Archive for February, 2010

A recent audit shows the Small Business Office isn’t doing enough to help small business owners navigate the permitting process.

The Youth Commission joins the public dialogue about the SFUSD’s study on the challenges LGBT students face in our City’s schools, and raises awareness about what our kids face on a daily basis.  Kirk thanks you.

The Board of Supes has sent a proposed garage development back to the drawing board, requiring a full environmental impact analysis after the project was appealed by its neighbors, while more sweeping legislation that was adopted by the Board earlier this year remains under review.  Good thing, too, since there is always so much available parking in North Beach we’d hardly know what to do with the extra spaces.

The Chronicle reports on San Franciscans’ use of solar and wind power to make their lights go on and off and dryers go round and round.

Susan Sward of the New York Times weighs in on the abundance of potholes plaguing San Francisco’s streets and why this may only be the beginning.

Some local Teamsters are suggesting that some San Francisco parking lots get shut down.  Why?  Read on…

San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department looks to beef up its staff by offering ice cream to volunteers.  No word on if they’ll offer thirty-one flavors, though.

The San Francisco Fire Department explores the idea of selling transferable development rights for Station 13 as a means to raise some cashola.

The San Francisco School Board prepares to vote on funding to expand its program on sexual orientation at a time when other school resources are being threatened by the District’s budget deficit.

Nope – we’re not doing an advertisement for the ‘80s new wave band.  We’re pointing out that you’re going to have to buy a Chron today – or wait until Tuesday – to read about what Willie Brown has to say about Newsom and the LG race, statewide politics, and how limping and forgetting members of the Black Eyed Peas are related.  But, what good fortune awaits our readers as Matier and Ross is again magically available online after three weeks of online silence on Sundays. All the while, the print version maliciously tells us that we can only read the prose of our dynamic duo with the paper in hand.  Oh, to what do we owe this Sunday harvest of journalistic intrigue?

The Bay Citizen takes a look at the latest plans to spruce up Fisherman’s Wharf that include a little somethin’ somethin’ for the locals too.

Today’s BAR includes a guest opinion about the potential impact of district elections on the LGBT community.  The verdict?  More work needs to be done to ensure equal representation on Goodlett Place.

Andrew Ross covers the revitalization occurring in the ‘hood endearingly referred to as “SoCha.”

The Board of Supes approves legislation that will create a mortgage reserve fund for the San Francisco LGBT Community Center and stock it with $157,500.

San Francisco homes and businesses may receieve partial funding for energy-efficient retrofits.

The Chronicle discusses the idea of hybrid district elections, and why they’re gaining traction.

No, the cast of Cars has not gone rogue, and no, they are not out ripping off convenience stores.  Stop reading our headlines so literally.  But the SFPD is indeed focusing on how to reduce the number of auto-related crimes that are taking place in our fair city.  (Karl Malden and Steve McQueen are On The Job, y’all.)

Mayor Gavin Newsom and several other Bay Area officials look to Sacramento and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to deliver funds needed to relieve local transit budget problems.

It’s hard to raise money when your race isn’t until 2016, or something - and it’s hard to raise money when you’re the only candidate in said far-off race.  But Supervisor Bevan Dufty doesn’t seem to care that it’s hard, and he’s doing it anyway.  Dufty, the only significant mayoral contender, has announced that he’s topped $100K in his first reporting period.

The Chronicle takes a look at the dollars and cents driving November’s supervisorial races.  Political newbie Mark Farrell is leading the pack in District 2, Rebecca Prozan has the edge in District 8, Malia Cohen in D10, and Debra Walker is winning the fundraising battle in District 6.  It’s gonna be an interesting year, folks.  Stay tuned!  (And if you want even more political gossip, take a look at our constantly updated elections page here.)

Supervisor Sean Elsbernd cross examines the role of overtime expenses within the City’s budget deficit.