An 11-member panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit had some tough questions today for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's lawyer about why "America's Toughest Sheriff" should be exempt from a lawsuit claiming he violated an Arizona newspaper's First Amendment rights.
The hearing in San Francisco focused on the claims of Village Voice Media executives Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin -- as well as VVM publication the Phoenix New Times -- that Arpaio, former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, and special prosecutor Dennis Wilenchik tried to harass and silence New Times journalists because of their negative coverage of the Sheriff's Office. (Disclosure: VVM owns SF Weekly.)
That pattern of alleged harassment culminated with the nighttime arrests of Lacey and Larkin by sheriff's deputies in unmarked cars in 2007, on charges that were dropped within 24 hours. Arpaio's lawyers have claimed that he was not directly involved in the arrests -- which they say were overseen by Wilenchik -- and that the sheriff should thus enjoy immunity from prosecution as a government official.
Police shot and wounded an unidentified man who opened fire on them as they pulled him over during a traffic stop in the Lower Nob Hill area this afternoon.
Officers made a traffic stop at about 1:30 p.m. on the corner of Larkin and Bush streets. As officers approached the car, the driver took off running south on Larkin Street. Halfway across the block, the suspect pulled out a gun and started shooting at the officers, said Officer Carlos Manfredi.
The officers split up, one on each side of the sidewalk, and began shooting back. It's not known how many shots were fired, but at least one bullet hit the suspect in the head or neck, Manfredi said.
The suspect fell to the ground and was taken to San Francisco General Hospital. His condition is unknown at this time.
In this week's cover story, we presented The Ray, a Target employee from
Antioch who was arrested in the general strike march in Oakland last
month while acting as a Real Life Superhero. The Ray is far from the
only civilian-turned-comic book hero fighting crime or helping the needy
around the Bay Area.
There are more. Many more.
Here's Do-Luck, a "clumsy" messenger boy by day who dons armor that will make the bullies hurt themselves without him having to lift a finger.
Handle: Do-Luck, borrowed from the name of a Japanese race-car parts company. "It was a choice between the Harbinger and Do-Luck. I didn't want to sound mean."
Age: 24.
Patrol turf: San Jose.
Costume: Steel armor, which he bought for $153 on eBay from a man who created the Gondor soldier costume from Lord of the Rings. "I'm basically like a walking wall."
Secret Weapon: The rough edges on his steel armor. "The harder they hit me the more they're going to hurt themselves." Also the rough edges guard against being lifted up by enemies and thrown around "like a soda can."
Origin story: By day, Do-Luck is a courier messenger who dreams of being a cop. "I'm a very
clumsy, very dumb delivery driver who makes a lot of mistakes in his
job." One who has fallen victim to being mugged by bullies, against whom he'd never fight back. "I didn't want to fight. I have plenty of training, but I mentally don't have it. Do-Luck, I created as an extension that's not afraid ... I'm talking to you as Do-Luck."
As expected, the San Francisco Examiner's new owners trimmed its newsroom yesterday afternoon, laying off half the copy desk as well as other editorial staff.
We called Todd Vogt, publisher and president of the Ex, who told us layoff notices went out yesterday. However, he would not confirm who lost their jobs or how many positions are being cut.
However, inside sources at the Ex told us that at least seven editorial positions -- likely more -- were cut, the bulk of them coming from the copy desk.
In this week's cover story, we presented The Ray, a Target employee from
Antioch who was arrested in the General Strike march in Oakland last
month while acting as a Real Life Superhero. The Ray is far from the
only civilian-turned-comic book hero fighting crime or helping the needy
around the Bay Area.
There are more. Many more.
Here's Rock N. Roll, one of the few ladies among a sea of male superheroes, and a founder of the California Initiative.
Handle: Rock N. Roll, a combination of being a rock guitarist and a motorcyclist.
Superhero turf: Oakland, San Francisco.
Superhero cred: Former bouncer at the End-Up, rock guitarist, teaches women's self defense.
Superhero exploits: Rock and the superhero group she co-founded this summer, the California Initiative, pick up used needles off Mission streets, coordinate toy drives, homeless hand-outs, and patrols of high-crime areas in civilian clothes.
Secret weapon: Humor. "One of the things we can do is try to defuse the situation in a funny way. It's almost like being a parent. like, 'Hey guys, are we going to have to separate you?'"
Yesterday, SF Weekly wrote about the sad fate of Knucklehead, Steven Coffman's beloved 2-year-old service dog, which was shot dead by a California Highway Patrol officer.
Officer John Denny, the San Francisco Police Department's Vicious and Dangerous Animals Unit, said the news of the man-shoots-dog incident created quite a buzz at the city's Animal Control Department. "You're talking about people here who'd rather take a bite than shoot a dog," he says.
Ideally, however, neither of those unpleasant events needs to take place. In fact, Denny teaches a course on it.
The mayor's race might be over, but the deep tensions that often defined the candidates are still very much there.
On KQED this morning, Forum host Michael Krasny reminded Mayor Ed Lee that his political rivals, namely state Sen. Leland Yee, are still beating down on him for his unsavory links to Chinatown powerbroker Rose Pak and former Mayor Willie Brown. "It's a repeated statement from rivals, that you are indebted to them, or more than indebted," Krasny said.
To which Lee responded, in not so many words: Get over it.
"I suspect Yee has some past history with them and can't get over the fact that [with] their support he might have had a chance," Lee said, referring to the fact that the two had endorsed him -- not Yee -- in the mayor's race. "But I think it's water under bridge.
We are moving on."
In this week's cover story, we presented The Ray, a Target employee from
Antioch who was arrested in the General Strike march in Oakland last
month while acting as a Real Life Superhero. The Ray is far from the
only civilian-turned-comic book hero fighting crime or helping the needy
around the Bay Area.
Oh, there are more. Many more.
Here's Motor Mouth, the yammering crime fighter who claims to have sparked the local superhero scene when he starting crime patrols four years ago. He now heads the Northern California Protectorate, and is always looking to recruit. (He says any superhero aspirants can write him at norcalprotectorate@gmail.com.)
Handle: Motor Mouth, for his propensity to talk. And talk. "I like to speak up. Not everything I say may be what they want to hear, but I'm going to say it, nonetheless."
Patrol Turf: San Francisco's Tenderloin, Mid-Market, and SOMA; Oakland.
Day Job: Former security guard and Eagle Scout, current special ed teacher.
Remember that peaceful anti-North Korea protest that turned into a not-so-peaceful environmental panic earlier this year after a marketing company foolishly released 10,000 red balloons into the air near the city's Moscone Center?
The company -- TrashTalkFCM -- was intending to use the balloons as a "eye-catching" marketing ploy to draw attention to its new video game Homefront, which simulates American guerrilla fighters
challenging North Korean forces. But instead of drawing attention to the game, the red balloons -- some of which drifted into the Bay -- set off residents and city officials who could not for the life of them understand why anyone would create that kind of environmental mess.
Now the company is paying for it -- literally.
