City Hall
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Besides taxes, few solutions at town hall on education

02.26.2010
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The organizers of what was billed as a town hall-style meeting on education funding in the Marina Thursday said their intention was to have a conversation with the community about solutions to money woes for the coming school year.
 
But the evening’s talk, moderated by Michael Krasny, host of KQED-FM’s “Forum,” fell short of those expectations for some parents, educators and others in attendance — as evidenced by booing and hissing that punctuated the meeting. » Read more

News

Crazy and composed, college students across the Bay react to budget cuts

02.26.2010
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Facing unprecedented budget cuts in higher education, protests — both planned and impromptu — are lighting up colleges throughout the Bay Area.  
San Francisco State University and U.C. Berkeley have contributed more than their share of protests. While their methods differ, students at both universities are pushing for better funding.  
On Thursday, Berkeley students shook it up a bit in the form of an open-air dance party in Sproul Plaza, followed by the occupation of Durant Hall, and then culminating in what the San Francisco Chronicle characterized as a riot on Telegraph Avenue. Only the dance party was planned (or at least announced).

Labor
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Embattled union seeks to blunt second year of city cuts

02.26.2010
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(UPDATE: A reform slate of candidates won victory in the election. For details, see Kevin Stark’s blog).
Whoever wins the election at Northern California’s largest public-sector union this weekend will inherit a troubled labor local damaged by internal conflict and controversial negotiations in San Francisco that cost the union hundreds of jobs last year. » Read more

Media
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Bay Area News Project editor promises media renaissance

02.26.2010
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The scattering of raised hands of unemployed journalists in the audience at Jonathan Weber’s presentation Wednesday about his new Bay Area journalism venture was a reflection of the dire situation facing media professionals.
Carl Hall, an organizer with the Northern California Media Workers Guild, broke the tension in his introduction to Weber, the much-sought-after editor of the Bay Area News Project: “I thought I’d save a lot of time by answering one question I know everyone has … the answer is, yes. » Read more

City Hall
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Intercept truants in early grades — Q&A with Abraham Simmons

02.24.2010
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Recently, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced a comprehensive initiative to get kids back in school.
“The school district alone would never solve truancy drop-out,” Newsom said, “and perhaps that has been our biggest failure: allowing the school district to deal with the issue when they cannot do it alone.” » Read more

News
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Welcome to the neighborhood: Nob Hill (photo essay)

02.22.2010
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Nob Hill, one of the original Seven Hills of San Francisco*, is one of the more affluent neighborhoods in the city. Yet a number of Nob Hill businesses have closed their doors as a result of the economic downturn. And while some have moved to new locations, a majority are gone for good. » Read more

Transportation
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How BART lost $70 million in federal grants

02.22.2010
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For the  audio version on KALW News, take a listen: http://kalwnews.org/audio/2010/02/18/how-bart-lost-70-million-federal-grants_167676.html
People are justifiably concerned about where all the federal stimulus money is going. Much of that money is borrowed, so it’s not just our tax dollars at stake — our children will be paying the interest on these projects for years to come. » Read more

News
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Newspapers are art

02.22.2010
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For Artopia competitor Phillip Hua, a digital media instructor at the Academy of Art, his piece, “Re: action,” is a mixed-media work using everyday objects such as newspapers (The Wall Street Journal), plastic and aluminum. His creation tells the story of the environment and its relationship to the economy, and how everything is related and degrades over time. » Read more

Housing
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Environmentalists, preservationists face off in Parkmerced

02.18.2010
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Video by Ron Font/SF Public Press.
For the longer audio story from “Crosscurrents” on KALW News, take a listen: http://kalwnews.org/audio/2010/02/09/environmentalists-and-preservationists-face-parkmerced_141400.html
(Editor’s note: KALW-FM reporter Alison Hawkes took a closer look at Parkmerced, where owners are proposing a 30-year plan to transform the site into a low-carbon community. » Read more

Arts & Culture
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East Bay children’s theater company makes debut in San Francisco

02.17.2010
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In its second, and final weekend, the Active Arts children’s theater company is staging its first San Francisco production with “Ramona Quimby” at the Zeum Theater.

The play performed by the Oakland-based group addresses complex themes of economic inequality, familial obligations and identity formation with simple dialogue and minimal props. » Read more