Yearly Archives: 2011
Posted inCity Hall, Homelessness

Computer system shutdown hurts homeless at city shelters

by T.J. Johnston

A computer failure forced San Francisco homeless shelter residents to wait hours in the cold to gain admittance as staffers turned to pen and paper to register those who needed assistance.
The system, known as Coordinated Homeless Assistance through Guidance and Effective Services went offline on March 12 as the city’s Human Services Agency underwent seismic upgrades at its building on Otis Street.

Posted inNews

FCC denies move of KUSF transmitter to Sausalito

by San Francisco Public Press

The Federal Communications Commission has denied a request to move the former KUSF transmitter from the University of San Francisco campus to Sausalito, citing a lack of sufficient justification. UPDATE 5 p.m. 3/17/11: Brenda Barnes, president of KUSC and managing director of the Classical Public Radio Network, confirmed that the company’s lawyers made a “procedural misstep” […]

Posted inNews

Muni chief ‘s bid for D.C. job runs into a delay

by San Francisco Public Press

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced on Wednesday it was delaying its decision to name the agency’s next executive director, with San Francisco’s MTA executive director and CEO, Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr., considered a frontrunner for the position. The MWAA’s board of directors said it will take considerably longer to choose its next chief, leaving […]

Posted inNews

Attorney general wants marriage ban lifted before Prop 8 ruling

by San Francisco Public Press

State Attorney General Kamala D. Harris is the most recent political entrant in the crusade against Proposition 8, the ballot measure that has prevented marriage between same-sex couples in California since November 2008. This month, Harris issued a statement backing the work of attorneys supporting same-sex marriage, Theodore Olson and David Boies, who are requesting […]

Posted inNews

‘Local hires’ for $5,000 apiece: the Chronicle misses the punch line

by San Francisco Public Press

Last Wednesday, John Coté wrote an article for the San Francisco Chronicle explaining the new local hiring ordinance. The legislation was presented as pretty straight forward. But the Chronicle didn’t explain some of the more arcane details of the costs of implementation of the plan, which could run into the thousands of dollars per job. Coté […]

Posted inCalifornia, Utilities

California utilities commission to allow customers to opt-out of smart meters

by Alison Hawkes

The California Public Utilities Commission has decided to allow PG&E customers to opt-out of having Smart Meters installed in their homes in Northern California.
PG&E is expected to present a proposal back to the commission within two weeks to allow the opt-out “at a reasonable customer cost,” according to utilities commission President Michael Peevey.
Foes of the Smart Meters were pushing for a moratorium on further installation of the devices.

Posted inNews

Transit officials make Market St. restrictions permanent, approve youth Fast Passes

by San Francisco Public Press

It just got a little harder for motorists to navigate around Market Street downtown. And local transportation officials say that’s an improvement.  A pilot program that forces cars heading east to make a right turn from Market Street to Sixth and 10th streets was approved unanimously by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board of […]

Posted inArts & Culture, Environment, Land use

Not just fun and games, America’s Cup races have environmental toll

by Alison Hawkes

The America’s Cup, still two years away from its arrival in San Francisco, is already a topic of concern among environmental groups and regulators. Officials have launched an accelerated environmental review of the plans, and the event organizer are promising to raise tens of millions of dollars to mitigate the effects of the world’s premier sailing event. Part of the concern is boat traffic. Also on the agenda: the pollution from cleaning and repairing the boats.

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