#supervisors
#supervisors

No charges for San Francisco Walgreens security guard in fatal shooting of alleged shoplifter

The San Francisco District Attorney's Office has decided against pressing charges against a Walgreens security guard accused of fatally shooting a suspected shoplifter last month.In announcing the decision on Monday, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins cited insufficient evidence before releasing surveillance footage of the encounter, which unfolded on April 27 at a drugstore in downtown San Francisco.

SFGATE

Brooke Jenkins releases video of Walgreens shooting, won't charge

San Francisco District Attorney's Office San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins released on Monday a video of a private security guard shooting and killing 24-year-old Banko Brown following an altercation in a Walgreens store.With the release of the video, Jenkins announced that she will not charge the guard.

sfist.com

Supervisors Come Out Swinging Against Plan to Shut Down Bayview Homeless RV Site

The Pier 94 Backlands' is currently home to 118 people still waiting for permanent housing placement, and while the SF Department of Homelessness wants to close it ASAP, supervisors are saying place the residents first.The pandemic-era Bayview RV triage center, now known as Pier 94 Backlands, was proposed in April 2020 and appears to have been a pretty good success.

Streetsblog San Francisco

Celebrate the Third Year Anniversary of Car-Free JFK on Friday

Yes, it has been three years, and it is certainly something to celebrate

Photo: Sergio Ruiz
Walk San Francisco and fellow advocates will host a celebration of the popular, well-used, and with any luck very sunny car-free JFK Drive through Golden Gate Park on Friday afternoon, April 26, from 4:30 to 6:30 at Pompei Circle, near the Conservatory of Flowers.

sfist.com

SF Supes Overturn Their Own Ban On Doing Business With States With Discriminatory Laws

The SF Board of Supervisors overturned their own 2016 ban on doing business with states who've passed anti-LGBTQ legislation, restrictive abortion laws, and engaged in voter suppression, concluding the ban did more harm than good.If you followed the months-long $1.7 million Noe Valley toilet saga, you may recall that the way SF supervisors lowered the cost of the project was by taking a donated, pre-fab outdoor toilet from a manufacturer in Nevada.

Los Angeles Times

L.A. County and ACLU reach 'extraordinary' agreement to address jail conditions

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County and the American Civil Liberties Union have reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit that alleged "barbaric" conditions in county jails, officials announced Friday.As part of the proposed settlement - which still requires court approval - the county agreed to limits on how long detainees can be held at the inmate reception center in downtown L.A., as well as how long inmates can be handcuffed or tethered to chairs and benches there.

Los Angeles Times

Former Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville arrested twice in one night in Berkeley

(Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images)

Former Bay Area news anchor Frank Somerville, who has spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues, was arrested twice in one night after domestic disturbances at his family's home in Berkeley, according to authorities.

Los Angeles Times

Temecula Valley school board rejects social studies curriculum that would have included Harvey Milk

Temecula Valley Unified School District elementary schools may not have enough social studies textbooks for the upcoming school year after a majority of the school board voted to oppose a new curriculum because it mentions slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk.The board voted 3-2 on May 16 to oppose adopting a new social studies curriculum for the district's 18 elementary schools.

KQED

San Francisco to Pay Hotel Whitcomb $19.5 Million in Property Damage | KQED

At its peak, the hotel shelter program opened 2,288 rooms across 25 hotel sites, according to data from the city's Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.More than 3,300 adults were housed in hotel rooms and the city claims that about two-thirds of eligible guests were transferred to longer-term housing by the time the program ended in December 2022.

Los Angeles Times

Times accuses L.A. County supervisors of violating open-meeting law

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County supervisors met privately Tuesday to discuss demands by The Times that they turn over transcripts of two recent meetings following alleged violations of one of California's bedrock open-government laws.The discussion, held as part of Tuesday's closed-session board meeting, came after a lawyer representing The Times sent the supervisors a letter accusing them of twice violating the Brown Act, which aims to ensure the public can watch local government meetings.

Los Angeles Times

Weed war: Raids on licensed farms and dog shooting spark outrage

Video of a police raid on a Northern California cannabis farm earlier this month has set off outrage, in part because the 36-second clip shows an officer fatally shooting a grower's dog.That the target of the armed strike held a state cannabis license was equally upsetting for many growers in the region.

Mission Local

San Francisco's budget timeline, explained

The Mayor sends budget
instructions to city departments
The Mayor requested that each
department find areas to cut to reduce the
city's budget deficit.A blanket instruction was issued for
departments to find 5% cuts, with some
departments asked to find 10% cuts.The Mayor takes in department
ideas and forms a budget proposal
The Mayor presents her budget
proposal
The plan presented by Breed cuts about
half of city departments.

Los Angeles Times

'Let's stand firm': Supervisors move to boost LGBTQ+ rights, gender-affirming healthcare

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County Supervisors passed two motions Tuesday intended to improve the lives and health of their LGBTQ+ constituents, citing "horrific" attacks by policymakers on gay and transgender youth across the nation.The first, authored by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath, aims to improve the county's gender-affirming healthcare services.

Los Angeles Times

Deputy accused of being in 'Executioners' gang reveals tattoo in court, names names

(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

When he stepped up to the witness stand last week, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Jaime Juarez told the court about his first inking party - the day he got his Compton station tattoo.The intimate gathering was at a home somewhere in Pomona, and most of the people there were strangers.

Chicago Tribune

Chicago

Chicago-area Memorial Day parades: How events prioritize safety

Several police departments across the Chicago area said they are planning this year to increase the number of officers working Memorial Day parades and ceremonies nearly a year after seven people were killed and dozens wounded during a mass shooting at a 4th of July parade in Highland Park.[ Highland Park parade shooting: What we know about the victims, suspect, community and aftermath ]
Sergeant Joe Murphy of the Arlington Heights Police Department said the tragic events that occurred in Highland Park have the town looking closely at its public safety planning for all community events, including its Memorial Day parade.

Eater SF

This Cult-Favorite Natual Wine Brand Is Finally Building a Winery, and It's in Sonoma

Natural wine producer Jolie-Laide is a cult favorite amongst wine drinkers, and the winery dropped a juicy nugget of news into its newsletter this week: Jolie-Laide is set to open its own winery in Sonoma."After many years of working in shared and collaborative wineries, we are taking a big leap of faith, and going it alone," the newsletter reads.

Mission Local

SFPD accused of secret policy-making, usurping oversight bodies' power

The San Francisco Police Department has been secretly and illegally writing its own policies, according to members of the civilian Police Commission, which oversees and sets policy for the department."It's clearly illegal.And it's really shocking that the department would engage in something like this," Max Carter-Oberstone, vice president of the Police Commission, said in an interview on Tuesday.

moredepartments

Mission Local

Police Commission passes CART, probes SFPD about crackdown

Wednesday night's police commission saw the unanimous passage of support for the city to enact the Compassionate Alternative Response Team (CART) working with homeless, followed by a lengthy and testy probe with SFPD Chief Bill Scott over the drug arrests that will be coordinated by the recently announced city's unified command center.

Los Angeles Times

Amid book ban fight, Newsom blasts school board president as 'ignorant' for calling Harvey Milk 'a pedophile'

(José Luis Villegas / Associated Press)

Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted a Temecula school board president who voted along with a majority of the panel to reject a curriculum because a text book mentioned gay rights activist and San Francisco politician Harvey Milk.During a public hearing on the curriculum, Temecula Valley Unified School District board president Joseph Komrosky called Milk a "pedophile."

Mission Local

A swat, a punch: Violence breaks out on Mission's disputed Parcel 36

Last night, the fraught situation at Parcel 36 escalated into a physical altercation between Mission Greenway member Elizabeth Creely and Monkeybrains co-founder Rudy Rucker.After an hours-long argument between a group of guerilla gardeners and the owners of a nearby warehouse, who have competing visions for the hotly contested former rail spur, Creely took out her phone to record Rucker.

Mission Local

Carjacking suspect in lethal Mission crash faced prior carjacking charge

Carlo Watson, 57, has been charged with murder, carjacking, and a litany of other crimes after crashing an allegedly stolen city truck into four people at 16th and Potrero yesterday morning, killing one.The victim who was fatally struck has not yet been identified, but police said he was a 58-year-old man.

www.nytimes.com

Arizona Judge Tosses Kari Lake's 2022 Election Lawsuit

An Arizona judge threw out a lawsuit filed by Kari Lake over her defeat in last year's race for governor, ruling that she had failed to prove that the state's most populous county, Maricopa, had neglected to review voters' signatures on mail-in ballot envelopes.The decision, issued late Monday, is the latest legal setback for Ms. Lake, a Republican who was backed by former President Donald J. Trump in one of the nation's most prominent governors races in 2022.

www.nytimes.com

Guard Who Fatally Shot Man at a Walgreens Won't Be Charged, Prosecutor Says

A security guard at a Walgreens in San Francisco will not be charged with murder after he fatally shot a man who was accused of shoplifting, the district attorney said this week.In a statement on Monday, the district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, said that prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury that the guard was guilty of a crime after they reviewed statements from witnesses and the guard, along with video footage of the April 27 episode at a store on Market Street.

Los Angeles Times

Hypothermia suspected in the deaths of 2 L.A. County inmates last winter

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Two Los Angeles County jail inmates who died last winter showed signs of hypothermia before their deaths, according to a new report released by county watchdog officials.The 38-page Office of Inspector General report offers few other details about how the two inmates died but describes a jail system so ill-equipped for cold weather that indoor temperatures sometimes fell into the 50s and inmates slept inside plastic garbage bags for warmth.

www.mercurynews.com

East Bay (California)

Borenstein: Oakland should seize the A's stake in the Coliseum through eminent domain

The A's and the city of Oakland are divorcing, but the team continues to cling to its ownership share in the family home.While billionaire ballclub owner John Fisher has declared his love for Las Vegas, he still holds rights to a half-interest in the Oakland Coliseum.For the city, the spurned spouse, that means future redevelopment of one of Oakland's most valuable parcels could be blocked indefinitely.

www.nytimes.com

Former F.B.I. Agent Charged in Jan. 6 Riot

WASHINGTON Federal prosecutors have charged a former F.B.I. agent with illegally entering the Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot and said he had called police officers Nazis as he encouraged a mob of Trump loyalists to kill them.The former agent, Jared L. Wise, was arrested on Monday and faces four misdemeanor counts, including disrupting the orderly conduct of government and trespassing, after agents received a tip in January 2022 that he had been inside the Capitol, according to a criminal complaint.

Chicago Tribune

Chicago

Gov. J.B. Pritzker's IDOT secretary violated rules by letting high-ranking officials delegate duties to keep job options open, IG finds

Gov. J.B. Pritzker's transportation secretary violated a long-standing policy by allowing high-ranking officials in his department to delegate certain job duties so they would avoid triggering a revolving-door prohibition that could limit their job prospects once they left the agency, according to a state inspector general report released Tuesday.

Los Angeles Times

Mark Ridley-Thomas found guilty in corruption case

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Mark Ridley-Thomas, one of Los Angeles County's most prominent politicians, was found guiltyThursday of federal corruption charges related to special benefits his son received at USC.The verdict, which jurors reached in their fifth day of deliberations, marks a devastating fall for a man who for more than 30 years was a power broker in L.A. politics and a vocal advocate for civil rights and racial justice.

Los Angeles Times

Ridley-Thomas found guilty in corruption case

(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

Mark Ridley-Thomas, one of Los Angeles County's most prominent politicians, was found guiltyThursday of federal corruption charges related to special benefits his son received at USC.The verdict, which jurors reached in their fifth day of deliberations, marks a devastating fall for a man who for more than 30 years was a powerbroker in L.A. politics and a vocal advocate for civil rights and racial justice.

www.mercurynews.com

East Bay (California)

Famed musician's former beach property to become new park on San Mateo coast

For years, a mile-long stretch of sand on the rural San Mateo County coast was known for loud late night parties that left behind huge piles of litter.On Tuesday, the stunning property, once owned by rock singer Chris Isaak, moved a big step closer to becoming a new public park the first of its kind in more than 50 years.

www.mercurynews.com

East Bay (California)

Santa Clara County to sponsor Project HomeKey application for interim family housing in Santa Clara

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has put their stamp of approval on a 30-unit interim housing complex for families in Santa Clara, pledging to sponsor an application for critical Project HomeKey funding after the city declined to take on that responsibility last month.The development, which will serve homeless families for three to six months until they find more permanent housing, will built on county-owned land on the corner of Lawrence Expressway and Benton Street.

Mission Local

Explore: $70 million in SF law enforcement settlements

"The settlement money is a fraction of the total cost to the city," said Brian Cox, an attorney in the Integrity Unit of the Public Defender's Office.The Integrity Unit attempts to keep tabs on officer misconduct in case their histories become relevant when defending a suspect at trial.He said that the time spent by lawyers in the City Attorney's office fighting these cases can be even more expensive than the settlements themselves.

Mission Local

SF's Valencia St. poised to get a new cannabis dispensary

Although the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to put a halt to applications for new cannabis retail permits, no one at Thursday evening's community meeting opposed the opening of a new dispensary at 724 Valencia St between 18th and 19th Streets.If approved by the Planning Commission, Powerzzzup will welcome its customers this year, becoming the second cannabis dispensary on Valencia Street.

Mission Local

Kate Sofis, ex-head of SF workforce development, lands at War Memorial

Mission Local has learned that Kate Sofis, who officially stepped down as San Francisco's head of San Francisco's Office of Economic and Workforce Development this week, has already found a new roost: Her former colleagues at OEWD were today informed by the mayor's office at an all-hands meeting that Sofis has been appointed the managing director of the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, the complex that houses the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and San Francisco Ballet.

Mission Local

Banko Brown: Attorney General takes up review of case spurned by DA Jenkins

Following a unanimous call from the Board of Supervisors and a letter from civil rights attorney John Burris, Attorney General Rob Bonta today agreed to review evidence in the killing of Banko Brown, an unarmed alleged shoplifter who was shot and killed by Walgreens security guard Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony on April 27.

Mission Local

Dozens of Banko Brown allies rally, calling for prosecution of Walgreens guard

Dozens of supporters of the Walgreens shooting victim Banko Brown rallied and marched to San Francisco City Hall Monday evening, expressing rage at video of the shooting and the decision by the district attorney today not to press charges against the security guard who shot Brown."Do you think it was murder?" chanted Nancy Robles, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which organized the rally.

Mission Local

Video: Banko Brown retreating when Walgreens guard shot him

The San Francisco District Attorney's office today released video of the April 27 Banko Brown shooting, revealing that Brown was shot and killed by Walgreens security guard Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony as Brown was retreating from the store.DA Brooke Jenkins, who had earlier stated that evidence "clearly" showed Anthony acting in self-defense, today formally confirmed her office will not be bringing charges.

www.cbc.ca

Toronto

TTC says safety initiatives working as data shows decrease in violence against riders, staff | CBC News

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) says recent initiatives aimed at improving safety on public transit are working, following the release of data showing violent incidents against customers and employees are decreasing.The agency launched a new online dashboard Monday that tracks and displays metrics such as the rate of criminal offences against TTC customers and employees, the number of calls for service people with complex needs or who are underhoused and major crimes on all transit systems across Toronto.

Mission Local

Latinx organizations rally for their piece of the budget pie

From street level, the Latinx community looked almost impenetrable.Outside City Hall Tuesday, more than 100 advocates squeezed onto the Polk Street sidewalk, loudly demanding the city fund a variety of Latinx programs in the upcoming budget.Ani Rivera, the co-chair of the Latino Parity and Equity Coalition coalition and executive director of longstanding cultural institution Galería de la Raza, helmed a podium on City Hall's steps, brightening the gray morning with her magenta haircut and bubblegum-pink blazer.

www.cnn.com

Defense personnel alarmed after memos reveal Air Force leadership warned about Pentagon leaker but let him continue working

Newly released memos revealing that Air Force leadership repeatedly warned Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira about inappropriately accessing classified intelligence have left former and current defense personnel baffled at how he retained his security clearance and was able to continue sharing classified information for months.

www.standard.co.uk

London

Former Met officer shocked' to realise she was still Wayne Couzens' case officer, hearing told

A former Metropolitan Police officer who allegedly missed an opportunity to properly investigate Wayne Couzens over two incidents of flashing said she she was shocked to realise that she was still the officer in the case when she came back to work after a few days off.Former police constable Samantha Lee is said to have failed to make the correct investigative inquiries over two incidents when Couzens exposed himself to female members of staff at the restaurant in Swanley, Kent, on February 14 and 27 2021, a police disciplinary hearing was told.

www.independent.co.uk

UK news

Ex-Met constable shocked to realise she was still Wayne Couzens case officer'

A former Metropolitan Police officer who allegedly missed an opportunity to properly investigate Wayne Couzens over two incidents of flashing said she she was shocked to realise that she was still the officer in the case when she came back to work after a few days off.Former police constable Samantha Lee is said to have failed to make the correct investigative inquiries over two incidents when Couzens exposed himself to female members of staff at the McDonald's restaurant in Swanley, Kent, on February 14 and 27 2021, a police disciplinary hearing was told.

Los Angeles Times

Eastside could soon get a new 12-acre park under the Sixth Street Viaduct

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The Sixth Street Viaduct near Boyle Heights could soon stretch over a new neighborhood park with sports courts, fields, picnic spots, a children's play area and a plaza where artists can gather and display their work.The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted this week to allocate $2 million to begin construction of the park under the recently opened bridge - a project that aims to increase green spaces in two historically park-poor neighborhoods.

RMNB

Washington Capitals

Todd Nelson talked to officials' supervisors after Coachella Valley got nine power plays in Game 2: 'The penalties killed us'

The Hershey Bears lost Game Two of the 2023 Calder Cup Finals 4-0 after being unable to solve Coachella Valley Firebirds' goaltender Joey Daccord for a second consecutive game.But Daccord's perfect performance was not on top of Todd Nelson's mind when speaking to reporters afterward.The Bears were whistled for 10 minor penalties and received 42 minutes in penalties.

Chicago Tribune

Chicago

Three dismembered heads left at employee's desk after complaints

Dale Wheatley, who performs deliveries for the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois, came into work two weeks ago and found sage burning and three severed heads lying on a plastic container by his desk.Wheatley, who has worked for AGA for nearly five years, said he's never seen anything like the horror movie-like scene he stumbled upon that Wednesday morning in late May.

www.cnn.com

Secret Service implements tougher penalties after probe finds agents were on phones and missed intruder at national security adviser's home

The US Secret Service implemented tougher disciplinary measures after preliminary findings from an internal investigation found agents missed an intruder at national security adviser Jake Sullivan's home in part because they were using their personal phones, people briefed on the matter said.Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle in recent days ordered increased penalties for employees who violate policies on duty, including the use of personal devices while on the job.

www.cnn.com

Pivotal election official in Arizona midterms will not seek reelection

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates, who faced threats for his management of the 2022 midterms and 2020 presidential election in Arizona, said Thursday he will not run for reelection.Today, I am announcing that I will not run for re-election to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 2024 and intend to pursue other interests and opportunities, Gates said in a statement.

www.cnn.com

Biden set to nominate Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

President Joe Biden is set to announce on Thursday that he will nominate Air Force chief of staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to a defense official familiar with the plans.The decision follows Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's recommendation to pick Brown as the military's next top officer, the official said.

www.nytimes.com

Gloria Molina, Pioneering Latina Politician, Dies at 74

Gloria Molina, a groundbreaking Chicana politician at the city, county and state levels in California who was a fierce advocate for the communities she represented, even though that often meant defying entrenched political structures, died on May 14 at her home in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles.

www.cnn.com

Investigation into USS George Washington suicides finds US Navy failed to provide a basic quality of life for sailors

A monthslong investigation into a series of Navy suicides last year found the service failed to provide a basic quality of life for sailors, housing them in unacceptable living conditions and failing to provide adequate mental health resources.The investigation concluded that the issues were compounded on the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier going through overhaul in the Newport News shipyard in Virginia, because of the lengthy refit process, which was delayed as the Navy shifted its priorities to other ships.

www.cnn.com

DeSantis-aligned board votes to sue Disney

The board overseeing Disney's special taxing district which was appointed by and is aligned with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis voted on Monday to sue the company days after the entertainment giant filed its own lawsuit against the board.Since Disney sued us yes, we didn't sue Disney, Disney sued us we have no choice now but to respond, said Martin Garcia, chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board of supervisors.

Eater SF

One of the Bay Area's Most Sought-After Bakeries Will Open Its First Shop in Uptown Oakland

As Eater SF reported earlier this year, one of the Bay Area's hottest bakeries will open its first permanent outpost in late 2023.Tarts de Feybesse, the high-technique French bakery from husband-and-wife team Paul and Monique Feybesse has operated as an online shop since 2020, but by the fourth quarter of this year, fans will be able to get their impeccable apple rose tarts and baton-shaped eclairs in Uptown Oakland.

Eater SF

Historic Mission Bakery La Victoria SF Launches Pan Dulce Retail Sales in the Bayview

As of this weekend, La Victoria SF, the long-running bakery known for producing some of the city's finest pan dulce, will be selling its traditional Mexican baked goods directly to fans in the Bayview.The bakery has been pulling conchas and polvoron out of the ovens at its 1565 Kirkwood Avenue production facility for the past four years, but this marks the beginning of retail sales out of the space.

Eater SF

Historic Mission Bakery La Victoria SF Launches Pan Dulce Retail Sales in Dogpatch

As of this weekend, La Victoria SF, the long-running bakery known for producing some of the city's finest pan dulce, will be selling its traditional Mexican baked goods directly to fans in the Dogpatch.The bakery has been pulling conchas and polvoron out of the ovens at its 1565 Kirkwood Avenue production facility for the past four years, but this marks the beginning of retail sales out of the space.

KQED

Science

Mosquitoes Are Abuzz in San Francisco. You Can Thank Climate Change | KQED

Compared to tropical regions, the U.S. has lower infection rates and milder health effects from mosquito-borne diseases.Globally, malaria and dengue pose more significant risks, particularly in Africa and Asia.Tick-borne diseases are more prevalent than mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S., although West Nile virus cases are widespread, especially in the Plains and Central regions.

www.nytimes.com

Weird Winter Put Bay Area Beekeepers to the Test

Image Jill Lambie, left, and Karen Rhein inspect hive frames in a backyard in Berkeley.Credit...Anabel Sosa for The New York Times You've probably heard of backyard chickens in California cities.But backyard beekeeping?Hundreds of Bay Area residents have installed hives in recent years, and the hobby really took off when pandemic lockdowns forced people to stay home.

www.cnn.com

What caused the banking meltdown? Federal regulators testify

Silicon Valley Bank imploded due to mismanagement and a sudden panic among depositors, a top Federal Reserve official plans to tell lawmakers at a hearing on Tuesday.In prepared testimony released on Monday, Michael Barr, the Fed's vice chair for supervision, details how SVB leadership failed to effectively manage interest rate and liquidity risk.

www.cnn.com

This is why SVB imploded, says top Fed official

Los Angeles Times

Protest, thrown brick disrupt San Francisco mayor's hearing on drug crisis response

(Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle)

An outdoor public hearing on San Francisco's drug crisis came to an abrupt end Tuesday after protesters interrupted the event, with one attendee later arrested on suspicion of assault after a brick was thrown.The event, held at United Nations Plaza in the city's downtown, was part of a monthly question-and-answer session with Mayor London Breed hosted during the regularly scheduled meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Los Angeles Times

L.A. County supervisors denounces 'dark chapter' of Zoot Suit Riots 80 years later

Nearly 80 years after the infamous Zoot Suit Riots, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to condemn the violent attacks by racist mobs on Latino, African American and Filipino youths as "one of Los Angeles' most shameful moments in history."Supervisor Hilda Solis marked the anniversary of the 1943 attacks Tuesday by introducing a motion denouncing the devastation from the riots and recommitting to fighting racial discrimination.

Los Angeles Times

3 arrested after smash-and-grab robbery at Tustin jewelry store prompts police chase

Three men were arrested Tuesday after authorities say they carried out a smash-and-grab robbery at a Tustin jewelry store, then led police on a car chase that ended in a crash.The Tustin Police Department responded around 2:30 p.m. to a report of multiple suspects smashing display cases inside a jewelry store at The District at Tustin Legacy, a large outdoor shopping center.

Los Angeles Times

Former L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to launch new radio show

(Myung Chun/Los Angeles Times)

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who lost his bid for reelection last year and whose single term in office was mired in controversy, plans to launch a new radio show.Villanueva's show, "The Resistance with Sheriff Alex Villanueva," will air Monday through Friday starting May 8 on CRN Digital Talk Radio, according to a news release from the station.

Los Angeles Times

L.A. County to deploy reserve deputies in juvenile facilities

Los Angeles County leaders plan to reopen a shuttered juvenile hall and deploy reserve sheriff officers to work in the facilities as they scramble to fix a staffing crisis that has state regulators threatening to close down the county's two remaining juvenile halls.The steps are among more than a dozen changes to the Probation Department that Los Angeles County supervisors unanimously approved Tuesday as part of a plan to fix a juvenile justice system in crisis and stave off state intervention.

Los Angeles Times

A 'sad day for Los Angeles': Community leaders speak out on the Ridley-Thomas verdict

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

The conviction of Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas on federal corruption charges drew a wide range of reactions on Thursday, with some calling the verdict unjust and others simply expressing sadness over the outcome.Mayor Karen Bass, appearing at an event dealing with housing and homelessness, told reporters she had worked with Ridley-Thomas for more than 40 years.

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Privacy professionals

SFPD Obtained Live Access to Business Camera Network in Anticipation of Tyre Nichols Protest

New documents EFF received through public records requests have revealed that the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) received live access to the hundreds of surveillance cameras that comprise the Union Square Business Improvement District's (USBID) camera network in anticipation of potential protests following the police killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee.

www.theguardian.com

Privacy professionals

First man wrongfully arrested because of facial recognition testifies as California weighs new bills

In 2020, Robert Williams was arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars of watches.Detroit police had matched grainy surveillance footage of the crime to Williams' driver's license photo using a facial recognition service.But Williams wasn't the robber.At the time of the robbery, he was driving home from work.

Los Angeles Times

Relatives of Riverside family slain by 'catfishing' Virginia cop plan to sue over his hiring

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Attorneys for relatives of the Riverside family slain by "catfish" cop Austin Lee Edwards have notified Virginia officials of their intent to sue, citing gross negligence by the state and local law enforcement agencies that hired him.Edwards killed Sharie Winek, 65, Mark Winek, 69, and Brooke Winek, 38, in their Riverside home on the morning of Nov. 25 and kidnapped Brooke's then-15-year-old daughter.

Austin Monitor

Austin

City still needs more 911 operators - Austin Monitor

Photo by ATXN, Austin 911 call center
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 by Jo Clifton
Although the city has stepped up recruiting efforts considerably for filling vacancies in its 911 call center, there are still 49 vacancies among the 104 positions, according to Maria Calagna, director of emergency communications for the Austin Police Department.

Austin Monitor

Austin

Former city employee abused sick leave policy, audit says - Austin Monitor

Tuesday, May 16, 2023 by Jo Clifton
A former employee of the city's Animal Services Department misused city resources by claiming sick leave after getting a new job at Travis County, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor.The audit says Luis Negrete, a former animal health technician, took time off from his job in December 2021 and January 2022 under provisions of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and city rules.

KQED

California law

Group of SF Lawmakers Seek State, Federal Intervention in Banko Brown Killing, After DA Declines to Prosecute | KQED

One person making public comment at the City Hall meeting, but who declined to give their name to KQED, identified themselves as a brown transgender woman who has faced danger for her identity - including from a security guard."During my time in this city, I've been beat, been assaulted.I've had knives pulled on me.

Mission Local

Banko Brown: DA Jenkins' handling of case a disaster of her own making

When Terry and Barbara Brown walked out of a May 1 face-to-face meeting with DA Brooke Jenkins, they were upset that charges would be dropped against the Walgreens security guard who shot dead their 24-year-old child, Banko Brown.But they say they were given every expectation the prosecutor would be piecing together evidence to make a case.

www.fastcompany.com

Education

How this coffee chain is preparing college students to be CEOs

John Purisima had a student job that is a typical one on American college campuses: giving admissions tours to prospective students.Last year, when the Drexel sophomore was telling a scrum of visiting teenagers and their parents about the hands-on work experience that students get managing a Saxbys coffee shop on the Philadelphia campus, he wondered why he wasn't doing that job instead.

Bored Panda

Productivity

People Share What Saddens Them The Most About Working From Home (71 Stories)

Over the recent years, working from home has become the new norm for millions of people around the world.It has some upsides; for some people, it allowed them to save precious time on commuting back and forth and minimized certain expenses, such as money spent on gas or lunch-break outings.Not to mention the additional hour of sleep in the mornings or the comfort of working in your sweatpants.

Mission Local

Supes unanimously oppose closing Bayview RV site

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to oppose the planned closure of a Bayview RV site that has housed hundreds of homeless people over the last three years.The site, located at Pier 94 and surrounded by industrial lots, is slated to be closed by the end of the year.The 118 residents currently living there would be transitioned into other forms of housing, according to the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, which manages the site.

Mission Local

Banko Brown: Supes unanimously call on DA to release shooting video

Tonight's five-and-a half-hour Board of Supervisors meeting ended in a unanimous vote in favor of Board President Aaron Peskin's resolution urging the District Attorney's office to release video evidence of Banko Brown's April 27 killing by a Walgreens security guard.This evidence has thus far been withheld by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, citing Administrative Code 7923.600, which states that disclosure of investigations and information is "not required."

Mission Local

SF caregivers win $25 minimum wage

San Francisco will pay thousands of city-contracted caregivers a minimum of $25 per hour, after the Board of Supervisors and labor unions today announced a new, four-year contract with the caregivers' union.The tentative agreement makes San Francisco the first county in California to reach a new contract with caregivers who are part of the state's so-called In-Home Supportive Services program, which provides free in-home caregivers to Medi-Cal patients.

www.nytimes.com

New York City

Project Veritas Settles Suits That Portrayed It as Mistreating Its Employees

Project Veritas, a conservative group known for using covert recordings to embarrass its political opponents, has agreed to settle two federal lawsuits that accused it of underpaying employees and having a highly sexualized work atmosphere.The settlement of the labor suit, which accused Project Veritas of failing to pay overtime, was approved on Monday by a judge in White Plains, N.Y., near where the group is based.

www.npr.org

Media industry

Fired Tucker Carlson Producer: Misogyny and bullying 'trickles down from the top'

Tucker Carlson at the FOX Nation Patriot Awards on Nov. 17, 2022 in Hollywood, Fla. Jason Koerner/Getty Images Allegations painting Fox News as an abusive workplace that excuses misogyny and anti-Semitism have been put on blast in the aftermath of star host Tucker Carlson's abrupt firing earlier this week.

Mission Local

SF vows to fix "nightmare" affordable home ownership program

San Francisco is taking steps to prevent the owners of city-subsidized units from taking a bath upon the sale of those units.This comes after Mission Local reporting that showed owners of below-market-rate units were being compelled by the city to sell at a loss.Currently, the program, which is meant to help San Fransicans with limited incomes afford starter homes, is "turning what should have been an economic opportunity for low income families into a nightmare," said Supervisor Myrna Melgar, when introducing the agenda item at a hearing Monday afternoon.

Mission Local

Displacement in Hayward: New film explores Russell City evictions

The Ancona family was the last to leave Russell City, an unincorporated town outside of Hayward annexed to the city in 1968, after its 1,400 majority Black and Latinx residents were forced to leave the year earlier.But Lita Ancona didn't plan to let the city's bulldozers tear down her home.So, before she left, she burned it to the ground.

Mission Local

More voices call for DA to release Banko Brown shooting video

A group of around 150 people crowded the steps of City Hall today in the fifth and largest demonstration by the friends and family of Banko Brown, the 24-year-old shot and killed by a Walgreens security guard late last month.They all reiterated a week-long demand: The district attorney must release video evidence of the shooting, which she has withheld even as multiple city supervisors and media outlets have called for the footage.

San Francisco Bay Times

SF LGBT

Lessons Learned From LGBT Elder Advocacy During COVID-19 - San Francisco Bay Times

By Daniel Redman-
In 2020, as the COVID-19 lockdown began, a group of LGBT elder advocates and government officials began meeting to keep track of concerns and needs arising, share information, and organize to protect our communities.One year later, the result was impactful: almost one million dollars in grants approved, a groundbreaking study of the impact of COVID-19 on LGBT elders, and important educational outreach to the community.

San Francisco Bay Times

SF LGBT

Donna's Chronicles, "The Reign of Emperor Michael Anthony Chua..." - San Francisco Bay Times

By Donna Sachet-
The Reign of Emperor Michael Anthony Chua & Empress Cameron Stiehl-Munro is off to a fantastic start after Investiture 2023- An Enchanted Evening at DNA Lounge.The Monarchs kept the audience fully entertained with fantasy numbers inspired by Disney movies and musicals, complete with elaborate costumes and magical surprises.

Los Angeles Times

Ex-L.A. Councilman Ridley-Thomas seeks new trial after conviction

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas, convicted on bribery and fraud charges, has asked a federal judge to discard the jury's guilty verdicts and grant him a new trial in the high-profile corruption case.Lawyers for Ridley-Thomas argued in a motion filed this week that prosecutorial misconduct, misstatements of the law, and inaccurate and "improper testimony" by the lead FBI agent on the case all deprived the longtime politician of a fair trial.

Mission Local

Valencia St. cyclist struck by city vehicle receives $3.3 million settlement

On Tuesday afternoon, the Board of Supervisors approved a $3.3 million settlement for a cyclist struck by a city vehicle at the intersection of Valencia and 20th streets in November 2019.The settlement is this year's third multimillion dollar settlement for a non-fatal vehicle collision involving a city employee.

Mission Local

Family of Banko Brown calls for accountability at Supes' meeting

"This city," said Kimora Lanique as a dusting of rain fell outside City Hall, "has failed us to the fullest."Lanique, a friend and colleague of Banko Brown, was addressing a circle of around 30 supporters and loved ones of the slain 24-year-old before public comment at the May 2 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Harvard Business Review

Business

How to Answer "What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?"

Some questions come up again and again in job interviews.At the top of the list: " Tell me about yourself," " Why do you want to work here?" and "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?"The strengths-and-weaknesses question may seem like the easiest of the bunch for job seekers to answer, given the classic responses associated with each:
My strengths?

www.nytimes.com

A Timeline of How the Banking Crisis Has Unfolded

First Republic Bank was seized by regulators and sold to JPMorgan Chase on Monday, the latest casualty of a banking crisis that has seen other troubled lenders collapse in March.Silicon Valley Bank, one of the most prominent lenders to technology start-ups and venture capital firms, was the first to implode on March 10.

www.nytimes.com

Key Takeaways From Regulatory Review of Bank Failures

Keep watch over banks, but try not to alarm anyone.That is how bank regulators appeared to view their duties in the lead-up to last month's banking crisis, at the center of which were the failures of Silicon Valley Bank in California and Signature Bank in New York.For years, federal regulators overseeing Silicon Valley Bank pointed out its many flaws using language whose impact appeared heavily blunted by technical jargon.

Los Angeles Times

Public tirades, recall threats as Shasta County roils from decision to dump voting machines

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Weeks after deciding to dump Dominion Voting Systems and become the largest government entity in the U.S. to hand-count its votes, Shasta County officials are now grappling with the complex logistics of actually carrying out that approach, accurately and legally, in a county of 200,000 people.

sfist.com

Board of Appeals Weighs In on Saga of Vacant, Apparently Unclaimed Mission District Lot, Tells Supes to Act

The San Francisco Board of Appeals on Wednesday tossed out a permit that had been granted to local internet business Monkeybrains to put up a fence on one side of a lot adjacent to their building at 22nd and Treat.But the bizarre limbo of this piece of land, which has been embraced by guerrilla gardeners, car owners in need of parking, and feral cats alike, has not been solved.

sfist.com

Wine

That Former Office Max at 14th and Harrison Could Become a Big-Box Liquor Store, Total Wine & More

The Board of Supervisors apparently approved a liquor license transfer for the big-box booze retailer Total Wine & More to move into the now-vacated Office Max at 14th and Harrison Streets, though the state ABC has not approved the license yet.It was last November, the week before Thanksgiving, when Hoodline broke the news that the Office Max at 14th and Harrison Streets had closed permanently.

Los Angeles Times

Ridley-Thomas' felony convictions dictate his removal from L.A. City Council

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Veteran Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas' felony convictions bring new shock waves to a City Hall that had been settling into relative normalcy after months of upheaval.For 17 long months, Ridley-Thomas had been in a kind of limbo - suspended from the City Council but not permanently removed.

KQED

Shasta County Switches To Hand Counting Of Election Ballots | KQED

The Shasta County Board of Supervisors will replace voting equipment targeted by former President Trump and others, promoting the lie that the 2020 election was stolen.The county is now going to be hand counting ballots.Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED
New Bill Looks To Close Loophole To Better Protect Tenants From Eviction
Housing advocates say landlords have been taking advantage of a loophole in California's Tenant Protection Act to kick renters out.

Los Angeles Times

Opinion: Don't call it a comeback: California's Tulare Lake never really went away

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Only two centuries ago, a shallow inland sea dominated California's Central Valley.In a ring of impenetrable reeds, called tules, was Tulare Lake - then the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi River.At the end of the 19th century, newly arrived settlers began draining it to provide water for agriculture and growing cities and to defend against destructive floods.

sfist.com

London Breed Talks Homelessness, Conservatorship and SF's 'Complicated Soup of Problems' on Jon Stewart's Podcast

Now in his second season doing podcast that also has a video component on Apple TV+, comedian just had SF Mayor London Breed come on for an extended conversation on what he calls San Francisco's "complicated soup of problems."We all know that Breed prefers the word "challenges" to "problems" when it comes to talking about things like homelessness, Tenderloin drug dealing, and the city's struggling downtown.

Mission Local

Meeting for input on sheriff oversight hire fails to get community

The second community meeting to discuss qualifications required for a new leader of the Sheriff's Department Oversight Board drew the s ame number of participants as the first - one.Tuesday night's meeting was held in District 5, which includes Cole Valley, the Haight and the Western Addition.The meeting, originally scheduled for two hours, was adjourned after barely half that time.

www.fastcompany.com

Career

How managers can address procrastinating employees

Managers often complain about hybrid employee procrastination resulting in missing deadlines and task delays, when compared to their in-office colleagues.Research by Microsoft, which surveyed 20,000 people and analyzed trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, finds that 85% of leaders believe the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence that employees are being productive.

www.fastcompany.com

Remote teams

Tired of the office? These jobs have the happiest remote workers right now

It's no surprise that working from home has been popular for many workers, but it hasn't been a win for every profession across the board.Glassdoor recently surveyed workers to determine how important remote work was to them as a benefit, and how employees across various levels of seniority and various occupations view their experiences working from home.

www.nytimes.com