relationships, sexual or otherwise, without somebody discussing it as
some sort of tawdriness."
SF Weekly has learned that the operator of a 22-Fillmore bus involved in what can only be described as a Southwest Airlines "Wanna get away?" commercial come to life was a relatively new hire with only a year or so of bus-driving experience.
But without further delay -- the unfortunate series of events. Last night, while many San Franciscans were watching Peyton Manning's career troubles on national TV, the young driver had a performance to forget of his own. First, a rider in a motorized scooter fell off the bus' wheelchair lift while dismounting and was hospitalized. A Muni inspector showed up to investigate that accident. Then, for reasons yet undetermined, the bus lurched forward several feet and the extended wheelchair lift knocked out a fire hydrant. That hydrant struck and injured the inspector and sent a 40-foot plume of water toward the heavens. The unwanted Jed's-a-millionaire moment doused locals and flooded nearby buildings.
As to what repercussions could be facing the driver, multiple calls to the Transit Workers Union have not yet been returned, and Muni spokesman Judson True refused to speculate.
Wanna get away, indeed.
Ah the joys of vacation.
It's been weeks, literally weeks, since I've asked myself "What was David Chiu thinking?"
I have asked myself "What was Gavin Newsom thinking?" but only because people keep coming up to me and asking: "what the hell is with the mayor?"
I'm going to tell you two things you need to know, people: First, stop asking me that.
Second, if you think that someone who follows Gavin Newsom's career understands him any better than a tourist from Idaho who says "Your mayor must spend a lot of time on his hair," you're fooling yourself. The man's an enigma with a comb.
If anyone can understand the byzantine ways of City Hall, however, it is this week's guest writer -- Examiner political columnist and analyst Melissa Griffin.
Melissa is a lawyer by training, which means she has an edge over almost every working reporter: she knows how to do something. But you can't be taught to have the kind of analytical mind and political instincts that she brings to her work every week. That's just pure talent. Character for character, she is one of the best informed political writers in the city.
My only regret is that there aren't more meetings for her to cover this week.
- Benjamin
As a loyal reader of Benjamin's column, I'm thrilled to be writing GovInaction this week! Let's get started...
Monday, February 8
10:30 a.m. -- City Operations & Neighborhood Services Committee
There are only two items on the agenda and each requires the board to accept grant money. The time it takes you to read this sentence is longer than this meeting will last.
1:00 p.m. -- Land Use and Economic Development Committee
Here's how I picture it: About a year ago, former supervisor Aaron Peskin was driving around looking for parking in the neighborhood where he lives -- Telegraph Hill. Because there are so many driveways, finding street parking is a bitch.
Cue to 2010, David Chiu has proposed a law that severely restricts (and in some cases, eliminates) the right of residential property owners to install driveways and garages on their property in Telegraph Hill, North Beach and Chinatown.
It's magical. Problem solved.
If only Peskin had a problem with homeless people...
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The grim tally of yesterday's early morning shooting outside Suede nightclub on Bay Street remains unchanged this morning, according to the Medical Examiner's office: One man is dead and multiple victims of early morning gunfire into a crowd are still living.
Lawon Hall, 19, of Richmond was killed on the scene and at least two other crowd members remain in critical condition following the outburst. A 20-year old Richmond man suspected of the shooting was himself shot on the scene by a San Francisco Patrol Special officer -- still referred to as an "armed security guard" in some media reports. Police hope to question the yet-to-be-named suspect when he recovers from his wounds.
What triggered the "altercation" within the club that led to the shooting outside of it is still largely unknown. Police are searching for witnesses to the incident and of the resultant shooting. They are encouraged to call the Police Department's
confidential tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411.
Mirkarimi's office and both the teenage activists and adult workers at
Youth Leadership Institute were surprised last month when anti-smoking
measures they'd been working on were instead introduced by the mayor. "It's pretty obvious -- the [mayor's] legislation has some of the same key findings we presented to Supervisor Mirkarimi," said Sahad Quarashi, a coordinator at Youth Leadership Institute. "We are currently exploring the issue of why we weren't addressed."
