RECENT HEADLINES AND NEWS

July 2008
In this edition:

• SF Clean Energy Charter Amendment Hearing on Monday the 14th
• Charter Amendment that Upgrades Role for the Department on the Environment
• Operation: Single Sock!
• New Divisadero Farmer's Market Starts Sunday
• Hearing on Commuter Benefits Legislation on July 23rd
• Ross on the Radio: Saturday 7/19 from 3-4
• Help Design the New Hayes Valley Playground
• Nominations Open for Small Business Awards
• Staffing Changes
• Victory in the Fight Against Apple Moth Spraying!
• Third Friday Art Party: Eye Work, Line Work by Ashley Hanes and Zefrey Throwell
• Looking for a Job?
• Upcoming Events
• Board of Supervisors Information
• Office and Community Volunteers Needed
• Comments, Suggestions, or Questions?
• Did you miss a previous newsletter?

SF Clean Energy Charter Amendment Hearing on Monday the 14th
Supervisor Mirkarimi has introduced the Clean Energy Charter Amendment for the November ballot. The objective of this amendment is to accomplish the following: Pursue 51% of the city's electricity generation from renewable resources by 2017, 75% by 2030, and 100% by 2040; Establish an Office of Ratepayer Advocate to defend against excessive or unfair rate hikes; Establish a workforce development provision for green-job training and placement; and to require that within 180 days of passage, a feasibility study is developed and then publicly vetted on municipalizing or reconfiguring the franchise contract between San Francisco and PG&E.

For more information, see this Bay Guardian editorial. The Rules Committee will hold a public hearing on the charter amendment on Monday, July 14th at 10 am. It will then move to the full Board of Supervisors where, if it receives six votes, the charter amendment will go to voters on the November ballot.

Commission on the Environment Charter Amendment
The Commission on the Environment and the Department of the Environment, founded in 1995 (co-created by former Environmental Commissioner, Ross Mirkarimi) was design to advise on environmental sustainability. With the passage of the 2008 Climate Change Action Ordinance, sponsored by Supervisor Mirkarimi, requiring all city departments and agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 1990 levels over the next 30 years, this Charter Amendment provides the Commission the authority to review and help enforce municipal and regional climate change action plans and policies. The Rules Committee will also hold a public hearing on this charter amendment on Monday, July 14th at 10 am.

Operation: Single Sock!
What do you do with your single socks that have lost their mates? Throw them away? Use them as rags? Now there's a more worthwhile use for them. San Francisco's homeless are always in need of socks. John Caldera, a stalwart volunteer in the Mirkarimi office, has taken the initiative to start Operation: Single Sock to collect San Francisco's single socks and distribute them to the homeless. It's a great way to help the homeless and clean up your sock drawer at the same time. Please drop off your clean socks at the War Memorial Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness (across the street from City Hall) in Room 117 between 9am and 5pm.

New Divisadero Farmer's Market Starts Sunday

There's a new Farmer's Market in District 5! Come out this Sunday for the first Divisadero Farmer's Market and get some fresh fruit and veggies, meet your neighbors, and support local food.

When: Every Sunday through September 21st, 10am - 2pm
Where: Grove Street at Divisadero

This farmer's market was made possible by a collaboration between neighborhood residents, activists, merchants, the Office of Economic Workforce and Development, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's Office, The Pacific Coast Farmer's Market Association, and the North of Panhandle and Alamo Square Neighborhood Associations. For a directory of farmer's markets, go to www.pcfma.org.

Hearing on Commuter Benefits Legislation on July 23rd
The Budget and Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on Supervisor Mirkarimi's commuter benefits ordinance. The hearing will take place on Wednesday July 23rd at 1pm in the Board of Supervisors chambers in City Hall. The ordinance would allow employees to take pre-tax deductions from their wages to cover the cost of commuter checks. The Department of Environment estimates that the program would allow employees to buy a $45 Muni fast pass for about $32 and a $64 BART ticket for about $45. For more information on the program, see this Examiner article and the Commuter Checks website.

Ross on the Radio: Saturday 7/19 from 3-4
Supervisor Mirkarimi will be joining Community College Trustee John Rizzo on the Sierra Club radio show this Saturday the 19th from 3-4pm Green 960 AM. The Sierra Club Radio is a weekly program produced by Sierra Club staff and hosted by Orli Cotel. Each week you'll hear in-depth interviews with politicians, authors, celebrities, artists, and activists inspired by nature. For podcasts of previous programs, see the
Sierra Club Radio website. Listen live at 960 AM or online at www.green960.com.

Help Design the New Hayes Valley Playground
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has received grant funding to renovate Hayes Valley Playground in partnership with the City of San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department. We need your help to design the new playground and improve the clubhouse at Hayes Valley Playground! Let us know what you think - please fill out this online survey.

If you have further questions, please contact Jennifer Worth at The Trust for Public Land 415.496.5660 x386 or jennifer.worth@tpl.org.

Nominations Open for Small Business Awards
Urban Solutions, whose mission is to foster the well-being of disadvantaged communities by helping to increase neighborhood commercial vitality, strengthen small businesses, create jobs, and encourage diversity, is joining with the Examiner to help San Franciscans vote for their favorite small businesses. Whether your favorite business offers a space for music jams, contributes to neighborhood parks, or otherwise takes that extra step to contribute to our communities, this is an opportunity to honor them. The deadline for nominations is August 15th; nominations for best small business can be made at urbansolutionsSF.org/nominate and nominations for a Green Business Award can be made at urbansolutionsSF.org/nominate/green.html.

Staffing Changes
After three and a half years of stellar service, Boris Delepine is leaving our office to take a new position with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. He will be greatly missed, and we wish him well in his new position. Rick Galbreith will be taking Boris' place as a full-time aide, and Jeremy Pollock (a long-time office volunteer) will be taking Rick's place as a part-time aide.

Victory in the Fight Against Apple Moth Spraying!
The California Department of Food and Agriculture announced that California urban areas will not be sprayed aerially with pesticides to fight the light brown apple moth. California Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura announced that there will be no spraying in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and San Mateo counties. Officials will instead release sterile moths to combat the light brown apple moth--a method that has been successful with the Mediterranean fruit fly and the pink boll worm. The massive outpouring of public opposition to the spraying, as well as legislation passed by the Board of Supervisors (authored by Supervisor Mirkarimi) and the State Senate, can be credited with stopping this potentially hazardous spraying. A collection of media stories can be found at playnotspray.org.

Third Friday Art Party: Eye Work, Line Work by Ashley Hanes and Zefrey Throwell
When: Friday, July 18th, 5:30 to 8:00pm
Where: Supervisor Mirkarimi's office, Room 282 at City Hall

Ashley Hanes and Zefrey Throwell have collaborated on a new body of work entitled, "Eye Work, Line Work". Premiering at San Francisco's gorgeous City Hall, in District 5 Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's office, this show begins to explore the underpinnings of the creative and interpretive process; an investigation into what we choose to observe and how we observe it.

The interstitial boundary between photography and painting, between image capturing and image rendering, is one that has traditionally been divided. Hanes and Throwell probe nascent territory and examine both the benefits and constraints of interlocking traditional film photography and linear mark making.

The inherent beauty of analog film is in its arbitrary and uncontrollable flaws. The idiosyncrasies of film mean that one does not have complete control. This holds true for rendering as well, where the skip of a pen or the slip of a brush leave the finished whole less than digitally perfect. Combining the two imperfect mediums is also a direct commentary on the nature of collaboration, in which neither party has sole authority.

The resultant outcome of a photographer vs. a painter is reconciled in a conjunctive product that reflects the process itself, yet questions something larger and constantly beyond grasp. The edge of understanding, the tension of the torn landscape, the mundane brought to hyper-focus, blown out and then back in.

Ashley Hanes is a photographer living and working in New York City. Zefrey Throwell is an artist who recently moved from San Francisco to New York City. He works primarily with video as well as oil paint, but isn't above some social action and drawing as well. He is represented by Gallery 138 in New York.

Accessibility Information: City Hall is accessible to persons using wheelchairs and other disabilities. The Van Ness Avenue Entrance is closed at 5pm each day. The entrances to City Hall that are open after 5:00 pm are the Grove Street and the Polk Street / Carlton B. Goodlett Entrances. The Polk Street / Carlton B. Goodlett entrance is accessible via a ramp and a wheelchair lift. All of the other City Hall entrances are accessible via ramp.

This event is free and open to the general public.

Looking for a Job?

Recruiting BEET Rangers--Band of Environmentally Educated Teens
Green Job Training Internships stipend of $1,000+
Date: 8 months Spring-Fall 2008
This is a great opportunity for low income, diverse youth between the ages of 13-19 years old living in the Western Addition. This is an opportunity to become an environmental leader and improve the community's urban parks while making friends and helping others. Events planned include; wilderness adventures workshops in: park maintenance, design and construction, recycling, composting, organic gardening, nutrition, and cooking. park clean-ups, community celebrations, farmer's market, trips to urban and rural organic farms, bike rides/alternative transpiration and more events are planned! For the requirements and to request an application to either be in the program or sponsor/mentor please contact the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Parks Group at 415-643-3638 or 415-431-8112 hvnparks@hotmail.com or 415-345-9777.

Urban Solutions is Hiring
Urban Solutions currently has 2 job openings: Project Manager and Development Associate. For information about applying, go to www.urbansolutionssf.org/Jobs.

City Jobs
The City is always hiring for a wide variety of positions. For information on City employment openings click here. This page contains lists of job openings, information on Civil Service examinations, and a variety of other useful information on finding work.

SFPD
SFPD Hiring The SFPD is continuously hiring qualified applicants. Applicants must be 21 years old, have a valid driver's license, must be US citizens, must have a high School diploma or equivalent, and must not have been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor which would prohibit possession of a firearm. For more information or to apply, Contact the Department of Human Resources at 44 Gough St, San Francisco. Additionally, applications are available on-line at www.sfgov.org/police or at governmentjobs.com.

Do You Know of Other Job Openings?
Please let us know and we'll include them in next month's newsletter. Email us at mirkarimistaff@sfgov.org or call the office at 554-7630.

 

Upcoming Events

Friday, July 18: Western Addition Summer Family Carnival 2008
Time: 12 – 4 PM
Location: Hayward Playground, 1016 Laguna St. @ Golden Gate Ave.
Volunteers needed for: Set up 9 AM – 12 PM, Carnival 12 – 4 PM, Clean up 4 – 6 PM. To volunteer for any of these jobs, contact Takija Gardner at (415) 292-3032 or tgardner@ymcasf.org.

Saturday, July 19: 2008 Youth Warrior Awards
Time: 7 PM
Location: Ella Hill Hutch, 1050 McAllister St.
Honoring and highlighting young people that have committed to bettering themselves in addition to their communities.

Saturday, July 19: Patricia Green Cleanup
Time: 11 AM - 2 PM
Location: Meet at Hayes and Octavia for park clean up.
All supplies will be provided
contact: Henry at 626-6906 or hostendo@dor.ca.org.

Sunday, July 20: AIDS Walk
Help raise funds and awareness about AIDS. Proceeds benefit Larkin Street and Bay Area HIV/AIDS organizations. To participate contact jfaes@larkinstreetyouth.org or (415) 673-0911 ext. 291.

Monday, July 21: Hearing on Bike Plan Injunction
Time: 1 PM
Location: City Hall, Room 263
The Land Use Committee will hold a public hearing on the status of the San Francisco Bicycle Plan, which has been halted due to a court injunction. This will also be an opportunity for the public to speak about the delays in implementing safety improvements at the intersection of Fell and Masonic. See www.fixmasonic.org for more information.


Tuesday, July 22: Marketing in a Digital World Conference
Time: 8 AM – 1:30 PM
Location: Hilton San Francisco, 333 O'Farrell St.
The conference Will explore online marketing and consumer trends that affect the visitor industry. Complete agenda and registration info is available at www.sfcvb.org/members.

Saturday, July 26: ‘The Income for Life Model' Workshop
Time: 10 – 11 AM
Location: San Francisco Federal Credit Union, 770 Golden Gate Ave.
Developing an investment strategy to provide an inflation-adjusted income for life is vital for retirement. Come to a fact-filled workshop that looks specifically at various approaches to meeting this retirement challenge. To reserve seats, call (415) 359-2966

Tuesday, August 5: 7th Annual National Night Out
Time: 5 to 8 PM
Location: Hayes Valley Playground, Hayes and Buchanan
BBQ, entertainment and community resources.

Ongoing

Every Tuesday: Supa Sick Wid It Turf Dance Class
Time: 4 – 5 PM
Location: Buchanan YMCA Dance Studio, 1530 Buchanan St.
Free for Western Addition/ Fillmore youth ages 10-18 years old. RSVP by emailing supasickwidit05@aim.com.

Every Wednesday: Young Mothers United, support group for Formerly Incarcerated Young Mothers
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Location: Call Cria at the Center for Young Women's Development for location.
Learn about your rights young mother and community resources. Free food and childcare, and earn $25 dollars for every workshop.
Contact: Cria, 415-703-8800

First Thursday every month, Alamo Square Movie Night in Alamo Square Park (April-October)
The month of June features "Back to the Future". Movie starts at 8:30. For next month's movie, or if you wish to help please email info@alamosquaremovie.org.

Every Saturday: Fillmore Farmers Market
Time: 9 AM - 1 PM, with live jazz starting at 10:30 AM
Location: O'Farrell Street at Fillmore Street
For more information call 1-800-949-FARM or go to www.pcfma.com.

Every Sunday: Divisadero Farmers' Market
Time: 10 AM - 2 PM
Location: Divisadero and Grove

The District 5 Interfaith Teen Council
Teens in the Fillmore, Western Addition, Japantown neighborhoods
Date: to be determined
Come and join in creating a new and vibrant multi-denomination community in your own backyard. The members are from local schools, churches, and religious institutions interested in sharing in religion, and strengthening the neighborhood with fellow District 5 teens. If you are a teen, or know of teens in your community that might be interested, and want to learn more or come to the next meeting.
Contact: Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman mgoodman@jchsofthebay.org or 415-345-9777.

Second Tuesday of the Month, July 8: Park Police Station & Haight Community & Provider Forum
Time: 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Location: Park Police Station, 1899 Waller Street, at Kezar
This is a forum for neighbors and service providers to meet, greet, eat and share community information and resources. Refreshments provided and movie tickets raffle prize. To RSVP or for more information contact: Olivia Swilley at 415-668-0494, ext. 306.

Second Thursday of the Month, July 10: North Police Station Community Meeting
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: North Station, 1125 Fillmore Street

Third Tuesday of the Month, July 15: Taraval Police Station Community Meeting
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Taraval Police Station, 2345 24th Ave.

Summer Programs

Ongoing – July 31: Summer Bike Program
The Booker T. Washington Summer Bike Program presents road skills training and bike rides for elementary aged, middle and teenaged youth. To reserve a time slot or for more information, call Jerry Trotter at 415-928-6596, or email jtrotter@btwcsc.org.

Ongoing – August 15: 2008 Free Summer Lunch Sites
The summer lunch program serves FREE healthy lunches to everyone 18 and younger, regardless of income. It is sponsored by the San Francisco Food Bank. For a listing of the food sites and for more information call 211 or 311, or visit www.summerlunch.org.

Ongoing – August 15: Teen Outdoor Adventure Camp
Time: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Location: Booker T. Washington CSC, 800 Presidio Ave.
For more information contact LeKesha Howard or Will Purifoy at 415-921-2765.

Ongoing – August 15: Buzz on Bizz Summer Program
Students will learn the principles of business development, writing a business plan and selling their products/services. Students ages 14-19 are welcome to apply. For more information call 415-567-4568.

Ongoing - August 7: Free Tennis Summer Program
Time: 1:00 PM –3:00 PM
Location: 1050 McAllister Street
Free tennis for all levels of children 5 to 17, with rackets and tennis balls provided. There will be tournaments and ball-kid trainings. The year round program for kids is Monday through Friday at 4pm. For more information, contact Coach Carl Mendoza at 346-0589, or email volleypro@aol.com.

Ongoing – August 12: Chef David Cooking Program
Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: West Bay Conference Center Kitchen

Hayes Valley Playground: Fun-N-Sun with Ja'Net, and Josh Time!
Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Location: 699 Hayes Street
For more information call 415-554-9526.

Garden Park Work Parties

Buena Vista Park - Monthly Clean-up 9:00 AM – noon.
Contact: Richard Magary, of Buena Vista Neighborhood Association (BVNA), and Friends of Buena Vista Park (FoBVP) at BVNA@ix.netcom.com

Haight-Ashbury Stewards Every Wednesday from 9:30 am to noon
Contact: Nature in the City, 415-564.4107 for details and check www.natureinthecity.org/haightashburystewards.php.
The weekly work parties do habitat restoration in the Haight.

Koshland Park - Monthly Cleanup, for more information,
Contact: Hayes Valley Neighborhood Parks Council, hvnparks@hotmail.com

Panhandle June 14, from 9:00 am – noon
Location: Fell and Ashbury aside the bulletin board next to restrooms
NOPNA and Panhandle Residents Association invites the community to come garden every second Saturday of the month. The park provides Gloves and tools but feel free to bring some of your own. Contact 415-346-1448, home@prosf.org.

Patricia's Green - Currently no set schedule.
If you're interested in participating in a clean up contact Russell Pritchard. He has bags and gloves. You can find him at Zonal at 568 Hayes or call 255-9307 or email: madelinebb@sbcglobal.net or russellsf@earthlink.net.

Victory Gardens 2008
Work with the Victory Gardens team to install a garden in your outdoor space. This Victory Garden Project is a pilot project funded by the City of San Francisco to support the transition of backyard, front yard, window boxes, rooftops, and unused land into organic food production areas. 15 households will be chosen to represent the diversity of SF to participate and Victory Gardens will provide support. For an application and more information, visit www.sfvictorygardens.org.

Life Project Seeking Leaders
Leaders in Future Environments (LIEF) Project is currently looking for potential mentors for the LIFE Project 2008 program year. LIFE Project is a prevention-based mentoring program that provides one-on-one mentoring, on-going support, and positive role models for youth impacted by parental incarceration. For more information contact Mailee Wong at 415-717-8404 or visit www.centerforce.org.

D5 School Enrollment and Support
Rosa Parks Elementary, the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program (JBBP) is open for enrollment. The JBBP is a unique, 35-year old Japanese language and cultural program with strong community support. Students receive one hour of formal Japanese each day by Native-Japanese-speaking "Sensei" who also work closely with credential teachers in each classroom. They also have Science Night a partnership with UCSF. 1501 O'Farrell Street.

John Muir Elementary
Students benefit from dedicated and experienced principal and teachers, strong community support, variety of programs, gardening program, a structured after-school program: the Beacon Center and a new playground in the Fall 2008. The community can support John Muir by donating clean bottles and cans, drop off between 9 AM – 2 PM. 380 Webster Street.

Become a volunteer at Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.
The Volunteer Services Department at LHHRC is looking for the help of people in the community who go to help out. There are plenty of opportunities to make a difference in many different areas. For more info, call a Volunteer Services Coordinator: Linda Acosta 759-3333 or Cherrylyn Fernandes 759-3334.

Board of Supervisors Information

Looking for the Board of Supervisors meeting information, minutes, or agendas? Click the picture below or click here: