Archive for February, 2010

The City of San Francisco is considering placing new requirements on property owners for street tree maintenance.

Since you can’t find it online, Suspects will give you a peek at what Willie Brown and Matier and Ross have to say in today’s Chronicle.  Mr. Brown gives Supervisor Sean Elsbernd credit for taking on Muni reforms, President Obama credit for his healthcare summit, and Oakland City Council member Rebecca Kaplan credit for understanding how to win a citywide race.  He also gives us some insider perspective on Chinese New Year and a welcome-home dinner for Julie Lee.  Meanwhile, Matier and Ross tell us about a strange scuffle between a group of Black Muslims and a former San Francisco policeman at a community meeting and Mayor Gavin Newsom’s declining poll numbers here in San Francisco.

Mayor Gavin Newsom’s three week old local stimulus package appears to be working as the Planning Department sees an increase in building permit applications.

BAR reports on the star-studded cast of candidates vying for Supervisor Bevan Dufty’s District Eight seat on the Board of Supervisors.

The MTA is waiving the fee for its TransLink cards For a Limited Time Only - which could be a day or a week or a month or 35 days, we simply don’t know - for discounted pass users.  (Hmmmm.  Sympathy swag for raising fares?  Or something else?)  Either way, come and get ‘em while they’re hot!  And while you’re at it, BART over to Oakland and take the AC Transit 12 bus Just Because You Can.

The SFBG provides an in-depth analysis of the battle for supervisor in District Ten, the largest and most diverse of the city’s eleven districts.  Let the games begin!

Yes, I’m a geek.  And no, this isn’t political.  But Pi Day?  How cool is that??!!  March 14 marks the 22nd annual celebration at the Exploratorium, complete with science, music and (drum roll, please) PIE.  Fellow math nerds, rejoice!

The Examiner offers a Quick ‘n Dirty breakdown of the various ballot measures, both local and state, coming to a ballot near you in the next few months.  San Franciscans, you’re getting off easy this go a-round with only seven local measures versus the usual 1,437… or so… Nonetheless, grab a buddy and start studying up!

Question: How can a new art gallery on Howard Street possibly help the Fire Department make this city safer?  Sounds like a noodle scratcher, doesn’t it?  Answer:  the department’s recent agreement with the Museum that will swap properties (and provide the City a shiny, brand new fire station).  Rejoice!

Unfortunately, www.sfgate.com does not have these stories.  But, some of us at Suspects still get the Chronicle delivered at home so we are happy to share.  Today, Matier and Ross cover which former politicians are getting paid Big Money by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (or the prison guards union, depending on whether you’re feeling colloquial), and news of a Big Endorsement in the District Two Supes race.  Also, Willie Brown writes about Tiger Woods, Gavin Newsom, Dianne Feinstein, Jerry Brown, and how lobbyists are texting Planning Commissioners during meetings.

SF’s Recreation and Parks Department sees the silver lining behind the SFUSD School Board’s cuts to summer school classes, and welcomes kids (and their parents’ wallets) who would otherwise be sitting on their hands this summer to run freely in the park instead.

Warning:  To all property owners of vacant or seemingly abandoned buildings that are not really abandoned, show a little love and register your properties!  Or else…

The San Francisco LGBT Community Center, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, and Medjool owner Gus Murad are teaming up to explore new zoning opportunities that would expand the center’s commercial capacity, including a new rooftop restaurant (and we all know how electric those are in this town).

Several of the city’s shuttered churches are in limbo, and the City’s Planning Department just isn’t sure about how best to use the space.

The SFBG breaks down the upcoming June election, offering its advice about how best to support the little guy at the polls.  Take that, Corporate America!

Mayor Gavin Newsom and local union leaders recently agreed to cut five hundred city jobs, which is much smaller than the proposed cut of 1,500 jobs.  Isn’t this a great city?  Five hundred jobs lost and you aren’t chased out of town with pitchforks.

Longtime affordable housing advocate Calvin Welch opines on Mayor Newsom’s efforts to stimulate the economy, encouraging the administration to focus more on the public sector.

It’s official: Senator Dianne Feinstein will not (that’s right: NOT) be running for governor.  Not a big surprise, but I bet that wherever he is, Attorney General Jerry Brown is breathing a sigh of relief.

A ruling in New York City could impact San Francisco’s Critical Mass bicycle event.  The SFPD has already voiced its displeasure about the monthly gathering.  Who’s next?

Looks like Jimmy’s Old Car Picnic - an event held in Speedway Meadow for many years - needs to find a new location, or it won’t happen at all.  The City and Jimmy are both girding their loins for battle (and who knew the City had loins?), and the folks at Suspects, who like old cars and think they’re cool, hope that some reasonable compromise gets reached…

The Chron and the San Francisco Biz Times give us the latest on the America’s Cup.  While the team that is leading the efforts to bring the event to San Francisco have been meeting with City Hall insiders, us non-sailors will just have to hang tight until the the City makes its formal bid on September 30.

Nope, this isn’t about the YMCA - it’s about the Navy.  Or an old Navy building, to be exact.  And you all remember that the VP’s sang a song about the Navy, as well as their classic YMCA tune, right?  (OK, I know, I’ve lost everyone under the age of 35.  Damn it.)  Here’s the short form, without the humor: an old Navy warehouse in Hunters Point is being repurposed as a clean-tech hub.  See?  Wasn’t my setup the only fun thing about that item?

Matier and Ross talk about the possibility of another run for Oakland Mayor for Ron Dellums, tell us about who’s gone from working for a guy in Room 200 to working for an exiled Prince from the United Arab Emirates, and more.  Meanwhile, Willie Brown takes a looooooong trip to the Philippines, talks up who’s in what position for next year’s Mayor’s race - and this year’s D6 and D10 races, and more… better buy a paper…

The Bay Citizen sits down with Mayor Gavin Newsom and asks him anything and everything (and lots of stuff and things in between) about his Big Plans for the Golden State.  Read up!