September 10, 2019
Good Tuesday! (Was this email forwarded to you? Here's the sign-up page to subscribe.)
On Monday, the National Rifle Association filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco claiming that the City and County of San Francisco and its Board of Supervisors "adopted a new government policy: blacklist anyone linked to the NRA." Not even a week has passed since the Supervisors unanimously approved a non-binding resolution calling NRA a domestic terrorist organization. The NRA is seeking damages and an injunction against The City. SFGate
On Friday, a judge ruled that the language on November’s Proposition C might do away with The City’s existing ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. Courthouse News Service
“Jails cannot provide appropriate treatment, which is why we utilize all the legal tools we can to get our clients properly placed and treated for their conditions.”
The Office of the Public Defender subpoenaed seven Department of Public Health officials for information on the cases of eight conserved and incarcerated clients who have been waiting between three to nine months to be sent to the appropriate care setting. In response, DPH immediately found beds for the individuals. San Francisco Examiner
The San Francisco Chronicle found that DPH wasn’t alone in leaving beds vacant. Nonprofit organizations HealthRight 360, Progress Foundation and PRC Baker Places left dozens of beds vacant. San Francisco Chronicle
On Friday, Mayor London Breed swore in 84 commissioners to city commissions and boards. "I'm honored and very excited to be given this opportunity to serve my community even more. It's the least I can do for a city that has given me so much," said Adrian Caratowsa, a Transbay Citizens' Advisory Committee appointee. Breed has made 159 appointments to date. SFGate
San Francisco offered $2.5 billion for Pacific Gas and Electric’s electrical grid Sunday, but the utility showed little interest. Residents would foot the bill through previous bonds and their electric bills. Nonetheless, city officials said the buyout would provide residents potentially lower bills and safer service. KQED | CBS
To kick off Transit Week, the San Francisco Transit Riders held a press conference on the steps of City Hall with elected officials to call for Muni to make it possible to cross The City in any direction in just 30 minutes. City College of San Francisco Trustee Thea Selby, who also chairs the transit riders’ board, called the demand as important to fighting for equity and against climate change as it is to general mobility. San Francisco Examiner
Last year, Caltrain’s ridership peaked at 65,095 daily trips. It won’t grow much more until the new electrified fleet begins operation in 2022. San Francisco Examiner
“I am just a sponge for everything that is related to trees.”
Mike Sullivan received honors as a Northern California Super Lawyer in 2015 — but he’s better known as San Francisco's tree enthusiast. He published a book called "The Trees of San Francisco" in 2003 and gives walking tours of the Transit Center with the Friends of the Urban Forest. San Francisco Examiner
The Mission is booming with art galleries. A Mission Local survey found that five galleries have opened up shop this year. There are 38 in operation, compared to 27 two years ago. Mission Local
Superior Court Judge Ethan Schulman declined to grant a temporary restraining order to opponents of City Hall’s 200-bed transitional homeless shelter. Instead, he set a hearing on the merits of the case for later this month. The project, located at Seawall Lot 330, broke ground in July and is expected to open in December. San Francisco Examiner
The family of a 13-year-old girl filed a federal lawsuit last week claiming that City Hall unlawfully locked her up for 11 days in February in the Juvenile Probation Center despite a court order mandating that she be released. A similar claim was filed last year. San Francisco Chronicle
“How f**king cool is this? Having this world-class arena in our backyard.”
On Friday, Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony performed S&M2: 20th Anniversary Concert at Chase Center’s debut. San Francisco Examiner
Despite complaints from neighbors about the years of construction and scale of the project, the Planning Commission unanimously approved plans to develop the UCSF Laurel Heights campus at 3333 California St. into a 744-unit housing and retail complex. San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco Examiner obtained the California Department of Public Health’s investigation reports about the abuse of patients at the hands of nurses at Laguna Honda Hospital. The scandalous findings range from nude photos to disrespectful videos. San Francisco Examiner
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department cautioned residents Friday about a mountain lion sighted at Lake Merced Aug. 21 and then on the west side of Golden Gate Park Sept. 3. While the giant cats are not aggressive toward people, since 1890 there have been 16 verified attacks, six of which were fatal. Curbed San Francisco
Heather Knight, On San Francisco: We Found Quirky, Beautiful And Historic Sights Along 49 Mile Scenic Drive. And Plenty Of Duds, Too
Phil Matier: Sweet Deal: Some Retired Public Employees’ Pensions Bigger Than Their Salaries Were
Willie Brown, Willie’s World: Time To Help San Francisco’s Homeless — And Time To Get Tough If They Won’t Take It
Carl Nolte, Native Son: World’s Oldest Operating Cable Car Rolling Back To Life This Weekend
Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, On Guard: Chinese Residents Fear They Are Targeted By Criminals, But The Data Tells A Different Story
We need you! Only your help will allow us to grow. Please share This San Francisco via email and social media. Here's the link to the sign-up page. Thanks!