Bayview District Midweek Recap

BAYVIEW POLICE STATION-201 WILLIAMS ST, S.F. 94124. 415 671-2300
Captain Paul Chignell August 31, 2011 CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE:
*************
On August 25th at 11:00 AM, Officers were patrolling on the 1700 block of Oakdale. They saw a subject who they knew to be on active parole, with a warrantless search condition, walking down the street. When the suspect noticed the Officers, he quickly put his hands in front of his pants as if concealing something. The Officers decided to conduct a parole search on the subject. The search yielded an AM/FM/CD car stereo receiver in the suspect’s front waistband. He admitted that the car stereo was not his and that he was about to sell it. The Officers also located a screwdriver and 2 crack pipes on the suspect and placed him under arrest.

A call was made to the suspect’s Parole Officer who requested that a parole hold be placed on the suspect. He was booked at Bayview Station. An investigation into locating the victim of the stolen car stereo is ongoing. (SFPD Case No. 110681708)

Light Rail Studios

Friends went to see this performance of "Abigail - The Rock Opera" the other night at Light Rail Studios, another one of the places that makes D10 super-cool:

LIGHT RAIL STUDIOS
info@lightrailstudios.com
415 285 0259
672 Toland Place San Francisco, California 94124
Check them out on Facebook or at their website

EVENT: Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration at Mission Bay

Mark your Calendars:

Celebrate the 24th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration at Mission Bay with slack-key guitarist Steven Espaniola and the students of Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu. There will be $4 Asian chicken BBQ plate lunches for sale from The Pub (while supplies last!). Lunches will be sold starting at 11:45 am. First come, first served!

Date: 9/28/11

Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Location: The Pub Terrace, Mission Bay, 1675 Owens Street

FREE
Sponsored by APASA, the Cultural Enrichment Fund, and Campus Life Services Arts & Events.

Check the 94017 calendar for more events

EVENT: Leland Ave Street Fair

Mark your calendars!
September 25, 10AM - 4PM
Leland Ave at Bayshore Blvd

Travel down the T-Third train line to get to this year’s Leland Avenue Street Fair, a quaint neighborhood celebration in the heart of Visitacion Valley, on Sunday, September 25.


A free, all-ages festival, the Leland Avenue Street Fair will feature artists, crafters, chefs, entertainers and food vendors. There will also be live musical entertainment, an enclosed bicycle course and plenty of activities for the little ones, so spend your Sunday checking out the crafts and cha-cha bands at this cute, community street fair in the south end of the city.

Check the 94134 calendar for more events

STAR Artist in Residence Program at the Hunters Point Shipyard

Applications are now available for the STAR Artist in Residence Program at the Hunters Point Shipyard.  Artists who live or work in the Bayview are eligible to apply. 

ABOUT STAR'S ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM

Now in its eleventh year, the Artist-in-Residence Program was one of the earliest initiatives undertaken
by Shipyard Trust for the Arts (STAR) after its formation in 1995.  The organization itself grew out of
artist involvement in San Francisco's redevelopment planning process dating back to the mid 1980's and the public debate over shipyard development and possible home porting of the USS Missouri.

Goals of STAR's AIR Program:
1) To make a bridge between the existing shipyard artist community and the Bayview-Hunters point
neighborhood.
2) To assist in the professional development of artists.
3) To Provide an opportunity for the public to be educated about the residency experience.

The grant gives the recipient the opportunity to have a full-time studio at the Shipyard, allowing the
artist to concentrate on creative work and be part of the nation's largest community of fine arts
professionals.

Residency Period:  The period of residence is for 18 months and provides a large working studio space, participation in Fall and Spring Open Studio events and opportunities for interaction with the Shipyard artist community and the Bayview-Hunters Point community.  The residency begins on or about Wednesday, December 14, 2011 and ends June 14, 2013.

Eligibility:  All visual or cross-disciplinary artists at least 18 years of age who are living in, working, or significantly involved in the Bayview-Hunters Point community may apply.

Requirements:  The AIR is required to participate in the SF Open Studios in the Fall and the Shipyard
Spring Open Studio in the Spring.  The artist is required to volunteer 12 hours to one of these programs
in exchange for fees covering their open studio participation.  The artist is required to provide an art
piece for each of the following events:  STAR Auction during Fall Open Studio, the Art Span exhibition
during Fall Open Studio, the Spring Sale or auction during Spring Open Studio.  The artist is also required to donate to STAR an artwork created during the residency.

Selection based upon: 
1) the strength of the artwork submitted;
2) the merit of the project or work to
be completed during the residency;
3) the strength of the artist's ties to the Bayview-Hunters Point
community.

Application:  For an application of more information, please go online to www.shipyardtrust.org, or
write to us at STAR, PO Box 880083, San Francisco, CA  94188.  Or e-mail us at info@shipyardtrust.org

DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATION IS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2011.

The winner will be announced on November 30, 2011.

ABOUT SHIPYARD TRUST FOR THE ARTS
Mission Statement: STAR's mission is to preserve and expand the artist community at Hunters Point
Shipyard by: conserving affordable artist studios and workspaces; complementing and supporting arts
programs in the surrounding community; creating arts exhibition and education facilities; promoting the shipyard as a hub of artistic activity.

EVENT: Pet Camp Movie Night

September 10th Pet Camp Turner & Hooch will be playing on the big screen in the Savannah. Doors open at 7:15 pm with the movie starting at 7:45. Bring the lawn chair, the beach blanket and your well behaved dog. Purchase your tickets in advance for only $10.00 to support the amazing work of Vet SOS! The folks from Vet SOS will be selling snacks and drinks, but feel free to bring your own adult beverages - just no glass please (it's murder on the paws). This is a dog kid friendly but not a human kid friendly event so please book a sitter. Main Campground For dogs and cats 525 Phelps Street at Galvez San Francisco 415.282.0700

Check the 94124 calendar for more events

QB3 Innovation Policy Seminar - "Innovation and Regulatory Policies," Congresswoman Jackie Speier

Tue, September 27, 5pm – 7pm
Byers Auditorium, Genentech Hall, UCSF Mission Bay
map

Description
 
Register at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2111326033

As part of its ongoing Innovation Policy Series, QB3 is pleased to host Jackie Speier, JD, Congresswoman for California’s 12th Congressional District.

The Obama administration is pushing strongly that innovation be encouraged in the U.S. to enhance our economic competitiveness; but is there any substantive support in Washington for the President’s agenda? Join us in this discussion on better balancing the regulators’ fear of taking risks with the pressing need for new therapies for major chronic diseases.

Congresswoman Speier’s talk will start at 5:10 pm. A reception will follow from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Speaker bio: Jackie Speier (pronounced SPEAR) has lived her entire life inside California’s scenic 12th Congressional District, which she has represented in Congress since April 2008. She previously served the residents of the San Francisco Peninsula on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and in the California Assembly and Senate. Jackie was the first California legislator to give birth while in office and, during her time in Sacramento, authored more than 300 bills that were signed into law by both Republican and Democratic governors. These included the nation’s strongest financial privacy law and measures that expanded women’s access to reproductive health services, ended gender-based pricing at retail establishments and safeguarded children from hazardous products. Her law to improve collection of delinquent child support has resulted in tens of billions of dollars being recovered for single parents since enactment. She also led high-profile investigations of fraudulent and wasteful government spending which saved taxpayers many more millions of dollars. [Biography continues on Congresswoman Speier’s official website.]

Alice Griffith renovation gains federal jump-start

Photo: Paul Chin, The Chronicle

Good news reported in SFGate today!

One of San Francisco's most dangerous and run-down housing projects, Alice Griffith, will receive a $30.5 million federal grant that will jump-start work there and at the city's huge Hunters Point Shipyard redevelopment project.

Read more: SFGate

Traffic Advisory: 3rd at 20th St

UPDATE From SFGate:

(08-31) 09:35 PST -- An accident at a construction site in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood this morning sent four workers to the hospital, three with serious injuries, a fire battalion chief said.

The accident was reported at about 8 a.m. at a six-story building under construction at 19th and Illinois streets.

San Francisco fire Battalion Chief Charles Crane said workers were pouring concrete when three men working on the sixth floor fell three stories into the drying concrete.

They were seriously injured, he said.

A fourth worker was also hurt but his injuries were believed to be minor, Crane said.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has been notified of the accident, he said.

Please avoid the area of 3rd St. & 20th. St at the Potrero Launch site until after 10:00 am due to construction accident. 

Velma's Closed and For Sale

I just got word from a friend that Velma's Jazz Club has closed down because business was bad and they just couldn't keep it going.  Sad that a place like this that my friend and others especially liked seems to have just faded away without any mention in the press.

Velma Landers, Eric Jones, and Chester Billinger opened Velma's at 2246 Jerrold Ave in the autumn of 2007. The land and building are currently for sale.

• Price:$680,000
• Building Size: 3,650 SF
• Price/SF:$186.30
• Property Type: Industrial
• Property Sub-type: Flex Space
• Additional Sub-types: Restaurant
• Property Use Type: Investment
• Tenancy: Single
• Find Out More...

Last Verified  8/29/2011 Listing ID  17178568

Reminder: POTRERO HILL MAYORAL CANDIDATE DEBATE TONIGHT

AUGUST 30th POTRERO HILL MAYORAL CANDIDATE DEBATE

Doors open at 6pm; event begins at 6:30

Please join us for what is sure to be a spirited and informative debate. The format will consist of four rounds of candidates asking questions of each other, plus opening and closing statements. Each round has a particular subject:

·Creating Careers for San Franciscans (Jobs, the Economy)
·Preventing Cuts to Our Services (Budget, Transit, Parks)
·Keeping Families Here (Housing, Schools)
·Supporting Livable Neighborhoods (Health, Safety)

There will also be bonus minutes awarded for various reasons. For participating candidates' questionnaires, click here. To view the different candidates' answers side-by-side, click here. After the debate, we will also post the questionnaires submitted by candidates who did not appear. Participating candidates are Michela Alioto-Pier, John Avalos, Terry Baum, David Chiu, Bevan Dufty, Dennis Herrera, Joanna Rees.

Co-sponsored by Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association, the debate will be videotaped and later posted online. PHDC member voting on Mayoral endorsements will occur in September, along with other endorsement voting.

WHERE: International Studies Academy Auditorium, 655 De Haro at 18th St
WHEN: Tuesday, August 30th, at 6:30PM - doors open at 6

Yee’s Pipeline Safety Bill Unanimously Approved by Assembly

Legislation would Require Automatic and Remotely-Controlled Shutoff Valves Throughout Gas Pipeline System

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Assembly unanimously approved legislation authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) to require PG&E and other gas utility companies to install automatic and remotely-controlled shutoff valves throughout California’s pipelines.

The gas pipeline that exploded on September 9, 2010 in San Bruno was only equipped with manual shutoff valves and without a technician in the vicinity, the inferno continued for hours, killing 8 people and destroying 38 homes.

Yee’s SB 216 would require installation of automatic or remotely-controlled valves on all pipelines that cross an active seismic earthquake fault or are located within a High Consequence Area. Under SB 216, automatic or remotely-controlled shutoff valves would be required every 2.5 miles in the highest density areas (Class 4); every 4 miles in medium density areas (Class 3); every 7.5 miles in low density areas (Class 2), and every 10 miles in extremely low density areas (Class 1). Currently, federal regulations only require manual shutoff valves in these locations.

At probe's end, San Bruno pipe's origin is unknown - SFGate

Bayview District Weekend Recap

BAYVIEW POLICE STATION-201 WILLIAMS ST, S.F. 94124. 415 671-2300
Captain Paul Chignell August 29, 2011 CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE:

We are exceedingly proud of the efforts of the Bayview officers in arresting criminals with loaded firearms. Our number one priority is to reduce violent crime. Implicit in that mission is to remove guns from the streets of the Bayview.
Over the past thirty days we have arrested criminals with loaded firearms at the following locations:

141 Middlepoint, 2900 block of Ingalls, Newcomb and Mendell, 1100 block of Oakdale, Palou and Crisp, 3rd and LaSalle, 400 block of Paul,the first block of Turner Terrace, Missouri and Watchman Way and the first block of Commer Court.

All Day Breakfast Spots

Breakfast at Tiffany's, one of out local hang-outs in the Portola for a traditional all-day breakfast. Personally, I prefer the New City Bakery next door for their cocktail buns and dry pork toast, although neither place is much to look at.  Just be prepared at New City to run the gauntlet of smoking construction workers out front.  Do you have a favorite breakfast place in D10?

From SFGate,

The restaurants are often filled with those who can provide a play-by-play of the previous night's game while forking down a three-egg omelet, home fries and toast, then washing it all down with several cups of coffee. All before 7 a.m.

These are the sort of customers who keep San Francisco's 40-seat Breakfast at Tiffany's hopping, according to April Martin, who, along with older brothers and cooks Don and Gerald Adan, have been in same Portola location for more than three decades.

‘Something fishy’ tip leads to San Francisco Bayview ID theft operation | Ari Burack | Law and Disorder | San Francisco Examiner

‘Something fishy’ tip leads to San Francisco Bayview ID theft operation

Selby Palou Mini Park VOLUNTEER DAY

Keeping Our Neighborhood Park Clean! Gardening • Weeding • Litter Removal

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 9:00 am-11:00 am Selby Palou Mini Park (@ Selby btw Palou and Quesada)

To register visit http://sfnpc.org/miniparkstewards
For more information please contact Neighborhood Parks Council at 415-621-3260

Event: Distressed Homeowner Forum

An open forum on foreclosure assistance
Sunday, Sept 18, 2-4pm
At the SF Housing Development Corporation, 4439 Third St

Taking issue with a Food Desert

Food Deserts

Some folks who don't live here are quibbling with politicians and residents using the term "Food Desert": take SFCitizen for example.

Fresh and Easy is located at 5800 Third St, across the street from a bonafide Food Desert.  Now technically, we do have mom’n'pop shops that sell food that make it less deserted, and so technically, most of us don't live in a desert.  However, these shops tend to have low quality meats, few, if any vegetables, and load up on the high-fat, low quality foods that help to provide the obesity and diabetes rates we have in this area. FoodsCo is filthy and its cold cases full of mold, while SuperSave doesn’t have the capacity to provide for the community, so we may as well be living in a desert.  The few small groceries on San Bruno Ave aside, residents of the Bayview have been forced to travel away from our neighborhood to get quality food.  Now with F&E, we can stay nearby to get quality food in our new food oasis.

Senator Yee's Annual Townhall & Pancake Breakfast

From Senator Yee's office:

We hope you can join us for our annual breakfast and town hall with Senator Leland Yee. This is a great tradition going back years and a terrific opportunity to meet new folks, hear from Senator Yee and have your questions answered – plus, free pancakes! This is open to the public of course so please feel free to forward and invite your neighbors. All we ask is for you to RSVP to our offices at 415-557-7857.


If you are on Facebook, please also RSVP and help spread the word there: Annual Pancake Breakfast & Town Hall with Sen. Leland Yee (but still confirm by phone, too – we really need to make sure we have enough food!)


Please see all the details below and here they are in brief:


What: Annual Pancake Breakfast & Town Hall with Sen. Leland Yee
Where: Saroyan Hall at Armenian-American Day School, 825 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco (Map)
When: Sunday, August 28; 9:00 AM

Bayview District Weekly Newsletter

BAYVIEW POLICE STATION 201 WILLIAMS AVE S.F. 94124 (415) 671-2300
CAPTAIN PAUL CHIGNELL
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE
AUGUST 26, 2011

Monday’s report will be a full report on the firearm arrests that have been made in the past few weeks. Bayview officers continue to remove dangerous weapons from our streets.

Don’t forget that our next police-community meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 in the Portola neighborhood at Grace Lutheran Church, 465 Woolsey. All are invited but especially Portola residents. Please let your neighbors know about the meeting.

Bayview Station holds community meetings with the Captain on the first Tuesday of each month. We are working on holding these monthly meetings at various locations within the Bayview to help provide access and convenience to all residents who wish to attend.

The next meeting is on Tuesday, September 6th, 6:00 pm Bethel Grace Lutheran Church
465 Woolsey St. (Cross Street Somerset)

Incidents of Interest:

EVENT: MS Waves to Wine Bike Ride

This September, the UCSF Mission Bay campus will once again host the start/finish of the Multiple Sclerosis Society's annual fundraising bicycle ride called 'Waves to Wine.' Please visit the event website at www.wavestowine.org for further information, or how you can participate.

On Friday, September 16, 2011, set up for this event will begin which includes tents in front of Byers Hall and Genentech Hall, a bicycle holding area in the Plaza, a starting line 'portal' between the Rutter Center and Genentech Hall near Owens Street, and portable toilets near the shuttle stop. On Saturday, September 17, 2011, event participants will begin arriving at 5:00am. Riders will assemble along the pedestrian walkway (UCSF Lane, between Rutter Center and Genentech Hall) for the start of the event at 6:30am; the course closes at 8:00am.

On Sunday, September 18th, 2011, between 3:00pm and 8:00pm, bicycles will be dropped off at the holding area on the Plaza, and the riders will return to the campus by bus. Removal of the remaining tents and the bicycle holding area will be completed on Monday, September 19th, 2011.

Portola Pocket Park

Burrows St. Parklet in The Portola

Last evening, after a trip to Fresh & Easy and a visit to the new Limón Rotisserie and Brown Sugar Kitchen (YUM!!!), I made my way over to the Portola to sit in on a discussion about a new pocket park to be located at 1 Burrows St where it dead-ends against US-101. In attendance were neighborhood residents, people from the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development, Supervisor Campos' office, and DPW.  

The little room we met in was packed to standing room-only.  Most people on-hand were in favor of the project, but I have to say, I felt bad for the lone voice in opposition, Mr Mirkovich, owner of a building that is located next to the new parklet.  He obviously felt like he was being ignored, even though the Portola Neighborhood Steering Committee (PNSC), the group behind the plan, has actually gone out of their way to accommodate his wants and needs.  He's just not in the mood to listen.  It's too bad, really.

Mr Mirkovich's chief complaints were about homeless people, trash, and his liability should someone fall from the parklet onto his property.  The owner of the building we were meeting in, across the street from Mr Mirkovich's place, respectfully pointed out that there already is homelessness, dumping, and other criminal activity in the location, so he was willing to give PNSC the benefit of the doubt and suggested that it really couldn't get much worse. I brought up how this project reminded me of the 1700 block of Quesada Ave.  Overseen by the Quesada Gardens Initiative, the median strip there has transformed from a drug-dealer and dumping area to a beautiful organic garden that brings the community together.  I suggested those in attendance head over the the QGI site to see what their parklet could be.

Burrows St Parklet in The Portola

PNSC board member Ruth Wallace told the crowd of all the work that PNSC does with regard to this area, including weekly clean-ups.  PNSC is also going to be installing surveillance cameras in the area to try to deter homeless encampments and help police catch bad-guys.  A Bayview SFPD officer on-hand mentioned the benefit that similar cameras on the NEMS building on San Bruno has had in bringing criminals to justice.

The parkelt has been designed by Architects for Humanity, and they presented the plan for the tiny parklet, complete with permeable sidewalks and bioswales, and even a plan to open up the building we were meeting in with windows and to add a coffee shop.  Interestingly, it seems the plan is farther along than I thought, with work beginning soon on some tear-down aspects of the project (a barricade and a fence are first to go).  The Workforce Development representative mentioned that her office actually has up to $50K to grant someone who would want to open up a coffee shop in the space we were meeting in, and can offer very low interest loans, too.  Anyone interested?

Anyway, here's hoping Mr Mirkovich doesn't have a coronary over this whole thing and realizes in the end that its a good thing for him, too, to have this project done.  

One more thing... Funny thing about the Portola, locals pronounce it PORE-toe-lah, while most outsiders prefer to pronounce it "correctly" as por-TOH-lah.  In Spanish, at least as far as my two semesters of City College Spanish have taught me, the accent always goes on the second-to-last syllable, unless otherwise marked.  Well, we don't write "Portola" with any accents, so the local's pronunciation is technically wrong (sorry, gang).  This will please my friend Carole to no end, I'm sure.  But wait!!  The Portola is named after the old Portola School (according to Wikipedia), which, in turn, was named after Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá.  Now, his surname does have an accent, and should be pronounced pore-toe-LAH.  So, which do you prefer?  The PORE-toe-lah, the pore-TOE-lah, or the pore-toe-LAH?

EVENT: Community Health Awareness Day

Community Health Awareness Day
SF Community Empowerment Center
2798 San Bruno Ave
Saturday, August 27, 2011
9AM - Noon

EVENT: SF Mayor's Debate in Potrero Hill, August 30

AUGUST 30th POTRERO HILL MAYORAL 
CANDIDATE DEBATE
Doors open at 6pm; event begins at 6:30

Please join us for what is sure to be a lively and informative evening. The format will consist of four rounds of candidates asking questions of other candidates, plus opening and closing statements. Each round has a particular subject:

·Creating Careers for San Franciscans (Jobs, the Economy)
·Preventing Cuts to Our Services (Budget, Transit, Parks)
·Keeping Families Here (Housing, Schools)
·Supporting Livable Neighborhoods (Health, Safety)

There will also be bonus minutes awarded for various reasons. For participating candidates' questionnaires, click here. To view the  different candidates' answers side-by-side, click here. After the debate, we will also post the questionnaires submitted by candidates who did not appear. Participating candidates are John Avalos, Terry Baum, David Chiu, Bevan Dufty, Dennis Herrera, Joanna Rees.

Co-sponsored by Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association, the debate will be videotaped and later posted online. PHDC member voting on Mayoral endorsements will occur in September, along with other endorsement voting.

WHERE:  International Studies Academy Auditorium, 655 De Haro at 18th St
WHEN:  Tuesday, August 30th, at 6:30PM - doors open at 6

News around D10

The SF border, through parts of Alamada Island

According to some who went to the Fresh & Easy opening this morning, there were no fewer than three groups protesting the opening of the store. Thankfully, they haven't received any press yet.  Did you go to F&E today?

As expected, Community Groups File Lawsuit Over AT&T Utility Box Installation

Brunch, anyone?  How about Serpentine?

How well do you know San Francisco?  Did you know this?

It seems our SFPD officers have a hard time leaving their work behind, as one off-duty San Francisco cop escapes hail of bullets.

Bayview District Midweek Recap

Bayview District Mid-Week Recap
BAYVIEW POLICE STATION-201 WILLIAMS ST, S.F. 94124. 415 671-2300
Captain Paul Chignell August 24, 2011 CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE:
*************
On August 19th at 2:30, Plainclothes officers were in the area of Oakdale and Griffith Streets, patrolling the area that is known as the “turf” of the “Oakdale Mob” and “Surf Squad” gangs. They were walking through the cuts (areas/walkways between the housing buildings) when they spotted at known gang member walking with his brother. One of the Officers stood at the side of a building and waited for their approach, as they had not seen him yet.

As the pair rounded the corner, the Officer identified himself and asked to speak with the suspect. The suspect became visibly startled and rigid. When the Officer asked to speak with him, the suspect turned and ran. The foot chase went toward Palou Ave, where the suspect was seen pulling a silver handgun from his waistband by the Officer. As the suspect approached the corner of Crisp, he tossed the gun over a fence and continued to run. The suspect was finally overtaken and arrested at Quesada and Hawes by additional units.

The firearm, a 9.mm semi automatic, was recovered from the backyard into which it was thrown. The suspect was booked on multiple weapons charges along with a gang enhancement. (SFPD Case No. 110665558)

EVENT: Jazz on the Overlook Series

Just to the north of D10...
Jazz on the Overlook Series
Jesus Diaz All-Stars
Mission Creek Park
Berry Street @ 5th Street
Saturday, August 27th
12pm-1:30pm
FREE!

San Francisco Grocery Store Under Fire Over Easy Alcohol Access

And now, in the "give me a frickin' break" news category, San Francisco Grocery Store Under Fire Over Easy Alcohol Access

Seriously, has it been so long since these "religious and community leaders" have actually been in a grocery store that they haven't noticed that self-scanning of alcohol is the norm, and that when it is done, the scanner freezes and a clerk is notified to complete the transaction and check ID? Or are they just that distrusting of the people of the Bayview that they purport to be protecting by demanding this kind of B.S.? These people are treating Bayview residents like they're children and only they, the "religious and community leaders", know best. It's this kind of patronizing attitude that helps to keep poor neighborhoods from enjoying the benefits of society that others in wealthier neighborhoods take for granted, because businesses just don't want to have to deal with this crap. Please, save it for your pulpits and let the rest of us enjoy, for the first time in years, a modern, clean, and well-stocked grocery story in our own neighborhood!

Furthermore, Fresh & Easy has gone out of their way to hire locally, and the positions have full potential for advancement that people in our neck of the woods haven't seen in a grocery store before. 

Ugh, I guess it is San Francisco, and there is always going to be someone out there to bitch and moan about even the really good stuff.


Welcome, Fresh & Easy, opening Wednesday, 10AM, at 5800 Third St.!

SEFC Meeting

Southeast Facility Commission Meeting
Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 24, 2011 @6PM
1800 Oakdale Ave

PRESENTERS (Discussion and Possible Action)

Dr. Patricia Gray, Assistant Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District

Topic: Provide an update on the Zone Schools in District 10

EVENT: Arts n Eats Festival at 5800 Third St

Thursday, Aug 25, from 4:30-7:30 at 5800 Third St.

Featuring FREE food from Brown Sugar Kitchen and Limon Rotisserie a month ahead of their openings, plus fresh food from Fresh & Easy. Enjoy local art from ArtSpan ahead of its September city-wide open house of hundreds of artists.

h/t Eddy Skees

Meeting Reminder: McKinley Square Community Design

**Tonight, 8/23 at Downtown High School, 693 Vermont Street, from 6:30pm-8pm**

Please join Recreation & Parks for the first of a series of public meetings to solicit input and assess community needs for both short-term and long-term improvements benefiting McKinley Square Park. All are welcome - this is your opportunity to create a safe and healthy park for generations to come.

Sponsored by the Recreation and Parks Department and San Francisco Parks Trust, with professional facilitation by John Merten from Studio Green.

More details here:

http://www.mckinleysquarepark.org/Community_Updates.html

-McKinley Square Park Foundation
www.mckinleysquarepark.org

Is SF Broken?

I certainly hope that the next mayor, whomever he or she may be, really buckles down to fix not only the potholes, crime, education, deficits, graffiti, (insert problem here), but also the oftentimes byzantine and inefficient bureaucracy that we as citizens have to deal with on a regular basis.

Case in point: Complying with order to remove tree results in fine

Speaking of the Mayor's race:

The Potrero Hill Mayoral Debate
Tuesday, August 30, 6:30 - 9 pm
At International Studies Academy
Sponsored by the Potrero Boosters and Potrero Hill Democratic Club

Bayview District Weekend Recap

BAYVIEW POLICE STATION-201 WILLIAMS ST, S.F. 94124. 415 671-2300
Captain Paul Chignell
August 22, 2011
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE:
Today’s Update will focus on the events of this past weekend’s 49ers v. Raiders football game at Candlestick Park.
****************
SHOOTINGS:
On August 20th at 8:00 PM, Officers working the football game at Candlestick Park were approached in the parking lot by a witness who stated that there was a large fight in the RV section in lot S and that one of the parties involved had a gun.

Introduction to San Bruno Mountain Ecology Talk

Saturday, August 27, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Visitacion Valley Branch Library
201 Leland Avenue (at the corner of Rutland and Leland)
San Francisco, CA 94134
Visit San Bruno Mountain Watch for more details

Talk given by Joe Cannon, MS, Ecology, San Diego State University
Instructor at San Francisco City College -- Ecology, Habitat Restoration and Natural History
Mountain Watch Stewardship Director
Worked for 10 years as a restoration biologist for the National Park Service in the Presidio implementing restoration projects

Portola Pocket Park Meeting this Thursday

Join the Portola Neighborhood Steering Committee (PNSC) to view San Bruno Avenue park plans.
Date and Time: Thursday, August 25th at 6:30 p.m.
Location: 2599 San Bruno Avenue (behind Subway)

• Come and share your comments and concerns
• See how the proposed project will beautify the area, cut down on dumping, graffiti and homeless encampments and provide outdoor dining for nearby shops and restaurants
• Help select plant species for the landscaped areas
• Enter a contest to name the park!
• No parking spaces will be eliminated

Refreshments will be provided. For more information on the PNSC please visit us at www.portolafestival.org or our Facebook page under "Portola Neighborhood Steering Committee". For additional information or questions call Robert Ramirez, (415) 574-9170,

Unite Potrero Community Walk

Saturday, September 17, join your neighbors for a fun and informative walk through Potrero Hill and an afternoon filled with arts and crafts activities, free food, and a movie for the entire family.

More details to come at Unite Potrero.

Clapper Rail Spotted at Heron's Head Park

Last summer, I was out volunteering with Literacy for Environmental Justice at Heron's Head park and Myla Ablog, ecologist for the park, mentioned that they were very excited at having seen a clapper rail in the marshes (more from Nature in the City). Well, even though some bird experts apparently dismissed the sighting as a singular event, a pair of the birds has now been seen, nesting and with chicks.  This is a great sign for the restoration of the wetlands in this area.

More from SFGate

Health Department says Lennar emails show no wrongdoing

SFGH Rebuild Update: Pouring the New Hospital Foundation!

Starting on Friday, September 9, at 8:00 p.m., concrete trucks will begin arriving to start pouring concrete for our new hospital’s foundation. This is a 20-hour project and will end on Saturday, September 10, at approximately 3:00 p.m. Concrete trucks will be staged on Potrero Ave. and enter SFGH campus via 22nd and 23rd Streets. Light towers will be operating and be directed at the job site. There will be a higher than normal noise level from the activities. There will be traffic control personnel and San Francisco Police Officers on duty during the entire the length of this project.

• Concrete trucks will be staged temporarily along Potrero Ave. between 24th & 23rd Streets, but will not block driveways.
• The pour must take place at night because we need to continuously pour the concrete. Also, it will interfere less with daytime traffic.
• All trucks will be rinsed before leaving the job site. 
• Construction staff will not park on neighborhood streets. 
• Up to two more concrete pours will take place later this fall. Advance notice will be given.

COMMUNITY MEETING To learn more about the concrete pour please join us at: San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center Main Hospital, 2nd Floor, Room 2-A 6 Wednesday, August 31, at 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

For questions or comments on the Rebuild call (415) 206-5784 or email sfgh_rebuild@sfdph.org. For immediate safety concerns call the 24-hour hotline: 415- 206-4500.  For more on the SFGH Rebuild project, click here.

LGBTs look beyond the Castro to Bayview

I was really glad that the City's Human Rights Commission's LGBT Advisory Committee came to D10 to hear from those of us who live here and are making our homes here. It was a good meeting that brought up a lot of issues that need to be dealt with, and also brought together for the first time a lot of those people who can and are making a difference already.

From the Bay Area Reporter,

Bayview and the rest of District 10 – Hunters Point, Potrero Hill and Visitacion Valley – is in the process of transforming into a safer, more accessible and stylish community, according to a number of local activists, residents, and real estate agents.

And part of that transformation includes the LGBT community. Last month the San Francisco Human Rights Commission's LGBT Advisory Committee held a town hall meeting entitled, "Building LGBT Community in District 10."

...in the one-year period that ended July 30... in total violent crimes ... Bayview ranked third, and the Southern, Mission, and Northern districts all left it far behind in robberies, rapes, and property crimes – despite the fact that Bayview is geographically the largest of the four.

For those interested, please check out the Facebook group, "Friends of Gayview/Homo's Point & Silver Tiaras"

h/t Tony Longshanks LeTigre

Dad gives San Francisco police keys to house to bust son for gun | Mike Aldax | Law and Disorder | San Francisco Examiner

Dad gives San Francisco police keys to house to bust son for gun | Mike Aldax | Law and Disorder | San Francisco Examiner

Cox Conserves Heroes in D10

To help honor the Bay Area’s unsung environmental heroes and inspire neighborhood conservation, KTVU Channel 2 is proud to partner with The Trust for Public Land to present “Cox Conserves Heroes.” A total of $10,000 will be donated to local environmental nonprofits in the Bay Area.

This year, Bayview resident Jeffrey Betcher, co-founder of the Quesada Gardens Initiative, is the only nominee from San Francisco.  I have volunteered with QGI for a couple of years now, and could go on and on about Jeffrey and the organization that he leads.  Please help Jeffrey and QGI win the $5000 top prize by going to the Cox Conserves Website and voting for Jeffrey and QGI.

Jeffrey co-founded the Quesada Gardens Initiative and connects people to each other and the environment. These connections have generated over 30,000 volunteer hours to create 30 projects ranging from public gathering spaces, community gardens and public art pieces. Thanks to Jeffrey, neighbors have come together and transformed an urban blight into an oasis of beauty. Environmental Nonprofit of Choice: Quesada Gardens Initiative.

EVENT: Woman's Will Production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, McLaren Park -- August 20th and 21st, 2:00pm   

 Mansell Street, San Francisco

Woman's Will

Woman's Will are showing Midsummer Night's Dream this summer in parks throughout the Bay Area. Come lounge in the sun, bring a picnic, bring wine, share laughs with your friends and family, partake deeply of quite possibly the very best comedy ever written.

Callboard Magazine says, “Woman’s Will proves itself the most imaginative and one of the best Shakespeare companies”. Chad Jones, formerly of the Oakland Tribune, “There’s probably no Shakespeare that Woman’s Will wouldn’t do well…Woman’s Will is no-nonsense theatre brimming with intelligence and passion”.

Victoria Erville, the Artistic Director and the director of Midsummer, has this to say about the play, "The setting of this Midsummer is in the late 1960's. The summer of love was in full swing and the times they were a-changin’. Into this sixties melting pot of music, sexual freedom, creative expression, and politics comes the wild and beloved story of Midsummer Night's Dream. Midsummer is about magic, love and family--the family we are born into and the family we create. Simply staged in Bay Area parks, this production promises music, fun and, naturally, some family-friendly free love."

All performances are free, donations are requested.

Follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

h/t M Razzo

EVENT: Butchertown Hoedown

Get Tickets Here

BUTCHERTOWN HOEDOWN

Speakeasy's 14th Anniversary Party

SATURDAY. AUGUST 27th. 2011

12-7pm

@ Speakeasy Ales and Lagers

1195 Evans Ave. SF. 94124

Cesar Chavez East Community Design Workshop #3

The San Francisco Planning Department invites you to the Cesar Chavez East Community Design Plan WORKSHOP 3

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2011
6:00-8:00 PM
Good Samaritan Family Resource Center
1294 Potrero Avenue - in the Community Room

At this workshop:

•    the Planning Department will discuss and ask your feedback on design alternatives for the Cesar Chavez East corridor from Hampshire Street to Illinois Street

•    the SFMTA will give an update on the latest design of the near-term bicycle project for the corridor.

The community plan re-thinks Cesar Chavez Street as a vital connector of the surrounding neighborhoods, and a safer, more pleasant place for people who live in, work in or travel through the area.

web: http://CCE.sfplanning.org
email: CCE@sfgov.org

Bay Area Science Festival

Today, UCSF Vice Chancellor Keith Yamamoto, San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, and Congressional Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi were on-hand at UCSF's Mission Bay campus to announce the First Annual Bay Area Science Festival (running Oct. 29-Nov. 6).

Featuring more than 100 free events, the inaugural Bay Area Science Festival will bring together an unprecedented brain trust of the region’s scientific and educational partners to produce what is expected to be one of the largest science-based events ever held in the United States.

The San Francisco Bay Area is known for its groundbreaking work in science and technology, yet many who call the Bay Area home have little opportunity to experience the wonder of science. Led by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the Bay Area Science Festival is designed to inspire and build interest in science, technology and engineering among people of all ages and backgrounds.
The public will be invited to this series of events stretching from Santa Rosa to San Jose, including opportunities to experience science in action and hear about the latest scientific discoveries and culminating in a blow-out finale at AT&T Park.

On the web at:

• www.bayareascience.org
• twitter @bayareascience / #basf11
• www.facebook.com/bayareascience

Home Ownership Assistance Workshops

DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY

Workshop Dates & Locations:
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Lennar Trailers at Hunters Point Shipyard Corner of Donahue St & Galvez Ave

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2011
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Bayview Opera House 4705 Third Street, San Francisco

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2011
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Bayview Opera House 4705 Third Street, San Francisco

REGISTER EARLY -- SPACE IS LIMITED REGISTRATION:
Please contact Tim Orozco at 415.344.8855 or Tim.Orozco@lennar.com

Visit our website at www.hunterspointcommunity.com

ART94124 Oakdale & Third Beautification Project

With last month's Board of Supervisors vote to approve the installation of 726 new AT&T U-Verse boxes around the city, projects like this one from ART94124 NEED to be considered as vital to keep our cities free of as much blight as possible.  Each utility box art project would act as a way to bring neighbors together in choosing a design, it would give artists in the city a public canvas to display their work, and would help increase quality of life in our neighborhoods by discouraging urination on these boxes.  Of course, AT&T's new boxes are made of graffiti-resistant plastic, so there'd have to be some tweaking there to make this work, but work it could.  Sign up at AT&T's site so that you'll be informed as to when a box is being put into your neighborhood.

Antoinette Mobley of ART94124 wrote,

ART94124 is seeking proposals from artists who are interested in a Beautification Project located at the corner of Oakdale and Third Street

Scope of Work: ART94124 is requesting artists to submit a proposal to beautify the communication and electric service boxes that sit one the sidewalk at the corner of Oakdale and Third Street. This site has attracted unwanted attention and we hope by making the boxes visually appealing this will deter unseemly behavior.

Problem: need to deter public urination on sidewalk at the corner of Oakdale and Third Street.

There has been a longstanding issue of people urinating at the electric box on Oakdale Ave. Please click on the links below to see what others have done to deters this. One idea is to use the box as canvas for an art piece. It could even be something to promote the restaurant that is coming soon to this location.

Here are some of examples found online:
San Diego
Boston
Google
Random Specific

Please contact Antoinette Mobley at ART94124 if you are interested in participating.

Alemany Island Improvement Project

A mock-up of the mural

An update on the initial call for volunteers that I posted last week:

Just a reminder that we need volunteers for the upcoming mural project on the Alemany Island!

We are about to begin work on Phase 2 of the Alemany Island Improvement Project -- painting a 49 foot tall mural of the beautiful San Francisco Garter Snake and the Mission Blue Butterfly on the freeway support at the base of San Bruno Avenue and Alemany Boulevard. We need more volunteers. Volunteers need to be at least 18 years old and unafraid of heights as the prep work and painting will be done on scaffolding. Can you help?

General painting will start Monday, September 12th and continue until the mural is completed. We are estimating that the work will be completed by the end of October.

Scaffolding will go up Wednesday, September 7th (after Labor Day) and work will begin to clean and prime the freeway column on the 8th and 9th. The transfer design will take place on the 10th and 11th of September with the actual painting beginning the next day.

All volunteers need to attend an orientation and training workshop on Saturday, August 20th, from 10:00-12:00 noon at the San Francisco School, 300 Gaven Street, cross street: Boylston (in our neighborhood).

This project is possible through a Community Challenge Grant that depends upon neighborhood participation. The project, spearheaded by Lia Smith, will be the first freeway support mural in San Francisco and will be a very visible representation of our neighborhood pride and identity.

Contact Robert Ramirez, Program Manager, Portola Neighborhood Steering Committee (PNSC) (415) 574-9170 to volunteer or for more information

Pier 70 Braces for a Silicon Valley Invasion

EVENT: Backpack giveaway

From The Bay View

The MAGIC Program’s Back-to-School Celebration and Backpack Giveaway, the largest of its kind in San Francisco, will kick off the academic year Saturday, Aug. 13, by distributing health information, school uniforms and 3,200 new backpacks stuffed with school supplies to kids and teens.

The BMAGIC event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m at the Bayview Opera House, 4705 Third St., and at the Joseph Lee Recreation Center, 1395 Mendell St. 

The event will also include a neutral-color school uniform giveaway by the Tzu Chi Foundation for children in elementary and middle school.

Read more at The Bay View

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Tours

HPNS Bus Tours:

Bus tours of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard are being scheduled for Friday August 26 & Saturday August 27. The shipyard tour is anticipated to include: Sites 7 & 18, Parcel C, E-2 Landfill, the Crane, Gun Mole Pier, and Dry dock area. Tours on each day will last approximately 1.5 hours. Limited seating is available on a first come, first served basis. The deadline for reserving a space is Friday, August 19. Cantonese or Spanish translation will be available during a tour if requested a minimum of 72 hours in advance (Tuesday, August 23 for the Friday tour or Wednesday, August 24 for the Saturday tour).

Tour space is currently available the following dates/times.

Friday, August 26 – 10am, 1pm, 4pm

Saturday, August 27 – 1pm, 4pm

If you are interested in attending a tour, please leave a message on the HPNS Information Line at (415) 295-4742 or send an email to info@sfhpns.com. Be sure to leave your name, telephone number, and include two tour dates and times that you are available, in case your first choice is already taken. You will be contacted with more information. Cantonese or Spanish translation will be available during a tour if requested a minimum of 72 hours in advance. Be sure to indicate which language you need translation for.

Senator Yee responds to Potential SE Sector USPS Closures

Many people have expressed concerns regarding the potential closures of three Southeast sector USPS offices – Visitacion Valley, Bayview-Hunters Point and McLaren.  On Monday, August 9 Senator Leland Yee issued the following statement to Sylvia Siu, Post Office Review Coordinator for the San Francisco District:
Dear Mrs. Siu:

I am writing to urge you to reconsider the potential closures of United Stated Postal Offices (USPS) in the Southeast communities of San Francisco that are vital to the existing and growing population residing there.

The communities most affected by these closures are historically some of the most underserved and underrepresented in San Francisco. As a longtime representative of San Francisco, I have and will continue to advocate for services like those provided by the USPS in these neighborhoods.

In recent years, residents of the Southeast sector have been working to preserve and adapt to changing populations and needs during a down economy. Communities affected by closures of the Visitacion Valley, McLaren and Bayview-Hunters Point USPS offices are largely comprised of low-to-moderate income families, immigrants and aging, longtime residents, many of whom do not own vehicles. Simply put, these communities need, use and benefit from the proximity of postal services currently available and as these areas are slated to significantly increase in population over the next decade the need will become exponentially greater.

For these reasons, I strongly urge you to reconsider the potential closures of USPS offices in the Southeast communities of San Francisco. Please do not hesitate to contact me at (415) 557-7857.

Sincerely,
Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D.
California State Senate

There will likely be public meetings to discuss the closures, so stay on the lookout for those.