San Francisco Public Press (https://www.sfpublicpress.org/2014/02/page/2/)
Concerned about equity, 3 elementary school PTAs pool money for daytime enrichment
Part of a special report on education inequality in San Francisco. A version of this story ran in the winter 2014 print edition.
The tiny Albany Unified School District in the East Bay was, until 2011, like many others in the state: Schools with the best parent fundraising were able to reap all the benefits for their own kids. » Read more
Photo essay: Ana Hernandez, Junipero Serra Elementary; and Barry Schmell, Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy
PDF: Photo essay: Two PTA Presidents, Two Realities
Part of a special report on education inequality in San Francisco. A version of this story ran in the winter 2014 print edition. » Read more
By Amanda Stupi, KQED News Fix
For those of us who remember when crossing the Golden Gate Bridge cost a dollar, the possibility of raising the non-FasTrak toll to $8 might have triggered a knee-jerk “What?! An $8 toll?!” response, followed by a few expletives and, finally, some questions like, “Why do they need so much more money if the bridge is already built?” or “When will the increase take effect?” For those of you have reached the questioning phase of your reaction, here a few things to keep in mind when considering the ultimate $8 price tag:
Read the complete story at KQED News Fix.
By Daniel Hirsch, Mission Local
Usulutan, a Salvadorean restaurant on 24th Street, welcomed a particularly diverse and determined crowd Monday night. Swapping business cards over pupusas, third-generation Mission residents, tech startup founders, nonprofit professionals, recent transplants, activists and more all gathered to do the simple, but challenging, work of meeting new people. The dinner was the first public event hosted by Engage SF, a new organization committed to bridging the gap between new and established neighborhood residents in an effort to enhance diversity and build community. By the looks of the assembled crowd — about 50 people — Engage SF was so far doing a pretty good job. As the crowd mingled, Laura Yarnow, a native San Franciscan and former teacher at Horace Mann Middle School, explained to two twenty-something tech workers about the importance of salsa music in the neighborhood’s history.
By Daniel Hirsch, Mission Local
To be less irksome to neighbors, they could be smaller and the routes could be restricted to larger streets. But transportation experts say the tech buses between San Francisco and Silicon Valley basically do a good job at what they do — effectively shuttling approximately 35,000 people a day and most likely keeping thousands of cars off the freeway. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which passed its resolution to let the tech buses use Muni stops for $1 per stop in January and limit where these buses can stop, will be holding public hearings this month to seek input on which Muni stops the shuttles should be using. Those who cannot attend the meetings have until February 23 to post comments on an interactive map on the agency’s website. In advance of those meetings, Mission Local asked transportation experts for their ideas on how to mitigate the intensity of the buses’ impact on the neighborhoods in which they operate.
If Harvey Milk had not been assassinated in 1978, the rampant speculation raging across San Francisco might not have become the problem it is today. Or at least that is the perspective brought into focus by one leading San Francisco housing activist who wants to revive one of Milk’s unrealized tenant protection proposals. » Read more
By Jon Brooks, KQED News Fix
The ride-service company Lyft on Wednesday announced it is offering additional insurance coverage to augment a $1 million excess liability policy mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission. From the Lyft Blog:
(W)e have worked with leading insurance carriers to now provide additional insurance solutions for drivers on the Lyft platform. Today, we’re excited to be the first company to announce three additional excess coverages now live:
Collision ($2,500 deductible and $50,000 maximum applicable to drivers who have purchased collision coverage on their personal policy)
Uninsured motorists ($1M limit covering drivers if they are hit by an uninsured motorist that is at fault)
Underinsured motorists ($1M limit covering drivers if they are hit by an underinsured motorist that is at fault)
Two weeks ago, Kara Cross, general counsel for the Personal Insurance Federation of California, told us the lack of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage was one of the defects in TNC, or transportation network company, insurance. Cross said that drivers injured while on a network company call could draw on the network company coverage only if the network company driver was judged to be at fault. Lyft’s new insurance coverage seems intended to address that. Read the complete story at KQED News Fix.
Dawn Patrick won a housing lottery when she was approved to move into a below-market-rate unit at the luxury apartment complex NEMA near 10th Street and Market. But management refused to let her move in after learning about an old conviction for unpaid child support. » Read more
Some school PTAs add hundreds of dollars per student
Part of a special report on education inequality in San Francisco. A version of this story ran in the winter 2014 print edition.
The San Francisco Unified School District aims to spend its funds equitably, not necessarily equally. » Read more
By Liz Mak, KALW
Jeremy Mykaels is in his early 60s, and he has AIDS. As a young gay man, he moved to the Castro, where he has lived for almost 40 years. He has been in his Victorian apartment on Noe Street for about half that time — but he may not be living here much longer. Mykaels is the last tenant still living at 460 Noe. The tenants in the other two units left around the time the new owners bought the building two years ago.