SF/SPCA Mobile Vaccine Clinic provides free services to Bayview Hunters Point dogs

From SFGate's Tails of the City,

Tomorrow, Saturday April 30, the San Francisco SPCA Mobile Vaccine Clinic will offer free preventive vaccines to dogs over 6 weeks of age in the Bayview Hunters Point area. SF/SPCA veterinarians, trainers and volunteers will also be available to answer questions about behavior concerns and give training information and advice.

The clinic will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Bayview Park (Keith Street and Bancroft Avenue) and is open to all Bayview resident dog owners.

According to research from the SF/SPCA Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center, there is a high rate of parvovirus clinical cases originating in Bayview Hunters Point. Parvovirus is a serious canine disease that is highly contagious and costly to treat. However, it is easily preventable with the Distemper-Hepatitis-Parvovirus (DHP) vaccine.

By offering this vaccine for free, the SF/SPCA hopes to reach San Franciscans who may not have had access to preventive veterinary care for their dogs in the past. The SF/SPCA will also be providing vouchers and making referrals for additional low-cost veterinary care services, including rabies vaccines, micro-chipping and spay and neuter surgeries.

This marks the second Mobile Vaccine Clinic of 2011. The first, on March 26, vaccinated 133 dogs and signed up 34 dogs for spay/neuter procedures.

Read more at SFGate

Bayview District Weekly Newsletter

BAYVIEW POLICE STATION 201 WILLIAMS AVE S.F. 94124 (415) 671-2300
ACTING CAPTAIN JULIAN HILL
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE
APRIL 29, 2011

All the members of the S.F.P.D, especially the members of Bayview Station, profoundly congratulate former Captain Greg Suhr on his promotion to Chief of Police! Chief Suhr has seen to it that Bayview was left in the very capable hands of our Lieutenants, who will serve as Acting Captain(s) until a new captain is permanently assigned to our station. (We will let you know who as soon as we learn!)

Upcoming High-Speed Rail Discussion

Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani (D-Livingston, near Merced), a leader in promoting the development of California’s first-ever high-speed rail system, will speak about the project’s progress and challenges. Local aspects and impacts will be addressed. Q&A, as always, to follow.

Further discussion of the Campaign for New Priorities is also on the agenda, with Sandra Schwartz returning to answer questions.

We may also have a quick discussion and vote on the CA DISCLOSE Act, legislation about to move through the Assembly. The Club has already endorsed a resolution supporting the concept: the public should be informed who is really paying for political ads – clearly and unequivocally, on the ads themselves.

Apropos of all this endorsing, we will also be considering amending the Bylaws to address PHDC’s endorsement process with respect to non-election issues.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 3rd, 6:45pm sign in & socialize, 7:00pm start
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Superfund City

From Spot.us,

Alice Griffith Housing Project is part of a redevelopment plan called HOPE SF, which has been underway for the past five years. The program seeks to transform San Francisco’s most distressed public-housing sites into thriving mixed-income communities. The staff at HOPE SF says it will rebuild every housing unit but says not everyone will get to come back. 



“By the time they begin the moving, at least 60 percent of the residents will have been moved out because of gang injunctions or not having the correct paperwork or just plain misinformation,” says Grace Martinez, a grassroots organizer at Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, or ACCE, formerly known as ACORN in the Bay Area.

 Read more at spot.us

SF supes delay vote on AT&T utility boxes

From SFGate,

After hours of public testimony and weeks of behind-the-scenes lobbying, the Board of Supervisors voted late Tuesday to delay a decision on whether AT&T can place up to 726 new utility boxes on city sidewalks without first going through a lengthy and costly environmental review process.

The City Planning Department already gave the telecommunications giant the green light for the project - a decision that San Francisco Beautiful and the Planning Association for the Richmond appealed to the Board of Supervisors. Other neighborhood groups, from Telegraph Hill to Potrero Hill, backed the appeal as a way to stall or stop the project.

Read more at SFGate

Read my previous post on the utility boxes

Yes, Suhr: San Francisco has finally found its perfect top cop

From SF Examiner,

At the swearing-in ceremony of new police Chief Greg Suhr on Wednesday, one thing really stood out — and it wasn’t the terrible acoustics in the rotunda at City Hall.

It was the crowd, consisting of conservative judges, lefty lawyers, retired city department heads, former classmates, enough police officers to hold back a riot and a wide cast of colorful friends, gay, straight and narrow.

It was a rainbow coalition — a snapshot of San Francisco — and the reason why so many people are happy that a long-deserving homegrown kid finally gets his shot at the top.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

Read more on reaction at Indy Bay

Shipyard Cleanup Fact Sheet - Parcel C Remedial Design

Public comment is due by May 5, 2011:

This fact sheet provides a brief summary of the draft combined Remedial Design and Design Basis Reports for Parcel C of the Hunters Point Shipyard Superfund Site. The report was prepared by the U.S. Navy. The Remedial Design was prepared to implement the remedy for this parcel that is described in the 2010 Record of Decision (ROD). Both the ROD and the Remedial Design are documents that are required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), known as Superfund. Public involvement is required in the cleanup of contaminated Superfund sites. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Technical Assistance Grant program was established to inform communities near Superfund sites to assist their understanding and participation in the process.
  


















Find more info on the IBNA Blog and their Google site:
http://hunterspointcleanup.blogspot.com/
http://sites.google.com/site/hunterspointcleanup/
And if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask Kristine Enea (kristine@indiabasin.org), Alex Lantsberg (alex@indiabasin.org) or Mike McGowan at Arc (mikemcgowan@arcecology.org).

Taste of Potrero 2011, a fundraiser supporting Daniel Webster Elementary School in San Francisco.

Daniel Webster Elementary School - Auction Home Page - BiddingForGood Fundraising Auction

Online Auction
The online portion of the auction has launched. Lots of exciting items will be available for bidding and winning exclusively online, leading up to the May 12th Auction event.

Silent Auction & Event is May 12th, 2011
Join us for our much anticipated Taste of Potrero event on Thursday May 12th. This gala event showcase tastes, nibbles and bites from restaurants in Potrero Hill and adjacent neighborhoods, including Dogpatch, SOMA, Noe and Mission / Media Gulch to benefit the Daniel Webster Elementary School. Purchase your ticket today!

Bayview's Captain Surh becomes SFPD Chief

From SFGate,

(04-26) 21:42 PDT San Francisco -- Capt. Greg Suhr, a 30-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department whose roller-coaster career has included command of two of the city's toughest station houses and an indictment for allegedly conspiring to obstruct justice, is Mayor Ed Lee's pick to be police chief.

Suhr, 52, is expected to be sworn in this morning. He replaces Jeff Godown, who has been acting chief since early January when George Gascón moved over to become district attorney in the final hours of former Mayor Gavin Newsom's administration.

Suhr's most recent command was in the high-crime Bayview district, where homicides have dropped nearly 50 percent since he took over as station-house commander in October 2009.

Spotting Birds at a Record Pace, with a Camera and a Bike

From SF Weekly,

San Francisco, despite being the western United States' most densely populated city, is also the heartland of a growing urban ecology movement that promises to become environmentalism's next wave. During the past 10 years, more and more locals have worked individually, formed groups, and then networked with other like-minded groups to restore, preserve, protect, expand, and proselytize about the pockets of natural ecosystems that exist within the city's gritty environs.

These local organizations, which now number at least 50, include homeowners in the western Sunset neighborhood working to establish a native plant species corridor that connects groups of endangered green hairstreak butterflies, and kids in the eastern Bayview-Hunters Point housing projects re-creating bayshore wetlands in the former industrial wastelands of Heron's Head Park.

More habitat, of course, means more birds. And Heron's Head is where Mosur and Clark detect an endangered California clapper rail, which has only recently returned to this side of the bay. All day long we witness similar stories of rejuvenated nature.

Read more at SF Weekly

The Community Carnival

Bring the kids for a fun day in Silver Terrace!

Saturday, May 21 from 11-4, Thurgood Marshall high school, 45 Conkling St.

Presented by the Neighborhood Vision Project

Muni

Super-sad when walking three miles gets you there before muni.

Friends of Silver Terrace Playground meeting tonight @6PM

The Friends of Silver Terrace Playground group is meeting tonight at 6PM-7:30 at Portola Family Connections at 2567 San Bruno Ave. Stop by on your way home from work.

Tonight's meeting will cover where we are in planning for a June 4th Wellness Day that we've been working on with the Neighborhood Parks Council, Parks94124, and the Rec and Parks Department.

Wellness Day

Our plan is to bring to the playground as many aspects of wellness as we can think of. This includes information and demos about food, medicine, and exercise. We are looking to have gardening demonstrations, soil quality experts, and free, donated vegetables to be given away. We also will have doctors and medical professionals to provide information and a variety of testing services. There will also be sports activities and demonstrations, like hula lessons, yoga, tai chi, and more. It will be a kid-friendly event, so there’ll be activities for youth as well as for adults.

We need neighborhood input, help with planning, outreach, and organization (obviously, since I'm just getting this email out a few hours before tonight's meeting!). We need Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish speakers to help us connect to as many people in the community as we can.

If you would like to help, please stop by Portola Family Connections tonight at 6PM, or email me if you can't come tonight, but would still like to help or know of people who can. There will be more meetings, especially as we get closer to the 4th, plus outreach events within our community.

Starr King Open Space Needs YOU!!

Dear Friends of Starr King Open Space,

When I moved to Potrero Hill fifteen years ago, I quickly discovered Starr King Open Space. I didn't know it had a name, I didn't know it was protected, and I didn't really care. It was my urban oasis. Over time I learned that neighbors helped tend it, but I was more interested in enjoying the space quietly on my own. It wasn't until a neighbor approached me two years ago and told me that the Open Space was in trouble that I decided to give back to this land that I loved.

Many of you also rallied to that cry for help two years ago˜some of you were the ones doing the rallying! Nineteen of us ran for the election, and over 50 of you showed up to vote. You have written letters, spoken at hearings, come to work parties, supported the organization financially, and much, much more. Together, we have saved a struggling organization and have turned it into a vibrant organization.

But it cannot manage itself. Starr King Open Space needs you to rally again. We are about to have our first election since the restructuring of the Board, and we need candidates who care about the Open Space to run. Most of our board will be turning over. This is a pivotal moment in the history of the organization. All of the organizational structures are back in place˜now we need a board to sustain the Open Space and to involve the community in its stewardship.

Do you go to Starr King Open Space to watch the sunset? Do you walk your dog there? Do you appreciate its openness as part of the view from your house, or use it as a landmark when you look at Potrero Hill from afar? Do you find solace in the quiet beauty of this wild grassland? You are an owner and a steward of this land. No governmental agency is going to manage it for us. It is ours, and we need to take care of it.

Volunteering on the board of Starr King Open Space has only deepened my personal connection to the land. I still go there to seek solitude, but I also take pleasure in greeting friends and neighbors there. I have learned so much about nonprofits, about land use, and about communities and nature. In my case, these experiences have inspired me to go to graduate school in the fall to study urban and environmental planning. Who knows what your experience will be? You don't need to give your life over to it˜you can give what you are able. The most important qualification is that you care about the Open Space and want to help take care of it.

Candidate Statements are due this Thursday. If you are interested, please contact us at starrkingboard@gmail.com or visit the website at www.starrkingopenspace.org for more information.

Sincerely,
Caroline Bird
President, Starr King Open Space Board of Directors

Spring Open Studio at Hunters Point Shipyard Next Weekend

Over 100 artists at the Hunters Point Shipyard and Islais Creek Studios will open their studios to the public on Saturday and Sunday, April 30th and May 1st, from 11AM to 6PM. 

Plan to take this opportunity to come out to meet the artists and see the great art being made at the nation's largest artist colony.   See artist demonstrations.  Buy directly from artists.  Free admission, free parking. Mark your calendars now!

Maps and Directions 

Big Wheels draw 2,000 to S.F.'s Vermont Street

From SFGate,

It was a most solemn and sacred day, and for some in San Francisco that meant one thing - time to don a bunny suit and race down Potrero Hill on a Big Wheel.

"It's total chaos - everyone's screaming and laughing, people are spinning out, going down backward," said Alon Zaslavsky, a movie animator from San Francisco, just after he tried the course for the first time Sunday afternoon. "It's great. The whole point is to crash."

The 11th annual Bring Your Own Big Wheel derby attracted more than 2,000 celebrants to one of the steepest, curviest streets in San Francisco: Vermont between 20th and 22nd.

Read more at SFGate

Video

Earth Day protest: Clean up this mess

From Salon.com,

To residents of one predominantly black neighborhood, environmental issues mean how, and how long, they live

Earth Day may have devolved from a spontaneous outburst of benevolence toward nature to a green marketing opportunity in its 40-year history, but for a group of activists and residents of contaminated areas in San Francisco, the day has retained its value. Standing outside the Pacific Gas & Electric headquarters this week, residents of Bayview-Hunters Point, a predominantly African-American section in southeast San Francisco, and activists from the group Greenaction chanted for clean air.

For 25 years, residents of the area fought for the closure of a polluting PG&E power plant. They finally got what they wanted in 2006, but they say the damage had been done, the cleanup has been ineffective, and the effects have lingered.

Funeral held for slain teen Andy Zeng

From SF Examiner,

Funeral services were held Saturday morning for Andy Zeng, the slain 16-year-old who was found with a gunshot wound to the head this month at a home in The City’s Silver Terrace neighborhood.

Family, friends, schoolmates and teachers gathered around the open casket at the service at Halsted N. Gray-Carew and English in the Tenderloin, where Buddhist prayer songs and remembrance speeches for the teen went on for two hours. Family members declined to speak with members of the media, who were allowed to view the service from a front room outside the memorial service.

Bayview District Weekly Newsletter

BAYVIEW POLICE STATION 201 WILLIAMS AVE S.F. 94124 (415) 671-2300
Captain Greg Suhr
April 22, 2011
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE

Incidents of Interest:

WHAT A WEEK!
On April 16 th  at 1:00 AM, Officers McNichol and Bartley were patrolling in the area of Newhall and Lasalle when they heard several gunshots right around the corner. The officers immediately set out for the location and, upon arrival, decided to approach on foot. As soon as they walked onto LaSalle, a frantic man ran towards them pointing at another man across the street, yelling that that man had just shot at him. The officers looked across the street and saw the suspect in question. The suspect, looking quite startled at the pair officers appearing essentially out of nowhere, took off running - holding his front waistband. If you've been a subscriber to this webmail for very long, I'm sure you know what "running while holding the waistband" means. If you're new to this newsletter group, keep reading and it'll become clearer plus you'll know for next time..... Anyway, the officers chased the suspect on foot down LaSalle Ave. Mid-1700 block of LaSalle, the suspect ducked into the driveway and attempted to conceal himself. C'mon though, these are Bayview cops!

Bring your own Big Wheel

Check out happenings on the Hill this Sunday at the Bring Your Own Big Wheel competition - starts at 3PM at 20th and Vermont Sts.

Utility box blight, or competition that'll be good for San Francisco?

Yesterday, we were treated to CW Nevius' failure to see the problem with the new AT&T utility boxes that are about to blanket our city.  Innocent little utility boxes that are only 4 feet high and 6 feet wide.  Why, that's no worse than having three or four average fifth-graders standing on the sidewalk, so what's the problem?  I mean, with all these choices on TV coming to our living-rooms, pretty soon we'll all be the size of these boxes ourselves and won't have a care in the world!  San Francisco Beautiful wants us to see them slightly differently...

Here's the problem as I see it:


First, the boxes are ugly.  Second, they're targets for graffiti.  BFD if AT&T is going to have a dedicated phone line to report graffiti on their boxes.  Third, they don't just take away from the sidewalk the width of the box alone - they take up about five feet of width (from curb to edge) and six feet of length.  30 sq-ft.  This amounts to over half an acre of sidewalk space dedicated to these monstrosities.  Many of our sidewalks are barely 6-ft wide as it is.  Aren't sidewalks for, oh, I don't know, walking on?

AT&T's State-of-the-art

I think the Comcast ads featuring the talking tangle of phone wires sums up for me the technology inside these boxes.  I'm all for competition, but if this is AT&T's state of the art, then it's like a horse-and-buggy maker telling us that their vehicle (complete with cup-holder!) is the state-of-the-art in eco-friendly transportation and that it is competition to other eco-friendly vehicles like the Prius and Volt.

If you're interested in making your voice heard, either email Supervisor Cohen, call her about it at (415) 554-7670, or come to the Board of Supervisor's meeting to voice your opinion:

Tuesday, April 26 at 4 PM
Board of Supervisors Chambers, City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, California 94102

Help plan for growth in the Bay Area

We may or may not like it, but according to this site, by 2035 there will be an estimated 1.2 million new jobs and 900,000 new households within the Bay Area: http://youchoosebayarea.org/. Where will all these people live? Where will the new housing be built? How will people get around? Here's your chance to get involved in helping to plan for this growth.
From the site:

The community foundation is leading a strategic initiative, Envision Bay Area, to strengthen the ability of residents and community leaders to make informed decisions about the building and growth that will shape the future environment, economy and everyday life in our communities.

Andy Zeng's father doubts shooting was accidental

From SFgate,

The distraught father of a 16-year-old boy whose body was found last week in a gasoline-soaked room with a bag over his head said Thursday he does not think the homicide was an accident.

Zhi Xiang Zeng, father of Andy Zeng, spoke at a news conference held to announce a relief fund drive for the family.

Read more at SFgate

Lowe's Giving away a Million trees this weekend

Lowe's at 491 Bayshore Blvd (Silver Terrace/Bayview) in San Francisco will be giving away trees this Saturday, April 23rd (Earth Day).

FYI - they open at 6AM...

Food for thought…

TASTE OF POTRERO is a gala event showcasing tastes, nibbles and bites from restaurants in Potrero Hill and adjacent neighborhoods, including Dogpatch, SOMA, Noe and Mission / Media Gulch to benefit the Daniel Webster Elementary School. But this isn’t your average school bake sale. Check out the lineup of talent they’ve arranged and you’ll see this is destined to be one of the top food events in the city!

When: May 12th, 2011 6-7pm VIP Only
                                      7-10pm General Admission
Where: Dogpatch Studios, 991 Tennessee St, San Francisco

UPDATE (April 19, 2011): TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT FAST. THERE WILL BE NO DAY-OF TICKETS. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, BE CERTAIN TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS ASAP!



They will also host an exclusive silent auction featuring unique and exotic products and services throughout the Bay Area. Please join them in supporting a great cause for better education and a night of culinary delights.

Play Day 2011

Neighborhood Parks Council (NPC) is hosting Play Day with their event partner Let’s Go Chipper at Herz Playground in Visitacion Valley on Friday May 6th from 10am to 2pm.

Play Day, an annual event, shines a spotlight on San Francisco’s playgrounds and highlights the importance of play in our city. Joined also by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (RPD), this 2-hour workday will be followed by a fun, family-friendly event led by Let’s Go Chipper.

Friday May 6th
Volunteer workday: 10am-noon
Family event: noon-2pm



Play Day is the kick-off to the Playground Initiative, a series of summer clean-up days at in-need playgrounds prioritized with RPD. Herz Playground is located in Visitacion Valley. The site received a D-grade in our 2010 Playground Report Card and so it could use some extra love from volunteers.
Interested in joining us for the event portion of the day? Contact NPC for more information at (415) 621-3260 or council@sfnpc.org.
Financial support provided by Growing Up for Good.

Play Day 2010
Last year’s event was held at the Peru Avenue Play Area in McLaren Park. This play area will be renovated this year thanks to the efforts of the Playground Initiative and a community group called Help McLaren Park. Click here to see photos from Play Day 2010.

Attorney: Teen Who Fatally Shot 16-Year-Old Thought Gun Was Unloaded

From SF Appeal,

The defense attorney for a teenager accused of fatally shooting a 16-year-old boy at a home in San Francisco's Silver Terrace neighborhood earlier this month said today that his client thought the gun was unloaded.

Outside of court, the teen's attorney, Tony Tamburello, said he thinks the murder charge will likely be reduced to a lesser charge because "there was no malice or premeditation" involving Zeng's death.

Zeng "was his good friend, they hung out together a lot," Tamburello said. "He is extremely sorry, and expressed remorse" about what happened."

Zeng's parents were at today's hearing, and are planning to hold a news conference Thursday to talk about the death of their only son.

His funeral is being held Saturday at 1123 Sutter St. in San Francisco.

Anyone wishing to donate to the family is encouraged to contact Cathay Bank and mention the account titled "Andy Zeng - APACC."

Read the full article at SF Appeal

San Francisco's Summer Youth Employment Program

The City and County of San Francisco’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is offering paid work experiences for low-income youth ages 17-21 who live in San Francisco. SYEP provides young people with hands-on work experience, job readiness training and ongoing support through partnerships with local community-based organizations. You must meet income and SYEP program requirements to be eligible for this summer program begins June 6 and ends in July 29.

Apply will only be accepted until Friday, April 29th.

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM YOU MUST:

Jiu-jitsu instructor saves San Francisco police officer from attack

From the San Francisco Examiner,

A San Francisco cop enduring a pummeling from a “crazed” Muni fare evader Wednesday was fortunate that the attack happened outside a martial arts academy.

Hero jiu-jitsu instructor Pedro Arrigoni came to the cop’s rescue, putting the suspect into a choke hold and forcing him into submission at around 1 p.m., police said.

The 24-year-old Portola resident said he had just finished teaching a class at the AB Mixed Martial Arts Academy at 2975 San Bruno Ave. when he saw the suspect had mounted the cop after unleashing a flurry of punches.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

Willie Brown Academy, Born in 1992 With High Hopes, Will Close in May, a Failure

I for one will NOT be sad to see this school close down.

From the NY Times,

When the school now known as the Willie L. Brown Jr. College Preparatory Academy opened in San Francisco’s predominantly black Bayview neighborhood some 18 years ago, it was at the forefront of an ambitious effort to address school performance and segregation without busing children out of the neighborhood. It was once even part of a Dream Schools program that brought millions of dollars in special aid, along with school uniforms, longer school days and Saturday classes.

But those dreams have been thoroughly dashed, and the 160-student school is set to close May 27, largely as a result of chronic student underachievement and high truancy. And for those unfortunate enough to be a part of its final months, conditions have gone from bad to worse.

San Francisco Muni operators may vote to strike

From SF Examiner,

Despite working under a contract that explicitly bars strikes, Muni’s transit operators might vote to authorize one if their ongoing labor negotiations reach an impasse.

This Friday, the Transport Workers Union Local 250-A, which represents 2,200 drivers and conductors, will begin a weeklong vote that could authorize a strike. If approved, the initiative would let union President Rafael Cabrera call a strike, while not necessarily assuring that one is imminent.

Although the union’s current contract with Muni theoretically bars work stoppages, union Secretary-Treasurer Walter Scott said that provision’s legality is questionable and could be tested.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

A Very, Very, Yellow House

OK, so the article is actually titled "A Very, Very, Very Fine House", but have you seen this place!?!  Holy YELLOW!  I mean, I think it can be seen from space!  It'll be like summertime in Alaska.  You have to wear SPF-100 just to walk by without getting burned!  Looking at it from Cup-O-Blues across the street, you'll need one of those solar eclipse pin-hole projectors.  OK, it's not that bad, but it's pretty darned yellow.

From Papermag.com,

The weathered warehouses and converted loft spaces, remnants of San Francisco's industrial heyday of the late-1800s, have made the Dogpatch neighborhood a natural draw to a growing number of designers, foodies and artists who have been flocking to what's been touted as the city's Bushwick-in-the-making.

Seizing an opportunity to join the neighborhood's burgeoning creative community, the brother-sister duo behind SF's 30-year-old clothing boutique Modern Appealing Clothing, Ben and Chris Ospital, have joined forces with restaurateurs, Sher Rogat and Margherita Stewart Sagan, of Dogpatch pizzeria Piccino, to convert a 170-year-old horse stable into an artisinal mini-mart of sorts.

COMMUNITY EVENT with Supervisor Malia Cohen

Saturday, April 30 at 10:00am at Palega-Portola Recreation Center, San Francisco, California

 

Food and Refreshments will be provided 

 

Children and Families Welcome and Encouraged 

 

To RSVP or for additional information please call (415) 692-3556, Facebook, or email supervisorcohen@gmail.com

D10's International Reputation

I came across this while doing my morning check of news and blogs about D10. It's from the Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald, about travel to the US, and in particular San Francisco. The reporter writes,

Among places likely to be visited by a tourist, the Tenderloin is the only part of San Francisco that might be an issue in terms of personal security but, overall, Fog City is not dangerous for travelers.The only suburbs to strictly avoid are Bayview and Visitacion Valley but these are well off the tourist track.

I realize this is just one foreign reporter's take, and sure, we're not touristy in the sense that Fisherman's Wharf or Coit Tower are, but to "strictly avoid" us!?!  At first it I took offense to it, but then it got me thinking...

D10 Business Summit

Chamber of Commerce and local business and merchant associations are pleased to present the District 10 Neighborhood Business Summit. This event will bring merchants together with their Supervisor and other city officials to discuss local business concerns.


Thursday, April 28, 5:30 - 8PM.
350 Kansas St @16th.

Register at the SF Chamber of Commerce

Bay Area Cancer Patients and Their Families to Benefit from American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

Program Will Provide Personal Guide to Help Local Cancer Patients Better Navigate Their Cancer Experience Thanks to Support from AstraZeneca

The American Cancer Society today launched its Patient Navigator Program at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH), thanks to support received from AstraZeneca. This is the 36th Patient Navigator Program site, and the second in California as part of a strategic nationwide effort to significantly extend the reach of this innovative program and assist individual cancer patients in negotiating the health care system.

“A cancer diagnosis can be a life-changing experience for patients, their families and their caregivers,” said Dr. Israel De Alba, president of the American Cancer Society, California Division, Inc. “Our Patient Navigator Program helps patients focus on getting well by providing support every step of the way, from explaining what to expect during treatment, to making sure patients have transportation to and from appointments. Fighting cancer is a difficult, challenging journey; but with the help of trained American Cancer Society patient navigators, people don’t have to go through it alone.”

San Francisco public housing shouldn’t be left hopeless

From the SF Examiner,

It was 2007 when then-Mayor Gavin Newsom launched the ambitious Hope SF initiative, making a promise to the residents in eight of San Francisco’s most-dilapidated public housing projects that help was arriving. The unlivable conditions arising from years of underfunding and deferred maintenance would be addressed with the old buildings being torn down and new mixed-economy community would be built.

But after all the grand fanfare, with impressive deals made in anticipation of city funding contributions and millions of dollars raised for design and preliminary development, the harsh reality of the national housing meltdown brought the dream crashing to a halt. Public housing residents who have been repeatedly disappointed are back in limbo, living day-to-day in homes that — in many cases — are vermin-infested, lack heat, have broken walls, ceilings or windows, and are consistently rated as dangerous and life-threatening.

Read more at SF Examiner

As districts alter, so do their politics

From SF Gate,

Some San Francisco political stereotypes will never change. The Mission and Haight remain liberal even by local standards, whereas St. Francis Wood, Sea Cliff and parts of the Marina and Pacific Heights make up the city's most conservative pockets.

But there are some changes in the political winds. Most notably, the southeast quadrant of the city - including Bayview-Hunters Point, the Outer Mission, Visitacion Valley and the Excelsior - is voting much more conservatively than it did just a few years ago.

Read more at SFGate

Discussions to settle Hunter's Point lawsuit falter

From the SF Examiner,

A judge will likely have to decide the fate of an environmental impact report on major redevelopment plans for a former U.S. Navy base at Hunters Point, after discussions between activist groups and the developer, Lennar, bore no agreement.
Both parties filed letters in San Francisco Superior Court this week telling Judge Ernest H. Goldsmith that attorneys for the two groups found no accord in a meeting on Tuesday. The activist group, People Organized to Win Employment Rights, want developers to provide more details about the health impacts of buried toxic chemicals before moving forward with the 20-year project that calls for new neighborhoods and commercial districts.

Read more at the SF Examiner

Speakeasy to hold benefit for injured Giants fan

From the SF Examiner,

A benefit raffle for severely injured Giants fan Bryan Stow featuring Ashkon, the man who popularized the Giants playoff anthem, will take place at 4 p.m. Friday at Speakeasy Ales & Lagers in San Francisco.

Stow remains in a coma at an L.A. hospital after his skull was fractured by two attackers in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium March 31 following the first game of the season.

Fundraising efforts already have yielded $400,000 for medical costs of the lifelong Giants fan, including a $25,000 donation pledged Thursday by pitching ace Tim Lincecum.

Bryan’s employer, American Medical Response in San Jose, held a benefit barbeque last week that raised upward of $140,000. Donations also were taken at the gate of the Giants home series against the Dodgers that began Monday, with $70,000 raised, including $10,000 directly from the Giants. The Dodgers collected more than $60,000 for the fund.

Bryan’s attackers, two Latino men in their late teens or 20s, have yet to be found by police. A reward for information leading to an arrest rose to $150,000 last week, with contributors including the Dodgers, Giants and L.A. city and county governments.

The Speakeasy brewery and bar is located at 1195 Evans Ave. in Bayview/Hunters Point.

To donate to a central Bryan Stow Fund, visit www.sfpcu.org and enter account No. 1377733. To mail in donations:
SF Police Credit Union
c/o San Mateo Branch
1495 S. El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94402
A website that lists upcoming fund raisers for the Stow family can be found online at support4bryanstow.com.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

Art exhibit and actors workshop at Bayview Opera House

From the SF Bay View,

Jacques Terzian, 89, founded the largest artist colony in the nation at the Hunters Point Shipyard in San Francisco. An accomplished artist himself, the first retrospective ever of his work will be shown at the Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre in the heart of the Bayview Hunters Point district.

A celebration honoring Jacques is planned for May 15, 2-5 p.m.

The art exhibit, open from April 2 – June 5 at the BVOH, will feature two additional shipyard artists, Joe Sam and Stephen Namara. Stephen’s native country is Kenya, and he is known for his exquisite drawings of things and people with a surrealist touch. Joe Sam has made a name for himself in public art and for including children in his creative process. An example of his work can be seen in the tiles inside Bayview’s Martin Luther King Pool.

Read more at the SF Bay View

Hard-Pressed Homeowners Facing Another Financial Threat

From the Bay Citizen,

Estrella Bryant was at risk of losing her San Francisco town house last year.

A foreclosed home for sale at Eden Shores, a development in Hayward where roughly half of the 500 tract homes are in some stage of foreclosure.

Ms. Bryant, 70, had not fallen behind on her mortgage payments. Instead, she owed $560 in dues to the Parkview Heights Homeowners Association. The association turned over the case to a collection agency and threatened to foreclose unless Ms. Bryant paid off her debt, which increased tenfold because of fees and interest.

“It’s been a nightmare,” said Ms. Bryant, a Filipina immigrant who lives on Social Security and occasional bookkeeping jobs. She said she repeatedly asked Parkview Heights representatives why she was dealing with a debt collector instead of the association.

More at the Bay Citizen

Joe Johnson of Johnson's BBQ will be missed

On SF's San Bruno Ave, Businesses Promote Common Ground from New America Media on Vimeo

I'm re-posting a link to this wonderful story about Joe Johnson that was at SFGate on April 3, as Mr Johnson passed away this past weekend.  He will be missed by many friends and patrons in the Portola District as well as his family.  Rest in Peace Joe.

Viewing this evening, Thursday, April 14, 4:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. at:
Lewis & Ribbs Mortuary
6424 3rd Street @ Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94124-3503
(415) 468-2360

Service will be on Friday, April, 15, 11:00 A.M. at:
San Francisco Philadelphian Seventh Day Adventist Church
2520 Bush Street, between Divisadero and Scott Streets
San Francisco, CA

h/t Lea Sweat, The Portola Yahoo Group

D10 Budget Town Hall with Mayor Lee & Supervisor Cohen

Last night's D10 Budget Town Hall with Supervisor Cohen was not quite what I expected, and ended up being rather farcical.  First, questions were solicited from the audience on confusing, color-coded cards meant to identify the theme of each question.  Those cards were then submitted to handlers, who presumably sorted them and picked questions to be asked later.  The problems that ensued stemmed from organizers then asking the questioner to go up to a microphone to ask their question.  What happened was that people were suddenly given a forum to prattle-on at length (no time limits!!), not actually ask a question, and often not offer suggestions to the city's department heads and the mayor, which was supposedly why we were there.  The meeting devolved into diatribes by visibly angry people and our supervisor shouting at a resident to try to get him to end his outburst.  His outburst, by the way, was about trying to get a straight answer from Supervisor Cohen about whether she supported the city's local-hire law or not.  Her response left us all wondering if maybe she didn't, saying, "As a legislator, it is my duty to uphold the laws of the city, and this is one of those laws that I will uphold."  She never said that she supported the law, only that she would uphold it.  The audience member immediately caught this, and tried to press her on it.  The mayor took over from that point to assure the resident that the city is behind the law.

My suggestion to the organizers of the seven remaining budget town hall meetings: in a 10-minute segment, have the mayor explain what the city departments are already doing to reduce their budgets, and then have the moderator, presumably the supervisor for the district, READ the questions and suggestions that have been submitted by the audience and online.  DO NOT allow attendees to use the mic!!    Let the audience know that all their questions and comments will be compiled into a single document at the end of the forums and posted online for all to see.

Gov. Jerry Brown assures redevelopment funds for Hunters Point are safe

From San Francisco Examiner,

One of the concerns we pointed out in a story on Sunday about a city effort to rebuild eight of San Francisco’s most decrepit public housing developments was that one of the sites, Alice Griffith, depended on $40 million in matching redevelopment funds.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to cut redevelopment funds, however, led to some major concerns over major projects that have been years in the making -- such as the development of the old naval shipyard at Hunters Point.

But Brown’s office has come forward to assure Mayor Ed Lee and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom that The City’s plans for Bayview-Hunters Point can still count on the Redevelopment Agency for funding.

“As you know, our newest governor has decided or has a proposal out to eliminate redevelopment agencies,” said Karen Finn, a manager in Brown’s Department of Finance, in a statement. “But I think you’ve also heard [Governor Brown] say that his intention was never to undo or disrupt any significant projects that were under contract, under way.  So, I’m here also to add our support of the project and acknowledge that this is exactly what the redevelopment has been used for and is a good project.”

Lee said the news should put to rest any concern over redevelopment funding for Hunters Point while Newsom called it a “tremendous boost for the Bayview-Hunters Point community.

SF Wholesale Product Market to expand

From Bayview Footprints,

The San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market will be improved in phases in the years to come, enhancements that include construction on the four main buildings on Jerrold Avenue, and adding a new parcel at 901 Rankin, according to Brian Liles, an architect working on the project.

Michael Janis, General Manager of the Produce Market, one of Bayview's most unique assets, brought Liles, Monica Melkesian (Project Manager) and Helen Sess (Board Member) to formally announce the project to the community at the SECF Commission's February 10th meeting.

See the full text of the presentation as captured by Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary.

Bridgeview Garden group pauses to celebrate

From Bayview Footprints, the Quesada Gardens Initiative is excited to announce the opening of the latest addition to the Bridgeview Community Teaching and Learning Garden. Food, music and really nice people will gather to applaud recent community building accomplishments that include an emerging public gathering space at the Bridgeview Garden, located at the corner of Newhall and Bridgeview, this Saturday, April 16th from 11AM to 1PM.

Starr King Open Space seeks candidates for Board election

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The Starr King Open Space Board of Directors is seeking candidates to run for the upcoming board election. If you love this neighborhood open space and would like to get involved by helping the organization that stewards the land, this may be the job for you!

Mark your calendars now for the community election, to be held at our Annual General Meeting at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House on Tuesday, May 10th at 7:00 PM. Each Candidate will speak for one minute and then there will be time for questions and answers prior to the election.

Visit their Board/Board Members page on their website for a full update on how to run for this volunteer position and help keep Starr King Open Space a protected neighborhood asset for generations to come.

Gruesome details revealed in S.F. teen's slaying

The realities of this story are becoming harder and harder to comprehend.

KTVU has video of SF DA George Gascón discussing the charges against the 15-year old alleged gunman, who has been charged as a jeuvenile in the case.

From SFGate,

After a 16-year-old San Francisco boy was shot to death over the weekend, the accused killer and accomplices discussed sawing up his body to hide his death, then bungled an attempt to set him ablaze, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The victim, Andy Zeng, was found dead inside a gasoline-soaked room of a two-story duplex in Silver Terrace early Sunday, a gunshot wound to his head, which was partly covered with a black garbage bag, police said. His legs were also covered with bags.

Read more at SFGate

Go green & help a neighbor!

by Scott Bruner,
SF Goodwill Industries

Goodwill and Whole Foods partner for 2011 Earth Day Donation Drive

This Friday to Sunday (April 15-17), we hope you’ll help us celebrate Earth Day by dropping off household items at your local Whole Foods store to help your neighbors get a hand up.

Goodwill Industries and Whole Foods Markets are teaming up to divert over 20,000 pounds from landfills while helping people transform their lives during the 2011 Goodwill Earth Month Donation Drive.

When you shop this weekend, you’ll see Goodwill Industries’ familiar donation boxes and bins at 14 Whole Foods stores in the Bay Area. To see if your local Whole Foods Market is participating, head to our map of participating stores.

We invite you to drop off items such as clothes, shoes, books and small household goods. At certain locations we’ll take in your old tech goods, from computers to printers, to refurbish or recycle. In 2010, we refurbished 800 computer systems and recycled 13,370 more.

Your donation supports your community in two direct ways. First, your unwanted items won’t be clogging a landfill. Last year Goodwill was able to reuse and recycle nearly 20 million pounds of goods – 600,000 individual donations of goods, enough to fill 15 football fields – significantly lowering the impact on our strained landfills. During this year’s Earth Day Donation Drive, our goal is to receive 20,000 pounds of donated goods – over 125 shopping carts of materials diverted from landfills.