San Francisco's Department of Elections moments ago released its most up-to-date voting data yet -- and Mark Farrell, Jane Kim, Scott Wiener, and Malia Cohen are all smiling. Smiling nervously, but smiling.
Today is the first tally using ranked-choice voting. Essentially, as candidates are eliminated, their second- and third-choice votes are disseminated to other candidates still in the running. This continues until someone breaks the 50 percent threshold.
Today's figures are by no means final -- but so far, no San Francisco office-seeker trailing after the initial tally of the ranked-choice votes has come back to win.
Here's the nitty-gritty:
The HIA represents a fast growing and environmentally sustainable industrythat is creating new jobs, with an estimated $400 million in sales in 2009,
despite a federal policy that outlaws hemp farming. Business leaders of
the North American hemp industry will meet in San Francisco to map out plans
for bringing back hemp farming in the United States, to present updates on
industry developments, and to share new data about expanding markets.
A veteran civil rights attorney who has sued the Oakland and BART Police Departments more times than he can remember lamented ex-BART cop Johannes Mehserle's two-year sentence -- the shortest sentence Judge Robert Perry could have handed down.
Jim Chanin has represented more than 500 clients suing the Oakland Police Department and filed suit at least 75 times. He referred to today's sentence as "inadequate ... I think it sends the wrong message at the wrong time to people who are looking to the law to provide justice in this country."
Bikesharing: crazy, right? The expense, the hills, the repairs, the theft -- it seems like it would never, in a million years, work.
Except it does, in plenty of cities from Montreal to Budapest to Washington, D.C. And it's getting a little embarrassing that San Francisco isn't one of them.
That's why we're relieved by the news that the city is finally getting a bikeshare pilot program. Not only that, but the program will be regional, so you can pick up a bike in San Jose and ride it to Land's End. By which point you would have calves like steel cables.
Let's take a look at how exactly it'll work.
The good folks who sell plywood and/or glass had this day circled on their calendars months ago. Today Johannes Mehserle, the ex-BART cop convicted of involuntary manslaughter for shooting dead unarmed passenger Oscar Grant, learned how long it would take to repay his debt to society.
Following a long, emotional hearing in which Grant's family pleaded for Mehserle to receive the maximum, 14-year sentence and the former cop tearfully pleaded for the opposite, Judge Robert Perry laid down the law: Two years, with 292 days as time served*. This is the lightest sentence Perry could have handed down.
The Week In Gay
A heartfelt apology to Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. But who can resist cracking wise about the name of the presumptive winner in race to represent District 8?
You've gotta recognize the magnitude of what's going on here. It appears that voters in the gayest neighborhood in the world have elected Scott Wiener to be their representative on the Board of Supervisors.
An official winner has NOT been announced, but Wiener, so far the leading vote-getter, is convinced he will win according to the Bay Area Reporter. He was introduced to the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro as the district representative on Thursday night, so it must be true, even though Rafael Mandelman, the perceived runner-up, has not conceded.
Mandelman and the other contenders, Rebecca Prozan and Bill Hemminger, may want to consider a strategic name change for a rematch next time around to compete better with Wiener.
Police are seeking a suspect in the murder of Kathleen Horan last Friday at her Russian Hill apartment. It is believed the man responsible posed as a public utility worker to enter the secured building.
As announced at a Hall of Justice press conference this morning, the white male carried a tool box as he knocked on several tenants' doors at the 900 Chestnut Street apartment claiming he was checking for a gas leak.
All of America is now being treated to an only-in-San Francisco phenomenon: The random Brian Wilson sighting. The photogenic and quote-worthy baseball star -- who, let's not forget, is also a damn good pitcher -- chatted it up with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show yesterday, sporting jeans, a T-shirt, and gorgeous high-top shoes. He also wore his trademark black beard, and white gloves -- with which to carry the World Series trophy. These, he claimed, were crafted from "yeti fur," to which he is allergic.
Those allergic to Jay Leno can read the following thumbnail of Wilson's entertaining guest slot:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi's team has been relegated to the minor leagues -- but she still wants to be the manager. In an announcement made via her Twitter account, the Speaker of the House announced she will be running for Democratic Minority Leader.
Win or lose, it seems @SpeakerPelosi will be needing a new Twitter handle by the end of the year.
