now, if you live anywhere in the southeast part of San Francisco, good luck getting access to a City Carshare car without making a major trip across town first to get one. 

From SF Streesblog,

Car share members in San Francisco could soon be picking up their vehicles from exclusive curbside parking spaces. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is launching a pilot program in mid-August to test at least ten on-street car share “pods” as part of its SFPark program.

If it proves successful, SFMTA CFO Sonali Bose said on-street car share spaces could be expanded citywide and rented by any car share company that fits the agency’s criteria.

Bose said that five more locations, including the Glen Park and Dogpatch neighborhoods, are being developed after D10 Supervisor Malia Cohen voiced frustration that the southeast area wasn’t included during yesterday’s Land Use and Economic Development Committee meeting.

Bloggers love Dogpatch

photo by Allison

Last week, a couple of fellow bloggers discovered Dogpatch, took some great pictures, and wrote about the neighborhood.  This week, another with some more great pictures of the places we love.

Dogpatch, you're so photogenic!

Allison, who's photo is to the right here, has also been out to Visitacion Valley and Potrero Hill on her "walking every street" mission.  Can't wait until she discovers Bayview, India Basin, and The Portola.

EVENT: Bacon St Road Closure Meeting TOMORROW

The SFPUC, in cahoots with SFPD, SFFD, Homeland Security, and SF Planning, intend to unveil their neighborhood-splitting plan tomorrow evening, Thursday, July 28, at the SFPUC Yellow House at the corner of Bacon and University Streets at 6PM.

For years, neighbors have been assured that the road would reopen once the University Mound Reservoir renovation project was completed.  As recently as June of this year, the documents being presented to the community talked of the "temporary closure" of Bacon St.

In email exchanges people have had with SFWater, we've been able to piece together a different story, complete with flimsy excuses that are intended to be used to convince neighbors that closing Bacon St is in their best interest and those of the city's water supply.  We've been told by SFPD that emergency services "never" use this part of Bacon St to access the neighborhood west of University Ave, known as University Mound.  But firefighters who've been with the department for over two decades, and who've worked out of the Portola Station paint a very different picture, remembering "hundreds" of emergency trips on the road prior to the temporary closure.  We've been told by SFPD that closing Bacon will eliminate an "escape route" for villains, when in fact and more importantly it closes off a direct access route from the Bayview Police station for police to get to University Mound.  We've been told there will be a beautiful promenade for bikes and pedestrians, although bikes and pedestrians haven't had much trouble in the past using the sidewalks and road.  What a closed-off area will do is create a skateboard park and unmonitorable and unpolicable hang-out space for drug dealing and other illicit activities.   Direct access to McLaren Park by neighbors in Silver Terrace and the Bayview will be cut off.  Direct access to the shops of San Bruno Ave by neighbors on University Mound will be cut off. 

In email exchanges that I've had with SF Planning, I've determined that SFPUC has not yet officially proposed closing the street, but is working with SFPUC to determine whether permanent closure would require the PUC to apply for a new environmental review OR if they can simply amend the existing application.  This is important, because if the original CEQA exemption is simply amended, the PUC may not even be required to notify surrounding neighbors, and can simply keep the street closed.  If a new application is needed, then PUC and Planning have to notify neighbors, but seemingly no public meetings are required. 

For two years, the SFPUC, SFPD, and SFFD have had a unique opportunity to perform studies on actual traffic flow patterns, environmental impacts, criminal capture rates, emergency services response times, and to gauge neighborhood reaction to the temporary closure of Bacon St. so that they could bring real data to tomorrow night's meeting.  By all accounts, this has not been done, and so the excuses being brought up for the reason why we NEED to have Bacon St closed are based solely on conjecture and hypothesis. 

Tomorrow night's meeting should be interesting.  The SFPUC Yellow House holds no more than 25 people in its meeting spaces.  However, petitions have been circulated and chatter on the Portola Yahoo group has been brisk, so more neighbors than I'm sure SFPUC wanted have been notified of the agency's plans and will be attending tomorrow's meeting.  SFPUC is bringing out the big kahunas, with SFFD, SFPD, and even Homeland Security coming to tomorrow night's happy "University Mound Reservoir reopening and discussion of the future and safety and security of the reservoir and our extremely vulnerable water supply that terrorists want to destroy" party.  See you there!

Future of McKinley Square Park

A series of meetings talking specifically about the future of McKinley Square Park, community wishes, design, enhancements  and possible major changes.

The first meeting will be August 23rd, 6:30pm at Downtown High School. 

The meeting will be co-hosted by SF Parks Trust, and John Merten, Lanscape Architect of Studio Green. 

http://www.sfpt.org/ & http://www.studiogreen.com/

This will be a first of a series of meetings, there will be 2 or 3 following, but these meetings shall be important, and outlining the path for McKinley Square for years to come. 

Please mark your calendars for this meeting.   More information, including flyers & mailings will be provided as time comes closer. 

In addition, this may be a good time to spread the word that MSCA board elections will be coming in early September.  All in the community are welcome, encouraged to participate, and be part of the board/volunteers for McKinley Square.   More information will be coming on this as well. 

Dead suspect's brother is sought in slaying

OK, I had actually promised myself that I wouldn't post anything more about this case until they found the gun, cell phone, and the kid in the grey and white striped hoodie who allegedly picked them up.  Yesterday, we found out that the mother of Kenneth Harding, the 19 year old man who died in the Bayview July 16 after a gun battle with SFPD, has hired John Burris as her attorney.  Read into that what you will.  Today, we find out that Kenneth's older brother Ondrell is now wanted in a beating death back up in Seattle last week.  The mom's assertions that Kenneth was simply a musician and that he was loving, caring, and giving and that he loved his family and his mother get an even bigger eye roll and a "whatever" from me than usual at this point.  Look lady, I'm never happy when a mom loses a son, but you've got to check in to reality here that you've raised two bad people, and the life they've been taught to live, whether by your example or lack thereof, is ultimately your responsibility as a mother.

Two kids wanted for murder: one still on the lam and the other dead after 'allegedly' (I put that in there simply because all the facts aren't in, no matter how much I believe it to be the case) trying to kill police officers.  I just can't believe there's a community who would want to put this family in the spotlight, rally behind them as examples of police brutality gone amok, and not feel the embarrassment of doing so.  Where are the community leaders calling this family on their bad behavior and standing up and using them as an example of the kind of people we DON'T want to see ourselves become? Don't glorify this family or their behavior, vilify it!

Bay Area post offices on hit list for closures

My coworker, from South San Francisco, was saying just yesterday that not only was her local post office closed down, it was torn down!  She had put her mail on hold while on vacation, and when she wanted to go and collect the held mail, even the USPS couldn't tell her where it was!

From SFGate

Thirteen post offices in the Bay Area, including five in San Francisco, are in danger of being closed as the financially battered U.S. Postal Service reconsiders the status of thousands of its outlets nationwide.

The Postal Service said Tuesday that it was looking into closing or downgrading 3,653 branches across the country starting later this year, citing a drop in mail volume and increasing availability of postal products elsewhere.

The offices in San Francisco that could close are the Bayview-Hunters Point station, the McLaren station, the Visitacion Valley station, the Civic Center post office box unit and the station in the Federal Building on Golden Gate Avenue.

Read more at SFGate

Free Tdap (Whooping Cough) Vaccination Clinic

San Francisco Department of Public Health
Free Tdap (Whooping Cough) Vaccination Clinic for San Francisco students entering 7th-12th grades this year
All Students MUST come with a Parent/Guardian
or
A signed parental consent form and a non-guardian adult

Parking (5 blocks from clinic) at SFUSD District office 555 Franklin St. Entrance on McAllister (between Franklin St. & Gough St.)

Saturday, August 6th, 2011 1:00pm - 4:00pm
151 Oak Street (Gymnasium)
(between Gough St. & Franklin St.)
French American International School / International High School

For more information, visit http://www.sfcdcp.org/tdapclinics

EVENT: He said what?

The Potrero Branch of the San Francisco Public Library presents

HE SAID WHAT?

Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Rose Guilbault, and Victoria Zackheim discuss their book.

Saturday, August 6, 2011, 4 p.m.

Potrero Branch Library Program Room

I love you. The meeting ran late. I want a divorce. One little word, one casual lie, one devastating announcement and our lives are turned upside down forever. In He Said What? Women Write About Moments When Everything Changed, 25 gifted women writers share profoundly personal moments in which a man in their life said something good or bad that changed them irrevocably. Funny, provocative, touching, and thrilling, He Said What? illustrates the powerful impact the right—and yes, even the wrong—words can have on a person’s life, and perhaps change that life forever. Join authors Victoria Zackheim, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, and Rose Guilbault in discussion of their book as they share a journey we’ve all traveled at least once.

Coffee, tea and dessert provided
Books available for sale and signing

All programs at the Library are free.

1616 20th St. (near Connecticut) (415) 355-2822 sfpl.org

SF Black's political clout imperiled

From SFGate,

Malia Cohen, as the lone African American on the 11-member San Francisco Board of Supervisors, always keeps in the back of her mind that she could be the last.

The black population in San Francisco, which gained steam in the 1940s with the draw of war-related jobs in the shipbuilding industry, peaked in 1970, when 13.4 percent of the city's residents were African American. Since then, there has been a steady decline. The 2010 U.S. Census tallied the black population at 6.1 percent, and demographic projections by the California Department of Finance have that percentage shrinking to 4.6 percent by 2050.

And as long as identity politics, such as race and sexual orientation, continue to play a role in how some people vote, the dwindling number of African Americans living in San Francisco puts black representation on the Board of Supervisors at risk.

Read more at SFGate

Missing gun complicates SFPD's investigation into Bayview shooting

From SF Examiner,

When a 19-year-old black man was shot to death in a firefight after allegedly firing at two police officers July 16, somebody collected much of the available evidence — and it wasn’t a cop.

Video shows a young man in a gray striped hooded sweatshirt picking up an item that police call the gun of Kenneth Harding Jr. Police say Harding’s cellphone and several shell casings also disappeared.

The missing evidence further complicates a shooting that has touched a raw nerve in the community. Although Harding’s death highlights the acute distrust that some Bayview residents have for police, cops said bystanders made it harder for them to demonstrate that their actions in this case were justified.

“It makes an investigation challenging,” police spokesman Lt. Troy Dangerfield said. “In this particular instance, you have alleged video that shows people picking up evidence from the scene.”

Read more at the SF Examiner

Bayview district ready for new restaurants, market

I am SOOOO excited!!

From SFGate,

For years, San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood has been seen as gritty - more fit for drug dealers than chic storefronts.

But developers and the city's Redevelopment Agency hope that food will clean up the district's image and attract new residents, turning this area from fringy to trendy.

That's right - food.

Two restaurateurs have already signed on with the 5800 Third St. condo complex, which has so far sold 31 residential units out of a planned 400. TV chef Tanya Holland of Brown Sugar Kitchen and the owners of Limon Rotisserie, a Mission District spot popular with hipsters and lovers of Peruvian cuisine, plan to open their places this year.

Read more at SFGate

Some PG&E pipeline questions answered

Last month, there was some discussion in the Chronicle and on our local Yahoo Groups about what lies beneath our feet. Emily Salgado in Senator Yee’s office picked up our email thread and has been working diligently on getting some answers from PG&E. Below is the email she sent to me, and that I hope she doesn’t mind me forwarding on to everyone concerned. This is a link to the pipeline map, which PG&E has de-color coded since last month.

Ms Salgado writes,

“Here is what I’ve been able to clarify from the CPUC.

1) The orange area on map indicates HCA’s under review. Is the line running at reduced pressure or no? If not, why?

Yes, the three transmission lines running into San Francisco are all being run at reduced pressure that is at least 20% below the maximum operating pressure. Immediately after the San Bruno explosion, the Executive Director of the CPUC directed PG&E to immediately reduce pressure on the remaining portions of the pipeline that ran through San Bruno (Line 132) by 20% of the operating pressure. The CPUC also ordered PG&E to reduce pressure on the other two transmission lines that run up the peninsula to San Francisco (Lines 101 and 109) because those lines have similar characteristics as Line 132.

The portion of the transmission line 109 that runs into the City of San Francisco was already operating at a pressure below 80% of its maximum allowable pressure so the pressure did not need to be reduced further. For a point of reference, the portions of the pipelines outside of San Francisco were reduced from 375-400 psi to 300 psi, where the pipeline in San Francisco was already operating at 200 to 250 psi.

2) Please clarify the green line, which according to the map means “pipelines in HCA’s w/ pressure test records…”
a. Does this mean the line in that area is safe, will not be under review, will be under review, will be reduced, or not?? Etc.

After the explosion in San Bruno it became apparent that PG&E did not have accurate records for its transmission pipeline system and could not fully justify the maximum allowable operating pressure on some pipelines. The CPUC ordered PG&E to do an extensive record search, and for pipelines where they have no records of the pipe ever being pressure tested to verify maximum operating pressure, PG&E will need to conduct the pressure test or replace the pipelines.

On June 9, 2011, the CPUC ordered all gas transmission operators to test or replace pipelines not previously tested. At the completion of the period, all of California natural gas transmission pipelines must, (1) be pressure tested, (2) have traceable, verifiable, and complete records, and (3) where warranted, be capable of accommodating in-line inspection devices.

The green color on the maps you reviewed do not indicate that the pipeline is “safe” or not safe. The line was an attempt by PG&E to show the segments where they have located the appropriated records. The non-green sections are still being reviewed to locate records or need to be pressure tested.

As mentioned, I am trying to ascertain when the CPUC mandated test or replace untested lines period ends or if there is an end date in mind. We know it has to be somewhat flexible but I will check in with the CPUC.”

A great many thanks to Senator Yee’s office and to Ms Salgado in particular in digging up this information and keeping us all in the loop.

Shooting Death Presents Test for a New Police Chief

From the Bay Citizen,

As a police captain in San Francisco’s violent Bayview neighborhood, Greg Suhr operated from the streets. The stocky veteran schmoozed small-business owners and community leaders and prided himself on a culture of transparency. By the time he left this year, homicides in the Bayview had dropped by 50 percent.

Mr. Suhr, who is now police chief, applied the same strategy last week after a 19-year-old man died on July 16 while engaged in a shootout with officers in the Bayview. As anger grew over the incident, Chief Suhr held news conferences, staged a town-hall-style meeting and issued a flurry of statements to provide evidence that officers had shot the man, Kenneth Harding, in self-defense.

“My response to this shooting, if you look at the other shootings, has been consistent,” Chief Suhr told The Bay Citizen last week. “I get information, I put it out, I promise to have a meeting in the area where a shooting occurs, and that has happened.”

Read more at the Bay Citizen

Ground Breaking at new Bayview Library

Mayor Edwin M. Lee joined neighbors and community leaders to break ground on the new Bayview Branch Library, the 23rd library project in the 24-library, Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP). The new 9,000 square foot building on Third Street will provide youth and the Bayview community with a seismically safe, universally accessible and environmentally sustainable library facility. San Francisco is building libraries when other cities are closing their libraries.

Read more at SFAppeal

Bayview shooting aftermath: Pastors to pay for Muni rides for poor kids

While I would otherwise applaud the charitable act by these pastors, we need to remember that it is NOT because Harding didn't have $2 for fare that he was killed.  He was killed because he: 1. ran from police, which for those who don't know, is not a way to make them be your friend; 2. pulled a gun and started shooting at police; and 3. quite probably because he took his own life, whether accidentally or on purpose.  So if these pastors' solution is to keep criminals hidden from the cops by paying their way on the train so that they can slip through a fare check, then I'd rather they not.  If they can tell the difference between the 'poor kids' who need to ride the train and the criminals who are using it to get from one bad deed to another, then go for it.  But it's ridiculous in the Harding incident that "many hold that the facts surrounding the events of July 16th aren’t the point."  Yes, there's a history between SFPD and the community, but the facts in this case point to the police doing their job correctly and Harding being a scumbag who wanted to kill them so as to avoid going back to jail for a murder in Seattle.

From SF Weekly,

The death of 19-year-old Kenneth Harding, Jr. on Saturday can be traced back to a Muni fare inspection gone terribly awry. According to police, Harding ran from the cops as they checked passengers' tickets riding the T-Third Muni. Harding allegedly fired his pistol at police, leading to an exchange of bullets. Harding fell to the ground, bleeding and eventually died.

Witnesses say Harding was trying to dodge his Muni fare,and given how fired up the community has been about this tragic shooting, some local pastors are stepping in to help others who might find themselves in a similar situation: With no cash to pay the bus fare.

On Monday, Reverend Ishmael Burch, one of the seven clergy in the Concerned Citizen's Committee, says pastors will be out on the T-Third train platforms in the Bayview starting at 8 a.m.to pay the $2 bus fare for San Francisco's youngsters who don't have the dough.

Silver Terrace Wellness Day a Success!

Team Wellness Day

The sky was bright and the air was warm for the first ever Silver Terrace Wellness Day.  Over 300 neighbors from the Portola, Visitacion Valley, Bayview, Bernal Heights, and of course, Silver Terrace, came to enjoy themselves at a city playground today, where they were met by eager volunteers ready to help them get a little wellness into their lives.  A long list of health and medical organizations, local businesses, and volunteer agencies were on-hand to provide a wide variety of experiences within the confines of the playground.  Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, was put on FREE of charge and through volunteer effort, from the food to the instructors to the permit for the park.  Everyone chipped in to create a truly magical day.

Armando Luna, Championship Fitness

Starting us off, Armando Luna of Championship Fitness, who usually gives of his time by teaching yoga at the Bayview Opera House, started the day off with a yoga class for a group of early birds.  Later in the day, Sports Basement showed up to offer a soccer clinic and Rec & Park sent some folks over to lead a Volleyball skills clinic. 

Jorge Cordoba and Sharad Jain

Jorge Cordoba of SFGH was a HUGE help in coordinating and setting up all the  health and medical information booths.  API Wellness offered Hepatitis B testing, NEMS and Clinic by the Bay offered blood pressure testing, getting over 60 people tested.  The San Francisco Suicide Prevention Center was on hand too, as was the 3rd St Youth Clinic.  Given that many in our community do not speak English well or at all, the California Healthcare Interpretive Association was on hand to talk to people about how they can get help obtaining services in their own language and to connect with the healthcare providers who were there to let them know of CHIA's services.

Recology serves up lunch

The Green Goatee, QGI

Andrea Cohan's VeggieTable

Food is a major part of wellness, and so this was another major draw for people coming to the event.  Tony "The Green Goatee" Tarket of the Quesada Gardens Initiative spent hours under the tree showing people how to garden and giving them a plant to take home.  Speaking of plants to take home, Andrea Cohan of the Veggie Table brought over 20-lbs of collard greens, strawberries, and other veggies for people to take.   Recology's Ron Walton and his crew did a bang up job of keeping the food flowing, serving up over 250 hot dogs and 100 veggie, beef, and turkey burgers.  The free veggies and lunch were both GONE by noon!!!  Next year, one per person, though!  Paige Boger was also on hand to sign people up for Eatwell Farms Organic Veggie and Egg delivery.

Chris Schlesinger, At Home CPR

Oscar and  Jr Paramedic, AMR

Off in the clubhouse, Chris Schlesinger offered two CPR classes for those who wanted a basic understanding of what to do in an emergency.  Paramedics Bill and Oscar from AMR Ambulance were on-hand just in case we had one, and to show off their ambulance to the kids.

Kids at Wellness Day

Michele Elefante, SF Karate

Speaking of the kids, Erica Rendón of Portola Family Connections spent the day over in the playground area with Julia and her troupe from Our Family Coalition face painting and playing with hula hoops.  Judging by the number of kids walking around with their faces painted, it looked like they had a blast.  Kids were also into the karate lessons offered by Michele Elefante of SF Karate, and it looked like they all had a fun time kicking it!! Dogs - the children of some of us - were also taken care of throughout the day by great folks at Fog City Dogs.

I'm really proud of the job we did yesterday.  Not to go without mention, Vickie Bell of Neighborhood Parks Council, who helped coordinate the entire day, Mariano Tabios, volunteer neighbor extraordinaire, and Robert Watkins and Marquiza of Rec & Parks. 

It looks like this could be an annual event, so anyone who's interested in helping, especially with  translation, outreach, or organization, please drop me a line!

Supervisor Cohen's July Newsletter

Supervisor MALIA COHEN
Serving San Francisco’s 10th District

July 2011 Newsletter
Upcoming Events
Save the date!
Community office hours on Saturday, August 6, 10am
–
12pm.
Silver Terrace Wellness Day
Get off the couch and get active! Events and activities for all ages including sports, gardening and healthy living tips as well as a free vegetable give away July 23, 10am-2pm at corner of Silver Ave. and Bayshore Blvd.

4th Annual Artfest
We encourage everyone to savethe date for the 4th annual Artsfest on Fairfax and 3rd St. on September 24 at 11am. It will feature art galleries, live blues, food, arts & crafts, and activities for children. Admission is free!

Veritable Vegetable Hiring Soon
Veritable Vegetable will soon behiring for swing warehousepositions and would like to hire


http://www.sfbos.org/index.aspx?page=11669

Seagull That Caused Dogpatch Power Outage Being Cared For By SF Animal Care And Control

And in other news...

3:33 PM:A seagull caused a power outage that affected about 500 PG&E customers in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood this morning. 


PG&E spokesman Joe Molica said the seagull sparked the outage shortly after 8 a.m. at 24th and Illinois streets.

"A bird made contact with two of our power lines at the same time," he said.

One wire fell to the street, and crews responded to make repairs.

Power was restored to most customers shortly after 10 a.m., and the rest had their electricity back by 11:30 a.m., he said.

Molica said the seagull survived and is being tended to by San Francisco Animal Care and Control.

1:22 PM: A bird caused a power outage that affected about 500 PG&E customers in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood this morning. 

PG&E spokesman Joe Molica said the bird sparked the outage shortly after 8 a.m. at 24th and Illinois streets.

"What happened was, a bird made contact with two of our power lines at the same time," he said.
One wire fell to the street, and crews responded to make repairs.

Power was restored to most customers shortly after 10 a.m., and the rest had their electricity back by 11:30 a.m., he said.

There was no word on the bird's fate, but Molica said birds don't typically survive incidents like this morning's, which he said are rare.

Police: Bayview suspect actually shot himself

This just keeps on going... ANOTHER example of why people should refrain from jumping to conclusions based on next to no evidence, from SFGate,

A young man who died in a confrontation with San Francisco police officers on Saturday in the Bayview neighborhood appears to have fired the fatal shot from his own pistol, authorities said today.

Chief San Francisco Medical Examiner Amy Hart said the office's preliminary findings show that 19-year-old Kenneth Wade Harding was struck by two bullets, one that entered and exited his left leg and one that entered his neck and lodged in his head.

The bullet that entered Harding's head, apparently killing him, was a .380-caliber bullet, Hart said. But San Francisco police officers use .40-caliber ammunition, said Commander Mike Biel, and .380-caliber bullets cannot be fired from department-issued weapons.

Additionally, the medical examiner's office found a .380-caliber bullet in Harding's jacket pocket, Biel said.

"Based on the findings of the medical examiner, at this time we believe he was fatally wounded by a .380-caliber bullet," Biel told reporters this afternoon. "We believe the fatal wound to Mr. Harding's body was self-inflicted. The investigation is still ongoing as to whether or nor this was accidental or an intentional act."

Read more: SFGate

Parcels UC-­1 & UC-­2 Draft Finding of Suitability for Transfer

Environmental Protection Agency Technical Assistance Grant Hunters Point Shipyard Fact Sheet 

This fact sheet provides a brief summary of the draft finding of suitability for transfer (FOST) of Parcel  UC-­1 and for transfer of Parcel UC-­2 of the Hunters Point Shipyard Superfund Site. The report was  prepared by the U.S. Navy. The FOST was prepared to document the  readiness of the parcels to be transferred to the San Francisco  Redevelopment Agency (SFRA) according to all relevant and  appropriate state and federal regulations including the  Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), known as Superfund. The report also describes the  readiness of the property for reuse with regard to laws regulating lead  paint, asbestos, petroleum, and other hazardous materials not  covered by Superfund law. The Navy is required to clean up  contaminants that it spilled but does not usually do lead paint or  asbestos abatement in buildings. That cleanup will be done by the  new owners according to regulations that govern these substances.  However, the Navy must disclose what it knows about these other  contaminants as part of the FOST report.

This FOST is different from a Finding of Suitability for Early Transfer (FOSET) because the FOST documents that all Navy cleanup has been completed to the satisfaction of the state and federal agencies. A FOSET such as the one described for Parcels B & G in an earlier Fact Sheet describes what remains to be cleaned up, not by the Navy, but by the new property owners under the watchful eyes of the same regulatory agencies. The transfers of UC-­1 & UC-­2 are not early transfers.

Public involvement is a requirement of the Superfund process. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency's Technical Assistance Grant program provides fact sheets such as this one  to inform  communities near Superfund sites to assist their understanding and participation in the process.  

Voice of reason silenced in Bayview shooting protests

Yes, I'm a white, middle-aged, middle class guy who hasn't lived the poor, American Black experience.  But talking today to my 80-year old neighbor who has lived that experience, I find my views pretty much mirror his on this matter.  Harding was killed because he was a convicted pimp with little education, a suspected murderer running from the law, carrying a gun, and looking for trouble.  That he got onto a Muni vehicle and didn't pay his $2 fare wasn't the reason he was killed, but it WAS his undoing.  Had he paid his fare, he would have been let go immediately after the fare check to do whatever mayhem he was here to do.  All the yahoos calling the police murderers and oppressors can kiss my ass.  They're doing their job to keep us safe by doing foot patrols and increasing their presence in our community.  It's only if you're doing something illegal that you ought to be worried that they're out to get you - because if you ARE doing something illegal, then they ARE out to get YOU. 

This from SFGate's CW Nevius,

It is time to turn down the volume.

In the wake of the Saturday shooting death of Kenneth Wade Harding in the Bayview, accusations against the police flew. A perfect example came from a handout at Tuesday night's protest that said, "SFPD shoot a 19-year-old in Bayview for not paying his Muni fare."

Throw in claims that Harding was unarmed and it sounds horrific - Police chasing down and killing an innocent, unarmed man in a dispute over a $2 Muni fare.

Unfortunately, it now appears that almost none of that was true.

Harding, who served 22 months in prison for attempting to force a 14-year-old girl into prostitution, may not have been running to avoid a Muni fare beef. He was probably trying to flee police because he is wanted as a person of interest in a July 13 Seattle shooting that killed a 19-year-old community college student and wounded three other people.

Read more: SFGate

RootsToFruits -- TASTING OUR SHARED FRUITURE!

Wondering where to start, as busy urban dwellers, towards sustainable living? Learning about the benefits of fruit trees and their associated ecosystem could be a great first step. Instead of going out and purchasing a tree that might not do well in your microclimate, or one that has needs that you're unaware, we do the hand holding from the start -- but it doesn't end there... On July 23, 2011, the FREE Roots to Fruits, TASTING OUR SHARED FRUITURE event will celebrate local abundance, knowledge, skillshare and Summer Fruit Tasting! Our Keynote Speaker Author Pam Peirce will talk about "Using San Francisco's Microclimates to Grow Food and Flowers". Special guest speaker Dr. John Preece, of the Wolfskill Germplasm Repository will Discuss "Why is a gene bank for fruit and nut crops important" Family Friendly Activities will include: Fruit Tasting & Tree Sale – tree planting is a commitment, you get to taste the fruit before deciding on what variety you want to plant! Backyard Showcase Garden shows you that, sustainability features in a standard San Francisco Backyard is not only desirable but totally within reach! Outdoor Adobe Kitchen teaches canning, jamming, pie and bread making to prepare you for the eventuality - overabundance. Is that ever a problem? We think not, endless yummy solutions await - we'll show you just a few. Urban Locavore Marketplace is for the impatient ones, who want all the goodies NOW [you know who you are ;)]. Featuring locally produced goods and services including jams, honeys, cheese, soaps, tinctures and salves. We even have a fruit scrub and facial with therapeutic Body Care! Best Backyard Fruit Contest - bring your backyard fruit. If it is judged to be the best in town, you can win fabulous garden prizes! Kids are not forgotten, there will be face painting, chickens, goat milking demo, plus music from Bubblejuice! If you haven't heard of them, check this out - "Before You Take A Bit Of Food"! Have I got your juices flowing? See how to participate, and get more information and schedules of the demos below. Event: Roots To Fruits, TASTING OUR SHARED FRUITURE Sat, July 23 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Cost: Free (tasting $4 suggested donation) Proceeds benefit urban agriculture & local initiatives. Location: The School Farm Glen Park, San Francisco Address: 555 Portola Dr, School of the Arts (SOTA). Enter on O'Shaughnessy, map - http://bit.ly/SchoolFarmEntrance Website:    roots-to-fruits.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110183875738805 If you make anything, grow anything and like to share (or sell) everything... you know where to bring them. But you need to register first - Marketplace Registration: http://bit.ly/locavoreMKTregistration If you are growing fruit, and they are ripe right about now, submit them at the Best Backyard Fruit Contest:  http://bit.ly/BestBYFruitContest  to win bragging right and prizes! We sure need more help so, if you can spare even just couple of hours, Sign Up to Volunteer: http://bit.ly/RTFvolunteerSignUp best way to learn is to participate! Background: San Francisco— through a new annual event series, Roots to Fruits offers a unique opportunity to sample the tastiest fruits you can grow in Bay Area microclimates before you pre-order young fruit trees. The trees will arrive in January, the perfect season for planting. The kickoff event,"Roots to Fruits: Tasting our Shared Fruiture" will focus on family fun by hosting a day filled with educational talks and demos. A host of Bay Area's experts on gardening, homesteading, water harvesting and urban forestry will be available to answer your questions. Small producers including breadmakers, canners, jammers, beekeepers and fruit growers will share practical solutions that can help support our shared food system. It is all about wise utilization of resources! If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me – tara@roots-to-fruits.org Roots to Fruits Tasting Our Shared Fruiture! Roots to Fruits | July 23, 2011 | San Francisco roots-to-fruits.com  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend

UPDATE: Town hall meeting held between Bayview, police

Video of Chief Suhr leaving the non-surprisingly chaotic meeting in the Bayview tonight...

Earlier, from KGO,

Wednesday evening, a town hall meeting took place in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood and was expected to be intense. The police chief and members of the command staff are answering questions about why their officers shot and killed a man last weekend. 

The relationship between police and poor African-American communities nationwide has traditionally been tense and certainly Saturday's shooting has the Bayview on edge. 

"We'll give them everything we have with regard to the facts of the case," said Police Chief Greg Suhr.

Read more from KGO

And not surprisingly, this incident has brought out the "professional protesters" from outside the city, as reported by the SF Examiner in "More than half of arrested Muni shooting protesters live outside San Francisco" - two thirds of the 43 protesters, to be exact...

Youths target San Francisco Muni drivers in attacks

Ugh... school's out for summer, and the kids are bored...

Two Muni drivers were injured and four buses sustained a combined $1,000 in damage in the Bayview on Sunday after a gang of rowdy pranksters as young as 9 years old attacked them with bottles, wooden blocks and other objects.

The youths, who witnesses said ranged in age from 9 to 13, pelted an operator in the face with a basketball and struck another with thick wire during the morning attacks, police Officer Albie Esparza said Tuesday.

The drivers were not seriously injured and both were back on the job Monday, said Debra Johnson, interim executive director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni. Esparza said the attacks were in no way related to the unrest in the Bayview last weekend following the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man by police Saturday.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

Dogpatch through the eyes of two fellow bloggers...

I love it when people who live outside D10 discover something awesome about our neighborhood that we already know about and love...

From Kyle B Macy's "Design & Dishes" blog, 

One area of the city that I think people can tend to forget is the incredible Dog Patch neighborhood. It's got a cool mix of industrial spots like Building REsources and hands-down the coolest garden shop in the city Flora Grubb, both of which can be dangerous for me, financially that is. This particular restaurant came to Ryan and I's attention sometime in the fall but with multiple locations throughout SF we found ourselves dining at the Hard Knox Cafe located in the Dog Patch this past week.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Kyle...

Meanwhile, over at Piece x Piece, "Dogpatch, Shantytown, USA":

Welcome to the other side of DogPatch. We’ve shown you many popular hot spots to shop and eat here in the hood of Piece x Piece, but we have been dying to share with you the spookier side of our otherwise quaint little neighborhood. Our block has come a long way in the past couple of years, thanks to the T-line, the development of UCSF Research Centers, the renovation of the Carriage House, the opening of Serpentine and so many others. And while all the construction has brought new life into the neighborhood it’s also begun a crack down on what we like to call Shantytown.