SF News

Firework Explodes In Mailbox, Bomb Squad Responds

A small firework exploded in a mailbox in San Francisco's Richmond District this afternoon, prompting a bomb squad response and street closures, a police sergeant said.

The explosion was reported at about 1:25 p.m. in a blue U.S. Postal Service collection box at the corner of 24th Avenue and Clement Street, police Sgt. Mike Andraychak said.

The department's bomb squad responded and police blocked off Clement Street between 22nd Avenue and 25th Avenue, and 24th Avenue from Geary Boulevard to California Street, Andraychak said.

The exterior of the mailbox was not damaged, which suggested the explosive device was relatively small, he said.

Investigators determined that a firework had been lit and tossed into the mailbox, Andraychak said.

He said no evacuations were needed, and that San Francisco Municipal Railway service was not affected.

No injuries were reported.

San Francisco police and postal service police are continuing to investigate the explosion, Andraychak said.

The scene was cleared at about 2:25 p.m.

CONTACT: San Francisco police media line (415) 553-1651

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SF Supes Give Final Approval To Parkmerced Project

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors gave final approval today to a plan to add thousands of apartments and demolish others at the Parkmerced complex near San Francisco State University.

Developers are looking to expand the large complex at 19th and Holloway avenues by adding about 5,700 new residential units and replacing about 1,800 units in the next two or three decades.

The board this afternoon voted 6-5 in favor of certifying the environmental review of the project -- the same vote it received during the board's initial vote of approval two weeks ago.

The plan had drawn strong opposition from residents who said it would displace and inconvenience them and create traffic gridlock.

Before today's final vote, board president David Chiu said in the past two weeks, he talked to some of the leaders of Parkmerced's tenant organizations and the project's developer, and negotiated additional protections for the tenants.

"I fully appreciate the concerns raised by some tenant leaders ... but after years of planning and meetings and discussion, I think it's time to move forward."

The supervisors who voted against the plan were David Campos, Ross Mirkarimi, John Avalos, Jane Kim and Eric Mar.

CONTACT: P.J. Johnston for Parkmerced (415) 731-3304 Terence Faulkner, Parkmerced Action Coalition (415) 286-8687 Judson True for Chiu (415) 554-7451

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Coit Tower Lit Up In Red To Honor Fallen Firefighters

San Francisco's Coit Tower will be lit up in red this week to honor two firefighters who died after battling a fire in the city's Diamond Heights neighborhood on Thursday.

Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, and firefighter-paramedic Anthony Valerio, 53, were fatally injured fighting a fire at 133 Berkeley Way on Thursday morning.

"Coit Tower and its storied history with the San Francisco Fire Department is a fitting location to offer a tribute to both Lt. Vincent Perez and Firefighter Anthony Valerio, two firefighters who dedicated their lives to protecting the people of San Francisco," Mayor Ed Lee said in a statement.

Coit Tower was built on Telegraph Hill in 1933 at the behest of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, an avid supporter of San Francisco firefighters and an honorary member of the Knickerbocker Engine Company Number Five, according to the mayor's office.

The tower will be illuminated in red from tonight through Friday evening in memory of the two fallen firefighters.

"The Coit Tower tribute is a fitting show of honor and respect for Vince and Tony, their families and the other members of the San Francisco Fire Department who have lost two very dear friends," Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said in a statement.

The San Francisco firefighters' union has established trust accounts for the Perez and Valerio families at the San Francisco Fire Credit Union.

Donations can be sent to the credit union at 3201 California St., San Francisco, 94118. Condolence messages can be sent to Fire Station 26, 80 Digby St., San Francisco, 94131.

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San Francisco Bay Area Tuesday News Roundup

Search Continues for Hayward Nursing Student - Police Suspect Homicide

As the search for a missing Bay Area nursing student continues into its second week, police in Hayward announced Monday that the department has classified the case as a homicide.

Michelle Le went missing on May 27 at 7 p.m. from Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center at 27303 Sleepy Hollow Ave.

Le told classmates she was planning to drive to Reno after her rotation at the Kaiser hospital in Hayward.

She left during a break and did not return, according to Hayward police.

Based on what police said is compelling evidence recovered during the investigation that "points conclusively to homicide," the search has officially become "an effort of recovery," according to police.

"We realize this is the worst possible news for Michelle's family and friends, and for everyone involved in looking for her," police said in a statement Monday night.

Factors that led to this classification, police said, include forensic evidence collected from Le's car and the area of the parking structure where it was located, information collected during interviews, examination of evidence gathered during service of search warrants, review of video footage from the garage and other locations, and examination of Le's cellphone records.

As of Monday, more than 25 people have been questioned regarding the case, police said.

No one has been charged for Le's murder.

The Alamdea County District Attorney's Office is also evaluating the case, and police said that there would be no reduction in investigative staff working the case.

Earlier Monday it was announced that the reward for information leading to Le's whereabouts increased with pledges from the university where she was enrolled in a nursing program and her workplace, a university spokeswoman said.

Samuel Merritt University and Turner Construction Company pledged a combined $45,000 reward, totaling $65,000 when combined with family contributions and donations for information leading to the 26-year-old's safe return.

Le has worked with Turner Construction Company part-time as an accounting clerk for five years, Samuel Merritt University spokeswoman Elizabeth Valente said.

Le is 5 feet 6 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Le's whereabouts is encouraged to call Hayward police at (510) 293-7000.

 

Union Members Protest at San Jose City Hall for Pension Reform

Since 4 a.m. Monday, members of three labor unions have been in an RV parked across from San Jose City Hall to coax city officials to come and negotiate pension reform.

The members are part of the Association of Engineers and Architects, the Association of Maintenance Supervisory Personnel and the City Association of Management Personnel.

A row of them stood before the RV at a demonstration Monday afternoon holding a large sign that read, "Tell the truth, negotiate now."

"The best way to reform the pension system is to negotiate, not dictate," Ben Fields, from the South Bay Labor Council, said.

Fields was there to support the unions, who were demonstrating because they say the city administration is ignoring the City Council's direction to meet and discuss cost-saving pension reform proposals and retiree health care benefits for current and future employees, according to Tom Saggau, a spokesman for the firefighters union.

He said that, publicly, the city has been clamoring for pension reform, but instead of sitting down to discuss the issue with the unions, city officials want to discuss ballot language for Mayor Chuck Reed's proposed pension reform measure.

The proposal would have to be approved by voters because many of the recommendations require changes to the city charter.

Reed has said retirement costs are "skyrocketing" and contributing to the city's $115 million budget deficit, which will likely force the city to lay off hundreds of workers, including 195 sworn police positions and 64 firefighter positions as well as reduce library service to three days a week.

Retirement costs are projected to rise to $400 million by 2016, and could be closer to $650 million after actuarial adjustments.

Reed has said his proposal, which calls for setting limits on retirement benefits for new employees, current employees and retirees, would help the city avoid further cuts to services and the loss of hundreds of jobs, but that it is not the only solution to the fiscal problem

 

Dublin Woman Admits to Killing Ex-Husband's Grandmother

Rosa Hill admitted Monday that she killed her husband's 91-year-old grandmother and then stuffed her into a garbage can.

Hill, 36, conceded that she was armed with a gun, a Taser, a stun gun, a sword and other weapons when she went to Selma Hill's home in the 7700 block of Peppertree Road in Dublin on Jan. 7, 2009, but said she acted in self-defense because the elderly woman was wielding a knife.

Rosa Hill said she went to the residence because her then-husband, Eric Hill, lived there with their daughter and she believed that he had been molesting the girl, who was 2 years old at the time.

Eric Hill has denied that he molested his daughter.

Rosa and Eric Hill got married in 2005 and had their daughter in 2006 but separated in 2007 and ultimately were divorced.

There was a custody battle over their daughter and a family court gave Eric Hill sole legal custody and 85 percent physical custody over her.

In her third day on the witness stand in her trial on charges that she murdered Selma Hill and attempted to murder Eric Hill in an alleged plot to take her child back, Rosa Hill said she saw her husband and daughter naked together in a compromising position when she climbed a tree to spy on them on Jan. 7, 2009.

Rosa Hill said that after her husband drove off, apparently to go to work, she approached Selma Hill when the elderly woman was taking out the garbage and tried to talk to her about her concern that Eric Hill was molesting their daughter.

But Rosa Hill said Selma Hill told her that her grandson "could do whatever he wanted to do" because he had custody and "if I interfered I would never see my baby again."

She said she was "shocked" and "really upset and angry" about Selma Hill's comments and she hit Selma Hill after the 91-year-old picked up a knife and "it seemed like she was swinging the knife toward me."

 

Marin Supervisors Consider More Cuts to Balance Budget

Marin County Administrator Matthew Hymel will present the county's 2011-12 budget to the Board of Supervisors today.

The $440.6 million operating budget is 0.7 percent less than last year's budget, and the $372.4 general fund budget is 0.4 percent less than the 2010-11 budget, Marin County's budget manager Dan Eilerman said.

Marin supervisors have already approved $4.3 million in cuts to balance the 2011-12 budget, and Hymel is proposing an additional $1.3 million in reductions, Eilerman said.

The $5.6 million in total reductions eliminates 60 positions in the general fund budget, including 24 potential layoffs that are part of the additional $1.3 million reduction, Eilerman said.

Twelve of the 24 layoffs will occur because the county is closing its obstetrical clinical services program at the Health and Wellness Campus in San Rafael, Eilerman said.

When the county opened the clinic 18 years ago, no other agency provided women's health services, Eilerman said. Marin Community clinics now provide comprehensive primary care and obstetrical services and they are able to receive significantly higher federal reimbursements than the county, Eilerman said.

The latest $1.3 million round of reductions will impact 40-50 employees, Eilerman said.

There has been a hiring freeze in the county since 2007 that has resulted in the elimination of more than 200 positions, 85 percent of which were reduced through attrition, saving the county $30 million over four years, Eilerman said.

Marin County has set aside $5 million in anticipation of an anticipated loss of state revenue for county programs, Eilerman said.

County departments also will develop contingency plans to reduce spending further once the state budget impacts are known, Eilerman said.

Marin County is still feeling the effects of reduced sales and property tax revenue and has taken a multi-year approach to balance its budget Eilerman said. "The proposed budget reflects our fourth consecutive year of budget reductions to adapt to our new economic reality," Hymel said.

 

Hercules Mayor and Councilmember May Be Recalled

Voters in Hercules will be deciding whether to recall Mayor Joanne Ward and City Councilman Donald Kuehne during a special election today.

Organizers of the recall effort say on their website that the need for the recall became clear when the Hercules City Council fired interim City Manager Charlie Long in December.

Recall proponents have argued that Long was fired for "revealing the truth about city financial woes," according to recall papers served on the council members in January.

Former mayor Ed Balico resigned in January moments before he too was served with recall papers.

The notices accuse Ward and Kuehne of "failed leadership" that has led to the "unprecedented financial crisis" the city is now facing.

According to the notices, the mayor and council members voted to approve multi-million dollar, no-bid contracts to a company owned by former City Manager Nelson Oliva's family and supported "sweetheart development deals that have depleted the city's redevelopment funds."

When Long was the city manager, he published weekly reports which allegedly revealed the city's negative financial condition, organizers said.

Kuehne could not be immediately reached for comment, but on his website, truthaboutherculesrecall.com, he claims that he is being blamed for things that happened before he was elected to the city council in 2008.

"In my first year on the City Council, I advocated independent audits of the City's budget and la

ter I pushed for outside reviews of the City Manager," Kuehne said on his website.

"I was confronted by a stone wall when I asked probing questions. I was told time and time again that all financial information could only come from the City Manager. I was shocked when the City Attorney said that the conflict-of-interest with the City Manager's daughters was legal!"

Ward also could not be immediately reached for comment.

She was elected to the city council in 2000 and is currently serving as mayor in her third consecutive four-year term, according to the city's website.

 

Community Organizing Peace March After 5 Shootings in Oakland

Following a violent weekend in Oakland with five separate shootings that left one man dead, an Oakland community is planning a peace march, organizers said.

Oakland Community Organizations expects more than 400 parents, students, and teachers from Greenleaf Whittier Elementary School and St. Bernard Church to convene today at the elementary school for a 3 p.m. "peace walk" through what community organizers call "the most violent neighborhood in East Oakland," according to organizer Emma Paulino.

After the walk, a meeting is scheduled with city officials, including Oakland police Chief Anthony Batts, to demand a response to increased gun violence in the area, Paulino said.

"We have been working with the city for years and nothing has happened," Paulino said about community efforts with the community's Oakland police patrol division.

The march follows six shootings over the weekend, some near the school and community, including a shooting Sunday afternoon in the 1400 block of Seminary Avenue that police say left one person in critical condition.

Another nearby shooting in the 2400 block of 90th Avenue injured a 52-year-old Oakland resident in the man's apartment complex driveway on Saturday night, Oakland police said.

The victim was reported in stable condition.

On Saturday afternoon, in the 2900 block of High Street, 50-year-old Leo Dunson was shot and died from his gunshot wounds, police said.

Other shootings from the weekend left five people with gunshot injuries, police said.

At about 1:22 a.m. in the area of 59th and Genoa streets, officers found two men suffering from gunshot wounds that did not appear to be life-threatening injuries.

Just before 2 a.m., a shooting outside of a nightclub in the 1200 block of Webster Avenue left one man in critical condition and hospitalized two other men, according to police.

Two of the gunshot victims, who were taken to the hospital, were in stable condition.

The third man was scheduled to undergo surgery for critical injuries Sunday morning after he was found shot at 1:55 a.m., Oakland police Officer Kevin McDonald said.

 

Dumped Body in Sunnyvale Identified as Hispanic Female

Preliminary results from an autopsy of a body found stuffed into a garbage bag and dumped into the bushes of a Sunnyvale home on Sunday morning reveal the body was that of a Hispanic adult female, a Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety captain said.

Capt. Dave Verbrugge said further details identifying the Hispanic adult woman were not available, as the autopsy was still underway.

Once dental records, DNA or any other type of identification are found, officers can start piecing together who this woman was and how she ended up in the 800 block of Ticonderoga Drive in a loosely cinched large garbage bag, he said.

Hayward police, who are investigating the disappearance of 26-year-old Samuel Merritt University nursing student Michelle Le -- last seen in Hayward on May 27 -- spoke with Sunnyvale officials Monday to see if the body had been identified as an Asian female.

Since results have identified the body as a Hispanic adult female, Hayward police determined the body was not connected to the Le case, Verbrugge said.

The Santa Clara County Crime Lab and the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office took custody of the body after someone reported the bag at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning, Verbrugge added.

More details are expected to be disclosed when the medical examiner's office completes its autopsy of the body, according to Verbrugge.

Anyone with details about the body is asked to call the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety at (408) 730-7110. Those who wish to remain anonymous can provide information by sending an email to SVTIP@tipnow.org.

 

Redwood City Mother Protected Sons With Own Body in Shooting

A 22-year-old Redwood City mother said Monday that she used her body to try to protect her two children during a shooting in East Palo Alto that killed her infant son early Sunday morning.

Ivonne Garcia Lopez, who was shot in the leg in the attack, said she threw herself over her 4-year-old son Isaiah and 3-month-old son Izak Jesus when two people opened fire on the family's car as they left a baby shower on Wisteria Lane around 1 a.m.

"They destroyed my family," Garcia Lopez said. "I am so devastated with this loss."

The young mother cried intermittently as she gave her account of the shooting at a noon news conference held by East Palo Alto police, who were announcing the arrest of a 17-year-old boy in the case.

Garcia Lopez said she and her husband, 22-year-old Oscar Jimenez, were driving away from the party when the gunmen opened fire, shooting at the car from the side.

Isaiah was not injured in the shooting, Garcia Lopez said.

Izak, who would have been 4 months old on June 12, suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

"I took him out of the car seat and he had a hole in his head," she said, weeping. Jimenez called 911 to report the shooting and drove the family to Stanford Hospital, where Izak was declared dead at about 2:15 a.m.

Investigators believe the shooting may have been a mistaken act of retaliation for a gang-related beating that occurred in Redwood City on May 31.

Acting police Capt. Jeff Liu said investigators believe the teen they have arrested for the killing mistook the victims for Sureno gang members who had beaten him up.

Investigators believe that early Sunday morning, the 17-year-old and a second person spotted the victims in East Palo Alto and thought they were the attackers, Liu said.

"Our investigation tells us that the suspect that we've arrested saw two individuals on Wisteria he believed to have participated in the crime in Redwood City," Liu said.

Police believe the teen and his cohort then armed themselves and opened fire on the car, he said.

 

SF Supervisors Consider Appeal of Treasure Island Development

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors today will consider an appeal by opponents of a $1.5 billion project to transform Treasure Island.

The proposal would add up to 8,000 residential units, up to 140,000 square feet of commercial space and as much as 100,000 square feet of new office space to the island, as well as new and upgraded roads and infrastructure, including a new ferry terminal.

The city has been working to redevelop the 404-acre island in the middle of the Bay since the U.S. Navy closed its base there in 1997. 

The San Francisco Planning Commission narrowly approved the project's environmental impact report by a 4-3 vote in April, and last month, a Board of Supervisors committee voted in favor of the plan.

But before the project could go in front of the full board, on May 11 a group of environmental advocates and other opponents of the plan filed an appeal that seeks to overturn the Planning Commission's approval of the plan.

The opponents include Golden Gate Audubon, Sierra Club, Arc Ecology and Aaron Peskin, former president of the Board of Supervisors.

Among the complaints in the appeal, opponents argue that the environmental review did not adequately address various impacts of the project, including increased congestion on the Bay Bridge, and the island's vulnerability to flooding from a tsunami or liquefaction during an earthquake.

Although the board meeting starts at 2 p.m. at City Hall, the opponents' appeal will not be considered until 5 p.m.

Supervisors have a busy agenda for today's meeting -- besides the Treasure Island issue, the board will also consider an appeal of the environmental review of the North Beach Public Library, and is also expected to give final approval to a plan to revamp the Parkmerced complex near San Francisco State University.

For more information about the Treasure Island redevelopment project, visit www.treasureislandsfbay.com.

 

SF Man Arrested for Carrying Loaded Gun, Resisting Arrest

A San Francisco man was arrested in Antioch early Saturday for allegedly carrying a loaded gun in his pocket, wearing body armor and resisting arrest, police said Monday.

At about 12:45 a.m., police received a report of several people gambling at a bar at 2500 Sycamore Drive.

When officers got there, they saw several people kneeling on the ground with money and dice in front of them, according to police. As the officers approached, most of the people ran away, police said.

One man, however, walked toward the officers.

The officers saw that the man, later identified as 42-year-old San Francisco resident Aaron Harris, was wearing body armor under his sweatshirt, and spotted what looked like a gun inside the front pocket of his sweatshirt, police said.

When the officers attempted to arrest Harris, he allegedly resisted, according to police.

He was arrested after a struggle, and police seized the gun.

During the arrest, someone else fired two rounds in the parking lot of the bar, and other officers went to look for the shooter but didn't the person.

Harris was booked into county jail on suspicion of several firearms violations, being a felon in possession of body armor and resisting arrest.

He has what police described as a "lengthy criminal history," which includes a prior conviction in San Mateo County for possession of crack cocaine for sale in 1989 and a prior conviction in Contra Costa County for assault with a firearm, first-degree burglary and possession of a firearm by a felon in 1994.

Harris was sentenced to state prison in both cases, police said.

 

Tourist Mugged near USF

A German tourist was robbed at gunpoint near the University of San Francisco campus on Saturday afternoon, police said.

The robbery was reported at 4:45 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Clayton and Fulton streets.

The tourist was robbed of his phone, camera and cash, according to police.

The robber used a black pistol.

The suspect fled and has not been found. He is described as a black man between 18 and 25 years old, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds.

He has black hair, and was last seen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and dark, baggy jeans.

German tourists have also been the victims of other crimes in San Francisco in the past year.

In August 2010, Mechthild Schroer, a 50-year-old woman from Germany, was fatally shot when she was apparently caught in the crossfire of a shootout between groups of people in the city's theater district.

Less than a week later, Nils Linke, 21, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while riding a bike in the city's North of Panhandle neighborhood.

An arrest was made in the hit-and-run case shortly after it happened, and last month seven people were arrested in connection with Schroer's death.

Both cases are pending in San Francisco Superior Court.

Anyone with information about the robbery Saturday is encouraged to call the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip by text message to TIP411.

 

Oakland Leaders Unveil New Police and Fire Communication System

City of Oakland officials unveiled a new police and fire communications system Monday that they believe will minimize radio problems that interfered with operations earlier this year.

Mayor Jean Quan, who was joined by City Administrator Lamont Ewell, Interim Fire Chief Mark Hoffmann and other officials at a news conference at Highland Hospital, said the new system offers more streamlined communications operations for first responders in the field and fewer dead spots than the old and outdated system it is replacing.

The new system complies with national standards for digital radio communications, which are called Project 25, or P25 for short, Quan said.

The previous system was analog. She said Oakland is the first city in the Bay Area to be fully compliant with P25 standards.

The new system cost about $18 million but it was paid for by federal funds, according to Quan.

There were several incidents earlier this year in which problems with the radio communication system prevented police officers who were responding to serious crimes from talking to one another or dispatchers for long periods of time.

The problems also hampered communications for the Oakland Fire Department.

The problems were so bad that at one point Police Chief Anthony Batts had officers ride two per patrol car as a safety measure. Generally, patrol officers ride alone, which allows more cars to be available to respond to crimes.

When officers double up, there are fewer patrol cars on the streets. Batts said he wanted to make sure that officers could back each other up until the communications system issues were resolved.

Quan had previously said the new system might not be ready until the end of the summer, and she said she is pleased that it is now in place.

It started operating on Sunday morning.

The system was tested for a month before it began operating, she said.

 

Weather Forecast

The Bay Area is expected to be mostly cloudy this morning, becoming partly cloudy, with highs in the upper 50s.

It is expected to be mostly clear this evening, becoming mostly cloudy, with lows in the lower 50s.

West winds of 15 to 20 mph are also expected. Wednesday is expected to be mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 50s and southwest winds of 10 to 15 mph.

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Firefighters Battle Warehouse Fire Monday Evening

Firefighters responded to a fire at a warehouse in San Francisco Monday evening, a fire dispatcher said.

The one-alarm blaze was reported at 5:52 p.m. at a commercial warehouse at 2200 Cesar Chavez and responders extinguished the blaze by 6:46 p.m., the dispatcher said.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

CONTACT: San Francisco fire (415) 558-3268

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Man Stabbed During Robbery In Civic Center Early Saturday

A man was stabbed in the chest during a robbery in San Francisco's Civic Center neighborhood early Saturday morning, police said.

The robbery was reported at about 4:30 a.m. near the intersection of Van Ness and Golden Gate avenues.

The 31-year-old victim was approached by a suspect who demanded money, then stabbed him in the upper chest, took the cash he had on him, and ran away, according to police.

The victim was taken to San Francisco General Hospital to be treated for his injuries, which are not considered life-threatening, police said.

The suspect had not been found as of Monday.

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip via text message to TIP411.

CONTACT: San Francisco police (415) 553-1651

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Supervisors Consider Treasure Island Appeal Today
San Francisco Supervisors to Hear Treasure Island Appeal

    The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will consider an appeal by opponents of a $1.5 billion project to transform Treasure Island.

    The proposal would add up to 8,000 residential units, up to 140,000 square feet of commercial space and as much as 100,000 square feet of new office space to the island, as well as new and upgraded roads and infrastructure, including a new ferry terminal.

    The city has been working to redevelop the 404-acre island in the middle of the Bay since the U.S. Navy closed its base there in 1997.

    The San Francisco Planning Commission narrowly approved the project's environmental impact report by a 4-3 vote in April, and last month, a Board of Supervisors committee voted in favor of the plan.

    But before the project could go in front of the full board, on May
11 a group of environmental advocates and other opponents of the plan filed
an appeal that seeks to overturn the Planning Commission's approval of the
plan.

Sierra Club Opposes Plan

    The opponents include Golden Gate Audubon, Sierra Club, Arc
Ecology and Aaron Peskin, former president of the Board of Supervisors.

    Among the complaints in the appeal, opponents argue that the
environmental review did not adequately address various impacts of the
project, including increased congestion on the Bay Bridge, and the island's
vulnerability to flooding from a tsunami or liquefaction during an earthquake.

    Although the board meeting starts at 2 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall,
the opponents' appeal will not be considered until 5 p.m.

    Supervisors have a busy agenda for Tuesday's meeting -- besides
the Treasure Island issue, the board will also consider an appeal of the
environmental review of the North Beach Public Library, and is also expected
to give final approval to a plan to revamp the Parkmerced complex near San
Francisco State University.
 

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Call to Protect School Data Funding
Funding Sought for California Education Data System

    Bay Area business leaders joined a state legislator from the South
Bay today to call on Gov. Jerry Brown to reinstate funding for California's
statewide education data system.

    State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, joined Jim Wunderman,
president of the Bay Area Council, a business-sponsored public policy
organization, to push for the governor to reverse the proposed cuts, part of
his revised budget plan released last month.

    Brown proposed to suspend about $8.5 million in federal funding
for the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, CALPADS, as
well as CALTIDES, its sister program to track teacher performance.

System Tracks Student Achievement

    The programs have been developed in the past decade and would
allow officials to better track student achievement over time, more
accurately calculate graduation and dropout rates, and help local districts
learn about best practices from elsewhere in the state.

    Wunderman said the programs are already in place in various parts
of the state and are ready to be rolled out statewide by next year, so the
suspension of funding for it does not make sense.

    "We're at a point where we're right about to the goal line in
fully implementing the system," he said. "It seems extremely questionable
when we've come this far down the road to take a step back and undo so much
of what's already been done."

Simitian Fights for School Data

    Simitian, whose 2006 legislation authorized the creation of
CALTIDES, said even in bad budgetary times, the data systems make sense
because they help officials see how effective various programs and policies
are for students.

    "Right now we spend tens of billions of dollars of public funds
without the ability to really say why that is a value to the taxpayer," he
said. "Districts are being forced to make hard choices, and (with these
systems) they can make the choices with the best value."

    A spokesman for Brown was not immediately available for comment,
but in his revised budget proposal released in May, the governor said he
wants to suspend funding for the programs because they do not adequately
address problems with testing and data collection in the state's public
schools.

    In the budget proposal document, Brown's administration said,
"Testing takes huge amounts of time from classroom instruction. Data
collection requirements are cumbersome and do not provide timely -- and
therefore usable -- information back to schools. Teachers are forced to curb
their own creativity and engagement with students as they focus on teaching
to the test."

    Brown's administration proposed suspending the funding for the
programs while looking at possible reforms, including reducing the amount of
time devoted to state testing in schools and restoring power to local school
districts, teachers and parents.

    However, opponents of Brown's proposal said eliminating the
programs could put other current and future federal funding for California's
schools at risk since much of it requires states having systems to track
student data.

    "We're asking the governor not to cancel or put on hold" funding
for the systems, Wunderman said. "We feel very strongly that if it's put on
hold, it will in effect kill the system."

 

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German Tourist Robbed at Gunpoint Near USF

A German tourist was robbed at gunpoint near the University of San Francisco campus on Saturday afternoon, police said.

The robbery was reported at 4:45 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Clayton and Fulton streets.

The tourist was robbed of his phone, camera and cash, according to police. The robber used a black pistol.

The suspect fled and has not been found. He is described as a black man between 18 and 25 years old, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds. He has black hair, and was last seen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and dark, baggy jeans.

German tourists have also been the victims of other crimes in San Francisco in the past year.

In August 2010, Mechthild Schroer, a 50-year-old woman from Germany, was fatally shot when she was apparently caught in the crossfire of a shootout between groups of people in the city's theater district.

Less than a week later, Nils Linke, 21, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while riding a bike in the city's North of Panhandle neighborhood.

An arrest was made in the hit-and-run case shortly after it happened, and last month seven people were arrested in connection with Schroer's death. Both cases are pending in San Francisco Superior Court.

Anyone with information about the robbery Saturday is encouraged to call the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip by text message to TIP411.

CONTACT: San Francisco police (415) 553-1651

 

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U.S. Supreme Court Allows California Law That Gives Tuition Break To Undocumented Immigrants

The U.S. Supreme Court today left in place a California law that allows undocumented immigrants who attended state high schools to pay in-state fees instead of higher nonresident tuition at public colleges.

The high court refused to hear 42 out-of-state students' appeal of a California Supreme Court ruling that upheld the use of the law to give undocumented immigrants the lower tuition costs.

The 2001 law, enacted as AB 540, exempts students who have attended at least three years of high school in California from paying out-of-state tuition at the University of California, state universities and community colleges.

The benefit applies both to undocumented immigrants and to other types of students, such as U.S. citizens who attended high school in California and then moved to another state.

The 42 students claimed the measure violated a 1996 federal law that bars states from offering undocumented immigrants college tuition breaks on the basis of residence unless all U.S. citizens in the country receive the same benefit.

But the California Supreme Court ruled in November that the statute didn't violate the federal law because it was based on high school attendance, not residence.

In today's action, the U.S. high court declined without comment to hear the plaintiffs' appeal of that ruling.

Ethan Schulman, a lawyer for the University of California, said, "It's very gratifying that the California Supreme Court decision upholding AB 540 is now the final ruling. "This is an important law that allows deserving students to get an affordable education," Schulman said.

But Michael Brady, a lawyer for the plaintiffs called it "fundamentally unfair" that undocumented immigrants get the tuition break when out-of-state students, some of whom are low-income or minority, do not.

The plaintiffs unsuccessfully argued in the appeal that California had tried to "defy Congress's clear statutory prohibition."

In the appeal, the nonresident students' lawyers estimated that 25,000 resident undocumented immigrants, almost all in the community college or state university systems, received the tuition breaks in 2008-09 at a cost to the state of $208 million.

Nonresident tuition at the public colleges is several times the cost of resident fees. In the state university system last fall, out-of-state tuition was $372 per semester unit, in addition to a $2,115-per-semester education fee charged to all students.

At UC Berkeley, out-of-state undergraduates paid $11,011 in tuition for the fall semester, on top of about $6,000 in education fees paid by both residents and nonresidents.

Plaintiffs' lawyers from the Immigration Reform Law Institute in Washington, D.C., said in their appeal that about 15,000 undocumented immigrants at community colleges and 10,000 at state universities received the tuition benefit that year.

Schulman said that the University of California's statistics showed that 426 out of 2,019 students who received the tuition break in 2008-09 were undocumented immigrants. T

he others were American citizens or legal residents.

CONTACT: Ethan Schulman, attorney for UC (415) 986-2800 California State University public affairs (562) 951-4800 Michael Brady, attorney for plaintiffs (650) 364-8200 Kris Kobach, attorney with Immigration Reform Law Institute (202) 232-5590

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San Francisco Weekly Cultural Calendar
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUMS, EVENTS AND OPENINGS
June 6, 2011 through June 19, 2011
    

Reset San Francisco understands that the cultural diversity and offerings of our city are one of the driving forces of our economy. Here’s a guide to local cultural institutions. If we are missing anything – please let us know at info@resetsanfrancisco.org.

Enjoy.
      
ASIAN ART MUSEUM OF SAN FRANCISCO

 

The Asian Art Museum-Chon-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture recently unveiled its new building in San Francisco's Civic Center. The building, the former San Francisco Public Library, has been completely retrofitted and rebuilt to house San Francisco's significant collection of Asian treasures. The museum offers complimentary audio tours of the museum's collection galleries.

ONGOING EXHIBIT

"In a New Light,'' ongoing. There are some 2,500 works displayed in the museum's new galleries. They cover all the major cultures of Asia and include Indian stone sculptures, intricately carved Chinese jades, Korean paintings, Tibetan thanksgas, Cambodian Buddhas, Islamic manuscripts and Japanese basketry and kimonos.

ONGOING FAMILY PROGRAMS
Storytelling, Sundays and the first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. This event is for children of all ages to enjoy a re-telling of Asian myths and folktales in the galleries. Meet at the Information Desk on the Ground Floor. Free with general admission.

"Target Tuesday Family Program,'' first Tuesday of every month. Free with general admission.

"Family Art Encounter,'' first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Drop in to make art related to the museum's collection. Children must be accompanied by an adult. In the Education Studios. Free with admission.

 

DOCENT-LED ART TOURS

The museum's docents offer two types of tours: a general introduction to the museum's collection and a highlight tour of specific areas of the collection. Free with museum admission.

ARCHITECTURAL GUIDES

Tuesday through Sunday at noon and 2:30 p.m., Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Learn about the former Main Library'stransformation into the Asian Art Museum on this 40-minute tour. Free with museum admission.

RESOURCE CENTER

Tuesday through Sunday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Watch a video, or learn more about Asian art with slide packets, activity kits and books. Free with museum admission.

SPECIAL EVENTS -- ongoing.

Free with general admission unless otherwise noted.

 

"Bali: Art, Ritual, Performance,'' through Sept. 11. Explore 131 artworks ranging from simple woven images of the rice goddess to elaborately carved and gilded chairs. $7-$17; free children under age 12; $5 Thursday after 5 p.m.; free to all first Sunday of each month. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 200 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 581-3500,

www.asianart.org

   
SAN FRANCISCO BEAT MUSEUM

Formerly located on the California coast in Monterey, the Beat Museum now sits in historic North Beach. The Museum uses letters, magazines, pictures, first editions and more to explore the lives of leading beat figures such as Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and many others. A gift shop and bookstore are open to the public free of charge.

 

SPECIAL EVENTS

"North Beach Walking Tour,", ongoing. A 90-minute walking tour of North Beach with Beat Museum curator Jerry Cimimo. See the bars, coffeehouses, homes, and other Beat-related highlights of North Beach. Call for info. $15.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS -- ongoing.

$4-$5. Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. CLOSED MONDAY. 540 Broadway, San Francisco. (800) KER-OUAC.

 

www.kerouac.com
   

SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR MUSEUM

 

The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent.

SPECIAL EVENTS -- ongoing.

Free. April 1-Sept. 30: daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 1-March 31, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887,

www.cablecarmuseum.org

   
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

 

"Nightlife,'' ongoing. 6 p.m. Thursdays. Every Thursday night, the Academy transforms into a lively venue filled with provocative science, music, mingling and cocktails, as visitors get a chance to explore the museum.


"Where the Land Meets the Sea,'' ongoing. Exhibition features sculpture by Maya Lin.

BENJAMIN DEAN LECTURE SERIES -- ongoing.

"Snakes & Lizards: The Summer of Slither,'' through Sept. 5. A new exhibit featuring more than 60 new scaled reptiles, exploring the evolutionary relationships between lizards, snakes, and the rest of life on Earth. The exhibit features numerous interactive stations, displays, programs and more.

$14.95-$24.95. Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 379-8000,

 

www.calacademy.org

   
CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

GENERAL INFORMATION, ongoing. Noon-4:30 p.m., Wed.-Sat. The Historical Society's museum has a permanent collection made up of the Fine Arts Collection, consisting of 5,000 works of art that represent the history of California from pre-Gold Rush days to the early decade of the 20th century; and The Photography Collection, containing nearly a half-million images in an array of photographic formats documenting the history of California in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The Library and Research Collection contain material relating to the history of California and the West from early exploration time to the present including texts, maps, and manuscripts. $1-$3; free children under age 6. 678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848,

www.californiahistoricalsociety.org
   

 

CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

The CHSA Museum and Learning Center features a permanent exhibition, "The Chinese of America: Toward a More Perfect Union'' in its Main Gallery, and works by Chinese-American visual artists in its Rotating Galleries.

 

ONGOING EXHIBIT

"Leaders of the Band,'' ongoing. An exhibition of the history and development of the Cathay Club Marching Band, the first Chinese American band formed in 1911.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS -- ongoing.

$1-$3; free children ages 5 and under; free for all visitors first Thursday of every month. Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. 965 Clay St., San Francisco. (415) 391-1188,

 

www.chsa.org

      
DE YOUNG MUSEUM

 

The art museum has now reopened in a new facility designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron and Fong and Chan Architects in San Francisco. It features significant collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries; modern and contemporary art; art from Central and South America, the Pacific and Africa; and an important and diverse collection of textiles.

"Van Gough, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay,'' ongoing. Exhibit open through Jan. 18,
2011.

 

LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA -- ongoing.

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday, 9:30
a.m.-5:15 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.-8:45 p.m. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. (415) 863-3330,

 

www.deyoungmuseum.org
   


SAN FRANCISCO EXPLORATORIUM

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION, ongoing. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; CLOSED DEC. 25. A hands-on museum of science, art and human perception.

ONGOING EXHIBITS

"Tactile Dome,'' ongoing installation. The dome is composed of many chambers, which are pitch black inside and full of different tactile sensations. The only way to find one's way through is by using the sense of touch. Reservations required. $12 includes museum admission.

"Distorted Room,'' ongoing. Watch your friends inside the room grow to twice their size by walking left to right or shrink to half their
size by walking in the opposite direction. A series of geometric tricks and optical illusions in the room makes the brain think that people shrink and grow before one's eyes.

"Play Lab,'' ongoing. An area for children ages 4 and under, designed to help them develop their motor skills and exercise their imaginations and social skills.

"Listen: Making Sense of Sound,'' ongoing. This "ears-on'' exhibit helps visitors focus on subtle and profound aspects of hearing, experiment with new ways of listen deeply and carefully, and think about how others hear the world.

"Science of Baseball,'' through Sept. 4. Investigate the insides of a baseball, test your reaction time with a bat, gauge your aim through a pair of prism goggles and more.

$9-$14; free children ages 4 and under. 3601 Lyon St., San Francisco. (415) EXP-LORE, (415) 563-7337, (415) 561-0360,

www.exploratorium.edu

   
INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN

 

EVENTS

 

101 Howard Street, Suite 480, San Francisco. (415) 543-4669,

www.imow.org/home/index

  
LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM

GENERAL INFORMATION, ongoing.

DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.

 

ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM

"Doing and Viewing Art,'' ongoing. For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658.

ORGAN CONCERTS -- ongoing.

 

4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624.

"Marvelous Menagerie: A Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel,'' through July 24. An exhibition featuring an extraordinarily detailed floor mosaic that was recently lifted from its site in Lod, ancient Diospolis, Israel.

 

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and
Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636,

www.legionofhonor.org


MARKET STREET RAILWAY MUSEUM

The museum will permanently display a variety of artifacts telling the story of San Francisco's transportation history, including dash signs, fare boxes, a famed Wiley "birdcage'' traffic signal and more.
   
Free. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 77 Steuart St., San Francisco. (415) 956-0472,

www.streetcar.org

   
SAN FRANCISCO MEXICAN MUSEUM

 

THE MEXICAN MUSEUM GALLERIES AT FORT MASON CENTER ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED   

The Mexican Museum holds a unique collection of 12,000 objects representing thousands of years of Mexican history and culture within the
Americas. The permanent collection, the Museum's most important asset and resource, includes five collecting areas: Pre-Conquest, Colonial, Popular, Modern and Contemporary Mexican and Latino, and Chicano Art. The Museum also has a collection of rare books and a growing collection of Latin American art.

Fort Mason Center, Building D, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 202-9700, www.mexicanmuseum.org
   

MUSEO ITALOAMERICANO

 

The museum, dedicated to the exhibition of art works by Italian and Italian-American artists, has a small permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper
by such renowned artists as Beniamino Buffano, Sandro Chia, Giorgio de Chirico and Arnaldo Pomodoro.

DOCENT TOURS -- Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Free.

$2-$3; free children under age 12; free to all first Wednesday of the month. Wednesday-Sunday, noon -4 p.m.; first Wednesday of the month,
noon-7 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building C, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 673-2200,

www.museoitaloamericano.org.
   


MUSEUM OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY

EXHIBITS -- ongoing.

Free. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Humanities Building, Room 510, SFSU, Font Boulevard and Tapia Drive, San Francisco.
(415) 405-0599,

www.sfsu.edu/~museumst


MUSEUM OF PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN

 

EXHIBITS -- ongoing. Free. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister, 4th Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800,

www.mpdsf.org

 


MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

A new museum exploring and celebrating the influence of the African Diaspora on global art and culture through interactive, permanent and changing exhibits and special programs. The museum occupies the first three floors of the new St. Regis Hotel at Third and Mission streets.

 

PERMANENT EXHIBITS

"Celebrations: Rituals and Ceremonies,'' "Music of the Diaspora,' "Culinary Traditions,'' 'Adornment,'' "Slavery Passages,'' and "The Freedom Theater.''

SPECIAL EVENTS -- ongoing.

"Urban Kidz Film Series,'' ongoing. Noon-3 p.m. An offshoot of the San Francisco Black Film Festival, featuring a striking assemblage of short
and feature films designed to spark the imaginations of the 5-to-12-year-old set. $10 adults; children free. (415) 771-9271.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS -- ongoing.

$5-$8; free children age 12 and under. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
685 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 358-7200,

www.moadsf.org.

 

  
NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LIBRARY (THE J. PORTER SHAW MARITIME LIBRARY)

Closed on federal holidays. The library, part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, focuses on sail and steam ships on the West Coast and the Pacific Basin from 1520 to the present. The museum library holdings include a premiere collection of maritime history: books, magazines, oral histories, ships' plans and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's 250,000 photographs.

Free. By appointment only, Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m., and the third Saturday of each month 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building E, Third
Floor, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 560-7080, (415) 560-7030,

www.nps.gov/safr
   

PACIFIC HERITAGE MUSEUM

The museum presents rotating exhibits highlighting historical, artistic, cultural and economic achievements from both sides of the Pacific Rim. The museum features a permanent display documenting the history and significance of the Branch Mint and Subtreasury buildings.

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 608 Commercial St., San Francisco. (415) 399-1124

   
RANDALL MUSEUM

 

-- ONGOING EXHIBITS –

"Earthquake Exhibit,'' ongoing. Learn about plate tectonics. Make a small quake by jumping on the floor to make a "floor quake'' that registers on the seismometer in the lobby. See the basement seismometer that registers quakes around the world. Walk through a full-size earthquake refugee shack
that was used to house San Franciscans after the 1906 earthquake that destroyed so many homes.

"Creativity and Discovery Hand in Hand,'' ongoing. A photography exhibit that gives visitors a look into the wide variety of programs the
Museum offers in the way of classes, workshops, school field trips, and special interest clubs.

"Toddler Treehouse,'' ongoing. Toddlers may comfortably climb the carpeted "treehouse'' and make a myriad of discoveries, from the roots to the
limbs.

 

"Live Animal Exhibit,'' ongoing. Visit with more than 100 creatures including small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, raptors and small birds, insects, spiders and tide pool creatures.

ONGOING EVENTS –

 

"Saturdays Are Special at the Museum,'' ongoing. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A series of drop-in ceramics and art and science workshops.
All ages are welcome, though an adult must accompany children under age 8. $3 per child, $5 per parent-child combination.

"Bufano Sculpture Tours,'' first and third Saturdays of the month, 10:15 a.m. A tour of the giant animal sculptures of Beniamino Bufano. The
sculptures were carved out of stone in the 1930s and include a giant cat and a mother bear nursing her cubs.

"Animal Room,'' ongoing. Visit some of the animals that live at the museum, including reptiles, raptors, tide pool creatures and small mammals.

"Meet the Animals'' Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. to noon. See the Randall's animals close-up and in person.

"Animal Feeding,'' Saturdays, noon. Watch the animals take their meals.

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit,'' Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SPECIAL EVENTS

 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop,'' ongoing. Saturday, 10:15-11:15 a.m. $5.

"Animal Feeding,'' ongoing. Saturday, noon.
"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit,'' ongoing. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

"Meet the Animals,'' ongoing. 11:15 a.m.-noon.

"Film Series for Teenagers,'' ongoing. Fridays, 7 p.m.

"Meet the Animals,'' ongoing. Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. Learn about the animals that live at the Randall Museum.

"Third Friday Birders,'' ongoing. 8 a.m. The hike through Corona Heights Park allows participants to enjoy the early morning views and learn more about the feathered inhabitants of the area. Children aged 10 and older if accompanied by adult.

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop,'' ongoing. Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Free. All ages welcome; an adult must accompany children under age 8. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS. 199 Museum Way, San
Francisco. (415) 554-9600,

 

www.randallmuseum.org


SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR MUSEUM

 

The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent.

Free. October 1-March 31: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily; Closed on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 1201 Mason St., San
Francisco. (415) 474-1887,

www.cablecarmuseum.com


SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

 

One of only a few "floating'' national parks, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes four national landmark ships, a maritime museum, a maritime library and a World-War-II submarine named the USS Pampanito.

HYDE STREET PIER -- Demonstrations, ship tours, programs, music and special events offered throughout the day. Check ticket booth for schedule. At the foot of Hyde Street, Hyde and Jefferson streets.

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships.

HISTORIC SHIPS AT THE HYDE STREET PIER -- The historic ships at the Pier are the 1886 square-rigger "Balclutha,'' the 1890 steam ferryboat "Eureka,'' the 1895 schooner "C.A. Thayer'' (not available at this time due to restoration), the 1891 scow schooner "Alma,'' the 1907 steam tug


"Hercules,'' and the 1914 "Eppleton Hall,'' a paddlewheel tug.

 

"Balclutha.'' This historic ship, a three-mast square-rigger, has undergone extensive repairs and preservation work. She now contains more original materials and fittings than any other historic merchant square-rigger in the United States. The Balclutha is a designated National Historic Landmark. At Hyde Street Pier.

"Eureka.'' Explore this 1890 ferryboat with a 40-foot walking-beam engine. The boat once carried passengers and autos across the San Francisco
Bay. At Hyde Street Pier. Daily, call for times of boat tour.

"C.A. Thayer.'' A three-mast schooner used in the lumber and cod fishing trades. At Hyde Street Pier.

 

"Alma.'' Between 1850 and the early 1900s, the best highways around the San Francisco Bay area were the waterways and the delivery trucks and tractor trailer rigs of the time were the flat-bottomed scow schooners.

Able to navigate the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta region's shallow creeks, sloughs and channels, the scows' sturdy hulls could rest safely and securely on the bottom providing a flat, stable platform for loading and unloading.

Made of inexpensive Douglas fir, scow's designs were so simple they could be built by eye or without plans.

 

"Hercules.'' Tugs in the early part of the 20th century towed barges, sailing ships and log rafts between Pacific ports. Because prevailing north/west winds generally made travel up the coast by sail both difficult and circuitous, tugs often towed large sailing vessels to points north of San Francisco. In 1916 Hercules towed the C.A. Thayer to Port Townsend, Wash., taking six days to make the trip. At the end of the sail era, the Hercules
was acquired by the Western Pacific Railroad Company and shuttled railroad car barges back and forth across San Francisco Bay until 1962.

"Eppleton Hall.'' Built in England, the steam side-wheeler plied the Wear and Tyne rivers of Northeast England. Designed to tow ocean-going colliers (coal-carrying sail vessels) the tugs saved transit time getting the sail vessels upriver to load. The side-wheelers were also used to tow newly built ships out to sea. From 1969 to 1979, the Eppleton Hall served as a private yacht. She was modified for an epic steam via the Panama Canal to San Francisco, passing through the Golden Gate in March of 1970.

HISTORIC SHIP AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF

"USS Pampanito.'' This World-War-II-era submarine is berthed at Fisherman's Wharf. The submarine celebrated her 50th anniversary in November of 1993 and is perhaps best known for her participation in a "wolf pack'' attack on a convoy of enemy ships during World War II. The entrance fee includes a taped audio tour that describes what life on this submarine was like. At Pier 45, near foot of Taylor Street. Monday through Thursday, Sunday and holidays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. $9 general; $5 seniors, $4 active duty military, $4 youth ages 6 to 12; free children under age 6. (415) 775-1943.

ONGOING EVENTS

"Historic Ship Volunteer Work Party,'' Saturday, 9 a.m. Become part of an effort to preserve four of the park's nautical treasures. Work on a different ship each Saturday. Bring work clothes, work shoes and lunch. Call for meeting place. (415) 332-8409.

Unless noted otherwise, events take place on the Hyde Street Pier,
located at the foot of Hyde Street on Jefferson Street.

EXHIBITS -- ongoing. Current Exhibits at the Visitor Center:

"What's Your Pleasure? Recreational Boats of California's Past,'' open-ended. This exhibit includes 1940s Sacramento Hydroplanes, a Russian River launch from the 19th century, classic wooden motor launches and motor boats, and other smaller crafts.

"Hydroplanes and Racing Boats,'' open-ended. A small exhibit showcasing 1930s racing engines and hydroplane boats.

"Frisco Bound,'' an exhibition about immigration to San Francisco, clipper ships, and the Gold Rush era.

 

"Hyde Street Ship Models,'' an exhibit of models of the historic ships at the Hyde Street Pier.

"Discovery Room,'' a preview of the Maritime Library where visitors can look up documents and photographs.
    
(415) 447-5000.

 

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships. The fee allows access to all ships and is good for seven days. $5; free children under age 16. May 28-Sept. 30: daily, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 1-May 27: Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Foot of Hyde Street, San Francisco. (415) 561-7100,

www.nps.gov.

   
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND DESIGN

A museum celebrating and promoting the art of contemporary craft and design. The museum showcases diverse exhibitions from regional, national and international artists, working in mediums such as wood, clay, fiber, metal and glass.

EVENTS -- ongoing. TEMPORARILY CLOSED.
$2-$4; free youths under age 18. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 550 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 773-0303,

www.sfmcd.org.

   
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

ONGOING EXHIBITS

"Matisse and Beyond: The Painting and Sculpture Collection,'' ongoing. This newly reconceived exhibition of SFMOMA's modern art collection features paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the first 60 years of the 20th century. Featured artists include: Joseph Cornell, Ellsworth Kelly, Yves Klein, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Diego Rivera, Andy Warhol and Paul Klee.

"Between Art and Life: The Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Collection,'' ongoing. This new presentation of the SFMOMA collection features works from the past five decades by Louise Bourgeois, Robert Gober, Eva Hesse, Anish Kapoor, Sherrie Levine, Brice Marden, Gordon Matta-Clark,
Barry McGee, Bruce Nauman, Robert Rauschenberg and Kara Walker.

"The Art of Design: Selections from the Permanent Collection of Architecture and Design,'' ongoing. The exhibit will feature 100 selections from their architecture, graphic design and industrial design collections on a rotating basis. It features classic works plus new designs by up-and coming artists.

"Picturing Modernity: Photographs from the Permanent Collection,'' ongoing. Photography is possibly the quintessential modern art medium because its 160-year history corresponds almost exactly with Modernism's duration as a cultural movement. This exhibit looks at the photograph's unique pictorial ability and its ever-growing pervasiveness in modern culture, putting the medium in dialogue with paintings and other kinds of art.

KORET VISITOR EDUCATION CENTER -- This facility includes multimedia display technology, "Pick Up and Go'' guides for adults and children, art videos, and a community art gallery created by participants in school, teen and family programs. Thursday, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

"The Steins Collect: Matisse, Picasso, and the Parisian Avant-Garde,'' through Sept. 6. An exhibition of artwork from the Stein family collection, featuring a variety of pieces from early twentieth century Paris.

$7-$12.50; half price on Thursdays after 6 p.m.;free for all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month. Monday, Tuesday and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-8:45 p.m. 151 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 357-4000,

www.sfmoma.org.

   
SAN FRNCISCO PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

ONGOING EXHIBITS

"Dance in California: 150 Years of Innovation,'' ongoing. This permanent exhibit traces the history and artistic range of modern dance in California, with photographs and documents highlighting the achievements of Lola Montez, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, the Christensen brothers, the Peters Wright School, the company of Lester Horton, Anna Halprin and Lucas Hoving.

"Maestro! Photographic Portraits by Tom Zimberoff,'' ongoing. This permanent exhibit is a comprehensive study of a generation of national and international conductors. In Gallery 5. "San Francisco 1900: On Stage,'' ongoing. In Gallery 4.


"San Francisco in Song,'' ongoing. In Gallery 3. Free. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m. San Francisco War Memorial Veteran's Building, 401 Van Ness Ave., Fourth Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.sfpalm.org.

   
SEYMOUR PIONEER MUSEUM

The museum, owned by The Society of California Pioneers, houses a permanent research library, art gallery and history museum. Exhibits include a photography collection documenting California history.

$1-$3. Wednesday-Friday and the first Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Society of California Pioneers, 300 Fourth St., San Francisco.
(415) 957-1859,

www.californiapioneers.org

   
TREGANZA ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY

The museum, founded in 1968, houses collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Oceania, Asia, and North America as well as small collections from Central and South America.

There are also collections of photographs, tapes and phonograph records from Africa and Europe. In addition, there is an archive of field notes and other materials associated with the collections. The museum also houses the Hohenthal Gallery that is used for traveling exhibits as well as exhibits mounted by students and faculty.

Free. Museum office: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Hohenthal Gallery, SCI 388: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Science
Building, SFSU, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco. (415) 338-2467.

www.sfsu.edu/~treganza


WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM

"Bambi,'' through June 30, 1 and 4 p.m. daily, except Tue. and June 11, 25. The museum's film of the month is the beloved 1941 classic "Bambi.'' $5-$7.

 

"The Art of Tyrus Wong,'' June 11, 3 p.m. A group of animation experts discuss the work or Disney legend and landscape artist Tyrus Wong, who helped bring audiences into the forest setting of "Bambi.” $12-$20. 104 Montgomery St., San Francisco. (415) 345-6800.

www.waltdisney.org

   
ZEUM

 

Zeum is a technology and arts museum for children and families featuring exhibits and workshops that cover a variety of fascinating subjects.

EVENTS -- ongoing. $8-$10. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220,

www.zeum.org.
   
Copyright © 2011 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

 

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More Details Released About Firefighters' Funeral Services This Week

The San Francisco Fire Department today released more details about funeral services planned this week for two firefighters who died after fighting a fire at a home in the city's Diamond Heights neighborhood on Thursday.

Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, and firefighter-paramedic Anthony Valerio, 53, died from injuries they suffered while battling a blaze at a four-story home at 133 Berkeley Way on Thursday morning.

Perez died later that day, and Valerio succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning, fire officials said.

A joint funeral for the two men will be held at 12:30 p.m. Friday at St. Mary's Cathedral, located at 1111 Gough St.

A vigil for the two men will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, also at St. Mary's, according to the fire department.

After the funeral, the men will be buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.

Perez was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and served as an Alameda County sheriff's deputy before spending the last 21 years as a San Francisco firefighter.

Valerio spent 27 years as a San Francisco city employee -- 13 with the Department of Public Health and the past 14 as a firefighter-paramedic.

Both men were unmarried and had no children, Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said.

The two men were badly burned when objects in the room they were in apparently heated to the point of ignition, a dangerous phenomenon known as a "flashover," fire department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

A female firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns while battling the blaze.

She was treated at the hospital and released later Thursday.

Fire investigators are still trying to determine what started the blaze.

The San Francisco firefighters' union has established trust accounts for the Perez and Valerio families at the San Francisco Fire Credit Union. Donations can be sent to the credit union at 3201 California St., San Francisco, 94118.

Condolence messages can be sent to Fire Station 26, 80 Digby St., San Francisco, 94131.

CONTACT: San Francisco fire (415) 558-3403

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Man Stabbed At Oakland Gas Station Drives To Friend's House In North Beach

A man who was apparently stabbed in the neck at a gas station in Oakland drove across the Bay Bridge to his friend's home in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood before being taken to a hospital early this morning, police said.

The 30-year-old man showed up at his friend's home in the 2500 block of Jones Street at about 12:50 a.m., and the friend called police.

Investigators learned that the man was at a gas station in Oakland when someone approached him and cut his throat.

After the friend called police, the victim was taken to San Francisco General Hospital to be treated for his injuries, which are not considered life-threatening, police said.

San Francisco police Officer Albie Esparza said Oakland police are handling the investigation into the stabbing since it occurred in their city.

Oakland police were not immediately available to provide more details about the stabbing.

CONTACT: San Francisco police (415) 553-1651 Oakland police (510) 238-7230

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Pretrial Motions To Begin Tuesday In Ramos Triple-Murder Case

Pretrial motions are set to begin Tuesday in the case of an alleged MS-13 gang member accused in the 2008 fatal shootings of a father and his two sons in San Francisco's Excelsior District, prosecutors said today.

Edwin Ramos, 24, was arrested three days after the killings of Tony Bologna, 48, and his sons Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16, on June 22, 2008.

Ramos, an El Sobrante resident, has been charged with three counts of murder and multiple special allegations involving gang membership, firearm use and multiple murders.

The Bologna family had been driving from a family picnic in Fairfield to their home in the Excelsior when they came upon another car, allegedly driven by Ramos, at the intersection of Maynard and Congdon streets.

A surviving son in the car testified at Ramos' preliminary hearing in 2009 that he saw Ramos flash a gun from inside the partly opened window of the car and begin "mugging" at them before shots were fired.

Ramos, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, has admitted to driving the car but told investigators that another man inside the vehicle fired the shots.

Two other alleged MS-13 members had been wounded in a shooting in the Mission District earlier that day, and prosecutors have speculated that the Bolognas were mistaken for rival gang members.

Pretrial motions in the case are expected to begin Tuesday, with the selection of a jury expected in the next month or so, although a date has not yet been set, district attorney's office spokesman Seth Steward said.

CONTACT: San Francisco District Attorney's Office (415) 553-1014

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Police Investigating Suspicious Fire At Mission District Apartment

Police are investigating a suspicious fire at an apartment building in San Francisco's Mission District early this morning.

The possible arson was reported at about 2:30 a.m. at a building in the 2400 block of 24th Street.

A 25-year-old man heard someone yell "Fire!" then exited his apartment to find newspapers ablaze in the building's staircase, according to police.

The man put out the fire and called authorities.

Investigators are still trying to determine how the fire started.

Anyone with information about the blaze is encouraged to call the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip by text message to TIP411.

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Bicyclist Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries In Forest Hill Crash

A bicyclist suffered life-threatening injuries when he crashed into the center median on a street in San Francisco's Forest Hill neighborhood early this morning, police said.

The crash was reported at about 12:15 a.m. near the intersection of Pacheco Street and Dewey Boulevard. 

The 38-year-old victim was riding his bike south on Pacheco Street approaching Dewey Boulevard when he ran into the median, according to police.

Police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza did not know what caused the bicyclist to strike the median.

The man was taken to San Francisco General Hospital where he was in critical condition this morning, police said.

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San Francisco Bay Area Monday News Roundup

Three Shootings in Oakland Over Weekend

Over the weekend, one man was shot and killed while six others were non-fatally shot and suffered various injuries in four separate shootings throughout Oakland, an Oakland police spokeswoman said.

The man fatally shot in the 2900 block of High Street on Saturday afternoon has been identified as 50-year-old Oakland resident Leo Dunson, police spokeswoman Holly Joshi said.

Officers found Dunson suffering from a gunshot wound around 2:20 p.m.

Efforts by emergency medical personnel failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting.

The shooting is under investigation with the motive for the murder unknown, Joshi said.

Later, on Saturday night around 10:30 p.m. officers found a 52-year-old Oakland man shot in the driveway of his apartment complex as he was returning home in the 2400 block of 90th Avenue, Joshi said.

The gunshot victim was taken to a local hospital in stable condition for treatment, Oakland police Officer J. Moore said.

No suspects have been found, he said.

Early Sunday morning, two separate shootings occurred before 2 a.m.

The first shooting of the day occurred at about 1:22 a.m. in the area of 59th and Genoa Streets.

Officers found two men suffering from gunshot wounds, with what appear to be non-life threatening injuries, Joshi said.

Just before 2 a.m., a shooting outside of a nightclub in the 1200 block of Webster Avenue left one man in critical condition and hospitalized two other men, Moore said.

Two of the gunshot victims, who were taken to the hospital, are in stable condition.

The third man was scheduled to undergo surgery for critical injuries at about 3:30 a.m. after he was found shot at 1:55 a.m., Officer Kevin McDonald said.

No suspects are in custody for both Sunday morning shootings, police said

 

Funerals For SF Firefighters Killed Fighting House Fire To Be Held Friday

Funeral services will be held in San Francisco on Friday for two firefighters who died in the line of duty fighting a Diamond Heights house fire on Thursday, according to the fire department.

On Friday at Saint Mary's Cathedral at 1111 Gough St., a joint funeral will be held for firefighters Anthony Valerio, 53, and Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, who died after fighting a house fire in San Francisco's Diamond Heights neighborhood last week, a fire department dispatcher said.

Further details about the funeral, including the time, are not yet available, according to Saint Mary's Cathedral staff.

Firefighter and paramedic Anthony "Tony" Valerio died Saturday, two days after a fire at a four-story home at 133 Berkeley Way claimed the life of his colleague Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, the fire department said.

Valerio grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from El Camino High School, City College of San Francisco, and San Francisco State University.

He spent 13 years with the city's Department of Public Health and 14 years with the fire department. Perez, a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and 21-year veteran of the fire department, died about an hour after firefighters responded to the blaze at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday.

The two men were badly burned when objects in the room they were in heated to the point of ignition, a dangerous phenomenon known as "flashover," fire department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

A female firefighter also suffered smoke inhalation while fighting the blaze, but she was treated at the hospital and released.

The San Francisco firefighters union has established trust accounts for the Perez and Valerio families at the San Francisco Fire Credit Union.

Donations can be sent to the credit union at 3201 California St., San Francisco, 94118.

 

Man Shot and Killed in San Jose, 23rd Shooting This Year

A man was killed in a shooting in San Jose on Friday night, according to police.

Manuel Serrano, 44, of San Jose, was shot near the 100 block of Birch Lane at about 11 p.m., police said.

Serrano was taken to a local hospital where he died of his wounds at about 11:20 p.m., according to police.

A 55-year-old man was also injured in the shooting and taken to the hospital, where he was treated for injuries not believed to be life threatening and later released.

Prior to the shooting, both victims had apparently been standing outside a home drinking beer when a suspect opened fire, police said.

No arrests have been made.

Serrano's death is San Jose's 23rd homicide of the year, according to police.

 

Petaluma Police Wait Tables to Raise Funds for Olympic Athletes

Petaluma police officers will suit up to serve the community on Tuesday evening at a restaurant fundraiser for Special Olympic athletes.

Officers will bus tables and serve food in uniform in exchange for "tips" to raise money for Northern California Special Olympics athletes at the Applebee's located at 5301 Old Redwood Highway from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Proceeds raised from the annual "Tip A Cop" event will go directly to Sonoma County athletes and are tax-deductible, police said.

More than 800 athletes will compete at the University of California at Davis during the Northern California Special Olympics Summer Games from June 24 through June 26, according to the organization's website.

Participants will compete in four Olympic-style sports during the Summer Games, including aquatics, bocce, tennis, and track and field.

Northern California is one of 52 Special Olympic programs that offers a Summer Games competition for its athletes, according to the website.

 

East Palo Alto Police Reveal Sketches of Triple Shooting Suspect

East Palo Alto police released sketches of the men suspected of killing a 3-month-old boy in a triple shooting early Sunday morning.

Two men wearing dark hooded sweatshirts fired multiple shots into the car of a Redwood City family leaving a baby shower in the 400 block of Wisteria Drive just before 1 a.m., Acting police Capt. Jeff Liu said.

The parents, their 3-year-old child and 3-month-old son were in the car.

The 3-month-old suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

The mother and father, both 22 years old, suffered serious, but not life-threatening gunshot wounds, police said.

The family was taken to Stanford Hospital, where the infant was pronounced dead at about 2:15 a.m., Liu said.

Witnesses said they saw two men, who were specifically firing at the victims' car, running away from the scene, he said.

The sketches were rendered after a police artist met with witnesses who described the suspects as Hispanic men in their early 20s between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, Liu said.

A $25,000 reward was issued for information that leads to the arrest of the suspects.

Anyone with details about the triple shooting is asked to call or send a text message to East Palo Alto police at (650) 409-6792. Those who wish to remain anonymous can do so by calling that number. Tips can also be sent by email to epa@tipnow.org.

 

Gilroy Burglars Arrested

Three men were arrested Sunday morning after witnesses reported a break-in at a Gilroy outlet store, police said.

Wastsonville residents Joseph Guiterrez, 21, and Isaias Barron-Zamora, 19, and Ruben Garcia, 19, of Freedom, were arrested for burglary, felony conspiracy and possession of stolen property after police stopped a vehicle fleeing with merchandise from the Sony outlet store at 681 Leavesley Rd. shortly after 1 a.m., Gilroy police said.

Guiterrez and Garcia were allegedly spotted breaking into the electronics and gaming store and stealing electronics.

The two fled on foot, with one entering a get-away car after police arrested one of them a short distance from the store. The car was driven by Barron-Zamora, police said. 

Officers stopped the car and arrested the driver and one of the burglary suspects.

Police found stolen property in the car and near where the first suspect was arrested.

All stolen property was recovered, police said.

The three men were booked at the San Jose county jail, officers reported.

 

Three Men Hospitalized After Oakland Shooting Sunday

Three men were taken to the hospital after a shooting early Sunday morning, Oakland police said.

Officers are still investigating the shooting at the 1200 block of Webster Avenue that took place just before 2 a.m., Officer J. Moore said.

Two of the men were taken to the hospital in stable condition, and the other man is undergoing surgery with unknown injuries, he said.

The shooting may involve multiple locations and no suspects are in custody, Moore said.

 

Oakland Shooting Victims in Stable Condition

Two people are in stable condition following two separate shootings in Oakland on Saturday night and early Sunday morning, police said.

Authorities responded to the 2400 block of 90th Avenue at about 10:30 p.m. after reports of gunfire, Oakland police Officer J. Moore said.

The victim, a man, was suffering from gunshot wounds and taken to a local hospital in stable condition for treatment, he said.

Another person was injured in a shooting at the intersection of 59th and Genoa streets about 1:30 a.m., Officer Kevin McDonald said.

The victim was also transported to a hospital in stable condition, he said.

No suspects are in custody for either shooting.

 

Vacaville Teen Stabbed

A teenager was stabbed twice during a fight involving 15 to 20 people near a house party early Saturday morning in Vacaville, police said.

Officers responded to reports of a fight in the 1100 block of Bedford Way at 3:10 a.m., police said.

When police arrived at the scene, several suspects ran away in different directions.

A loaded .45-caliber revolver was found in the street, police said.

While officers were on the scene, a 19-year-old man called 911 and told operators he had been stabbed, according to police.

Officers found the victim a few blocks from Bedford Way at the intersection of Nut Tree Road and Northampton Court, police said.

The 19-year-old had been stabbed in the abdomen and the upper back, police said.

He was taken to the University of California at Davis Medical Center in Sacramento by ambulance with injuries that were not life threatening.

The victim could not provide details to who stabbed him, police said.

Vacaville police also could not determine who owned the revolver left in the street.

The stabbing does not appear to be gang related and there is no suspect information, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Officer Greg Eisert at (707) 449-5200.

 

Oakland Mugger Arrested

Oakland officers arrested a suspect who tried to rob a community member at knifepoint on Friday night, according to police.

The victim was walking in the 1300 block of 37th Avenue at about 10:30 p.m. when the suspect approached him and demanded cash, police said.

The victim ran and flagged down a patrol officer, who called for other units.

The officers found and arrested the suspect, police said.

 

One Person Arrested at San Rafael DUI Checkpoint

One person was arrested and 18 traffic citations were issued, but no one was found to be driving under the influence during Friday night's impaired driving enforcement in San Rafael, police said.

Out of the 41 traffic stops that were made from 4 p.m. until midnight, only one person was given a field sobriety test, police said.

No DUI arrests were made.

San Rafael police did arrest one driver with an outstanding warrant, police said.

An unlicensed driver was cited and released and one vehicle was towed, according to police.

This is a positive sign that the education and awareness outreach conducted through checkpoints and the media are making an impact, police said.

This enforcement was funded by a grant through the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

San Jose Fire Injures One Person, Displaces Three Others

One person was injured and three others displaced by a two-alarm fire that damaged two homes in San Jose Sunday morning, a fire captain said.

Firefighters responded to a call reporting a vehicle fire in a driveway in the 3300 block of Pepper Tree Lane at about 5:35 a.m., San Jose fire Capt. Mary Gutierrez said.

Arriving firefighters found the flames had spread from the car to the house, which had filled with thick black smoke.

Four adults who evacuated after being alerted by smoke alarms apparently went back into the burning home to try to retrieve personal belongings, Gutierrez said.

Firefighters helped get the occupants out of the building for the second time.

One resident was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

All four were displaced by the fire, which firefighters controlled at about 6:35 a.m., Gutierrez said.

Approximately $40,000 in damage was caused to the structure of the home, Gutierrez said, and $20,000 worth of contents were lost.

Minor damage was caused to the roof of an adjacent home, Gutierrez said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

 

Weather Forecast

The Bay Area is expected to be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers this morning, before becoming partly cloudy later today.

Highs in the upper 50s are expected, with southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

Mostly cloudy skies are also expected tonight, with lows in the lower 50s. West winds are anticipated to be 5 to 10 mph. Tuesday is expected to mostly cloudy, with west winds 5 to 10 mph.

Highs in the upper 50s are also expected.

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Weather Forecast For The San Francisco Bay Area

The Bay Area is expected to be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers this morning, before becoming partly cloudy later today.

Highs in the upper 50s are expected, with southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

Mostly cloudy skies are also expected tonight, with lows in the lower 50s.

West winds are anticipated to be 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday is expected to mostly cloudy, with west winds 5 to 10 mph. Highs in the upper 50s are also expected.

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Funerals For Firefighters Killed Fighting House Fire To Be Held Friday

Funeral services will be held in San Francisco on Friday for two firefighters who died in the line of duty fighting a Diamond Heights house fire on Thursday, according to the fire department.

On Friday at Saint Mary's Cathedral at 1111 Gough St., a joint funeral will be held for firefighters Anthony Valerio, 53, and Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, who died after fighting a house fire in San Francisco's Diamond Heights neighborhood last week, a fire department dispatcher said.

Further details about the funeral, including the time, are not yet available, according to Saint Mary's Cathedral staff.

Firefighter and paramedic Anthony "Tony" Valerio died Saturday, two days after a fire at a four-story home at 133 Berkeley Way claimed the life of his colleague Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, the fire department said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Valerio grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from El Camino High School, City College of San Francisco, and San Francisco State University.

He spent 13 years with the city's Department of Public Health and 14 years with the fire department.

Perez, a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and 21-year veteran of the fire department, died about an hour after firefighters responded to the blaze at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday.

Both men were unmarried and had no children, Fire Chief Joanna Hayes White said.

The two men were badly burned when objects in the room they were in heated to the point of ignition, a dangerous phenomenon known as "flashover," fire department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

A female firefighter also suffered smoke inhalation while fighting the blaze, but she was treated at the hospital and released.

The San Francisco firefighters union has established trust accounts for the Perez and Valerio families at the San Francisco Fire Credit Union.

Donations can be sent to the credit union at 3201 California St., San Francisco, 94118.

Condolence messages can be sent to Fire Station 26, 80 Digby St., San Francisco, 94131.

CONTACT: San Francisco fire (415) 558-3403

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Sunday News Roundup

A second firefighter injured Thursday while battling a blaze in San Francisco's Diamond Heights neighborhood died Saturday morning, bringing an end to his almost three decades of service to the city, the San Francisco Fire Department said.

Firefighter and paramedic Anthony "Tony" Valerio, 53, died atabout 7:30 a.m. Saturday, two days after a fire at a four-story home at 133 Berkeley Way claimed the life of his colleague Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, the fire department said.

Valerio grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from El Camino High School, City College of San Francisco, and San Francisco State University.

He spent 13 years with the city's Department of Public Health and14 years with the fire department.

"This has been an extremely difficult time for the members of theSan Francisco Fire Department," fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said in a statement Saturday.

Thursday was the first time in eight years a San Francisco firefighter has died on the job.

Hayes-White said that Saturday also marked the first time in her 21 years with the department that two people were killed in the line of duty while responding to a single incident.

"They will be greatly missed," she added.
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A man was killed in a shooting in Oakland Saturday afternoon, according to police.

Officers found the man dead of gunshot wounds near the 2900 block of High Street at about 2:20 p.m., Oakland police Officer Moore said.

No arrests have been made.

No other information was immediately available.
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Park rangers discovered human remains while they were performing trail maintenance in an unincorporated part of Morgan Hill on Friday, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.

The rangers found bones in a shallow, dry ditch in the Uvas Canyon County Park at about 11:15 a.m., according to Santa Clara County sheriff's Sgt. Rick Sung.

Sung said the remains haven't been identified yet, but he doesn't believe they belong to Michelle Hoang Thi Le, 26, a nursing student who last seen at about 7 p.m. on May 27 at Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center at 27303 Sleepy Hollow Ave.

"It's not that there isn't a chance they are from her," Sung said. "We're still looking into it."

He said it appears as though the remains may have appeared in the ditch recently, maybe in the past year. But there has been no direct evidence confirming when the remains were first in the ditch, Sung said.

Officials at the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office are assisting in the investigation.
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A 21-year-old man that was killed Saturday morning in a shooting at a middle school in Oakley has been identified as James Didio, according to Contra Costa County sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee.

Didio, of Oakley, was shot at about 4 a.m. at O'Hara Park Middle School, located at 1100 O'Hara Ave., and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The Oakley Police Department and Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office are investigating the killing.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Oakley police dispatch at (925) 646-2441.
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A lucky lottery player won more than $200,000 for a ticket bought in San Francisco, but the prize has yet to be claimed, lottery officials said.

The winning ticket was drawn one month ago, and the winner has 180 days to claim the prize.

The ticket was purchased at Quarts N Pints Liquor, at 2434 Noriega St. in the Sunset District.

The winning ticket matched five out of six numbers, only missing the Mega number, making the ticket worth $220,311, lottery officials said.

The winning numbers are 1, 16, 29, 36 and 50, with the Mega number 16.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A 44-year-old San Jose man was killed Friday night in a double shooting in front of a residence, a police spokesman said Saturday.

He and the other victim, a 55-year-old man, were standing and drinking beer at about 11 p.m. in front of a home in the 100 block of Birch Lane when an unknown male opened fire on them, police Sgt. Jason Dwyer said.

Paramedics performed CPR on one of the men at the scene and took both to Regional Medical Center, where one was pronounced dead at about 11:20 p.m., Dwyer said. His identity had not been released Saturday.

The other victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.

Police are not saying whether either man lived at the home where the shooting took place, Dwyer said.

No arrests had been made in the case as of Saturday morning, and police were still trying to identify a motive.

The shooting was San Jose's 23rd homicide of the year, according to Dwyer.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Police Department's homicide unit at (408) 277-5238. Anonymous tips can be left at (408) 947-STOP (7867) or http://svcrimestoppers.org.

Tipsters could be eligible for a reward.
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Parts of the Bay Area have already seen record-breaking amounts of rain this weekend, a National Weather Service official said.

As of 5:30 a.m., San Francisco International Airport had seen .39 inches of rain, a record high for June 4th.

"The record was .16 in 1947. We've already doubled it and it's still raining," meteorologist Ryan Walbrun said.

Walbrun was quick to add that the amount of rain isn't extraordinary, but the fact that we're seeing it in June.

The same amount of rain in the middle of winter "wouldn't be newsworthy," he said.

The National Weather Service is expecting the steady rain to continue throughout the Bay Area through noon Saturday, becoming partly cloudy with showers throughout the rest of the weekend.

By Monday afternoon, the region should see an end to the rain, Walbrun said.

Within the Bay Area, the Santa Cruz Mountains are expected to behardest hit with rain this weekend, he said.
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A Monterey museum is opening its doors Saturday with special exhibits and a new name after being closed for over a year.

The former Monterey Maritime and History Museum is now the Museum of Monterey and its opening day will feature artifacts, a mural, and a new exhibition, museum curators said.

The exhibit entitled "Flows to Bay" features fine art by local and international artists that explores the issues of marine debris and its effect on the marine environment.

"The artists in 'Flows to Bay' are an example of a growing number of concerned and vocal people who have actively decided to pursue this matter...they serve as apocalyptic visionaries for our disposable society," curator Lisa Coscino said in a statement.

The museum will also display the Monterey History and Art Association's treasures, ranging from Native American artifacts through artwork from the 20th century, museum curators said.

A 50- by 9.5-feet mural entitled "Historama" will also be unveiled. The mural, by artist Andre Miripolsky, depicts aspects of the region's past.
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San Francisco is celebrating National Trails Day Saturday morning with a grand opening of a historic trail and an open space that have been closed to the public for 50 years, city officials said.

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department will open Interior Greenbelt Park, which consists of 12 acres of open space as well a historic trail that connects the park to Mount Sutro for a total of 72 acres of open space, according to city officials.

The city initially purchased the Interior Greenbelt Park for the public in the 1950's, city officials said, but it was gated in the 1960's at the request of nearby residents.

The park features Woodland Creek and a half-mile of trail leading to Mount Sutro that was constructed in the 1880's.

The trail, which starts at 17th and Stanyan streets in the Cole Valley neighborhood, belonged to Adolph Sutro, a mayor of San Francisco in the 1890's.

The city's Recreation and Park Department, the Sutro Stewards, and the University of California at San Francisco have spent the past three years restoring the historic trail.

Saturday's grand opening will be held at Woods Lot, at 100 Medical Center Way on the UCSF Parnassus Campus at 8:30 a.m.
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Milpitas police have arrested a person on suspicion of fatally shooting a 43-year-old man earlier this week.

Police are not yet releasing the suspect's name, but he or she is in custody on an unrelated charge, police Sgt. Daryl Sequeira said.

The arrest was made in connection with the murder of Alfredo Rodriguez, who was found suffering from a gunshot wound in the 1400 block of South Main Street around 3:50 a.m. on Monday.

He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Rodriguez was a resident of Milpitas. His death is the city's first homicide of the year.

Police are continuing to investigate the murder and ask anyone with information to call the department at (408) 586-2400 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 586-2500.
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A teenager was arrested on suspicion of purse snatching in East Palo Alto Saturday afternoon, according to police.

Joshua Wallbank Mahoni, 18, of Menlo Park, allegedly grabbed a bag from a 20-year-old German woman at the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center at 1771 East Bayshore Road at about 3:15 p.m., police said.

Two 17-year-old good Samaritans ran after Mahoni and helped responding officers arrest the suspect, according to police.

Mahoni was booked into county jail, where he faces robbery charges.

The German tourist's purse was returned to her without anything missing. No injuries were reported, police said.
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Deputies investigating a string of school burglaries in Santa Cruz County arrested a Watsonville man Thursday on suspicion of possessing stolen property, sheriff's officials said.

Schools in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District have reported 16 burglaries since April. The schools were burglarized between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. and the suspects targeted Apple computer equipment, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives identified 27-year-old Ricky Faustino Santos as a suspect and searched his home on Paulson Road Thursday afternoon.

Sheriff's officials said Santos was uncooperative and refused to open his bedroom door.

The door was forced open and a search allegedly yielded an Apple computer with PVUSD engraved on it, sheriff's officials said.

The computer was allegedly linked to Alianza Charter School at 75 Whiting Road in Watsonville, which had been burglarized that morning, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives said they also found temperature controller used in the computer industry, valued at around $5,000, that was reported stolen from Heat Wave Labs in Watsonville in April.

The Watsonville Police Department has been brought in to assist with the continuing investigation.

Deputies said they have found no link between the PVUSD burglaries and the attempted burglary of Soquel High School in the Santa Cruz City School District on Wednesday.

Santos is facing charges of possession of stolen property and probation violation.
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The San Francisco Bay Area is expected to be partly cloudy today, with a chance of showers in the morning. Rain is likely later today, along with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs are anticipated to be in the upper 50s to lower 70s. Southeast winds are expected to be 10 to 20 mph, becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Tonight is expected to be mostly cloudy, with a chance of rain, and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower to mid 50s are expected. West winds 10 to 20 mph are anticipated, becoming 5 to 10 mph after midnight.

Skies are expected to be mostly cloudy on Monday, with a chance of showers in the morning. Highs are anticipated to be in the mid 50s to upper 60s. West winds 10 to 20 mph are also expected.

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