Archive for February, 2011

Supervisor Scott Wiener is working with the Department of the Environment to reward recyclers with food stamps instead of cash so that folks can be given what he says they really need.

The Police Commission will hear testimony on how the SFPD should handle mental health calls at its Wednesday meeting.

San Franciscans took to the streets yesterday in support of the protesters in Egypt, and Supervisor John Avalos shares his thoughts on why international issues deserve our attention here at home.

Michael Theriault of the SF Building & Construction Trades Council and Steve Falk of the Chamber take on just how local the City’s local hiring ordinance truly is, and ask that it be re-evaluated for its effectiveness.

For those of you who don’t have a print subscription to the Chronicle (and therefore no access to Sunday’s Matier & Ross and Willie Brown columns), never fear!  We’ve gotcha covered.  Phil and Andy give us the 411 on Oakland’s pursuit to keep the A’s, District Attorney and former Chief of Police George Gascón’s decision to turn cases over to federal authorities, Keeping up with the Reillys, and job openings at BART.  While the former mayor opines on Governor Jerry Brown and the state budget, census numbers, the “Hellman Group,” and more.

Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts announced that he will remain in Oakland after he gets passed up for the job in San Jose.

The Chronicle tells us that the Department of Transportation has given Mayor Lee the okay to proceed with San Francisco’s Central Subway project.

City Attorney Dennis Herrera has fired off a letter to Levi’s to stop, halt, and desist from advertising illegally on our city’s pavement.  In San Fran, there’s no such thing as free advertising, so either stick to the rules or ship on out.

A rash of muggings-while-texting (okay, just three) have led the SFPD to warn cell phone users to pay attention to their surroundings, even while sauntering down the street.  So give those thumbs a rest!

The verdict is in, and apparently San Francisco is the Vainest City in America.  That’s right, we are thinner, spend more on beauty products, and belong to our local gyms in higher numbers than any other city, including our blond and tanned neighbor to the south and that clad-in-black metropolis back east.  Do you think the ratings are right?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

San Francisco firefighters are expected to see lots of increases this year.  And by increases, I mean increases in fringe benefits, premium pay, and overtime hours.  Hmmmm, talk about a conversation starter.

As part of his efforts to review the regulations surrounding the entertainment community, Supervisor Scott Wiener has called on the Controller’s Office to conduct an economic impact study on San Francisco’s entertainment industry.

Barely a month into office, a few members of the Board of Supervisors are making decisions that are raising concerns and eyebrows amongst preservationists.

It’s true.  There are still five months until the official filing deadline to run for mayor and there are already more than 20  candidates vying to be the City’s CEO.  With the ballot list getting longer and longer, the Bay Guardian encourages candidates to ask the existential question of, “Who am I?” - taking clear positions to define themselves, while Matier and Ross opine that it is anyone’s race to win.

A trade group has filed a legal injunction to to stop the Yellow Pages law from being enacted until a judge rules on the pending court case. It’s left me wondering which is greater: the amount of paper used to produce all those yellow pages, or the amount of paper filed in this ongoing back-and-forth over its legality? My guess is that it’s a draw.