Vagabonding through a changing America

A 1910 photo of vagabond author Harry A. Franck. Photo: unknown

One can easily imagine Harry A. Franck in San Francisco. I expect he’d have felt right at home hanging out in a North Beach bar, swapping tales — many of them true — with lo... Read More

News Briefs

Is San Francisco ready to shine on?

By John Zipperer

The local and national opprobrium over well-publicized dirty streets in San Francisco has struck a nerve. A group of business, civic, and community leaders teamed up with Mayor Lo... Read More

In the early nineties, weary of crime and homelessness, frustrated New Yorkers elected a law and order mayor. Photo: Dietmar Rabich/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Politics as Usual

A Rudy awakening

San Francisco is not becoming Berkeley; it is becoming Manhattan, circa 1993

By John Zipperer

He was a homeless veteran, suffering from mental health and drug problems. And he was a danger to his neighborhood. Arrested time after time for assault and public nuisance, he he... Read More

Very soon, not wearing a mask will be common. And legal. Photo: ViewApart

News Briefs

From yellow tier to no tiers

By John Zipperer

On May 20, San Francisco updated its public health direction for the city’s continuation in the yellow tier. This included increased capacity limits at businesses and other gath... Read More

News Briefs

City tries new mid-Market safety plan

By John Zipperer

San Francisco will boost police presence and connect people in need with services as part of the city’s latest effort to address safety and quality of life problems in the downt... Read More

Politics as Usual

The face behind the mask

With reopening and unmasking now in full swing, how wisely will we spend our time and money?

By John Zipperer

We might all have gone through this pandemic together, but we neither experienced the same things nor will our lives be the same afterward. On June 15, a month after the Center... Read More

News Briefs

Property snapshot

By John Zipperer

In April of this year, 752 homes sold in San Francisco, a huge increase over the 228 that sold in April 2020. That’s the latest from real estate site Redfin, which also reports ... Read More

News Briefs

Facts and figures

By John Zipperer

$11.4 million: amount needed to fund a new Street Overdose Response Team to respond to and care for opioid overdoses in San Francisco . . . 10: number of free summer reading books... Read More

News Briefs

Crime snapshot

By John Zipperer

For a quick look at crime statistics in the area of the city covered by SFPD’s Northern Station, look to the week of April 19–25. There were 52 automobile burglaries, bringing... Read More

News Briefs

Crime and punishment

By John Zipperer

With the city entering the orange tier of pandemic restrictions, with many businesses and activities facing relaxed rules, the deployment and strategies used by Northside police a... Read More

Caitlyn Jenner is just one of what is likely to be a cavalcade of celebrities and other nonpoliticians seeking to replace Governor Newsom, Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Web Summit via Sportsfilea

Politics as Usual

The clown car starts to fill up

Now’s your chance to buff up the resume for the low, low price of $4,000

By John Zipperer

On Jan. 1, 2021, the government should have just issued one big trigger warning for the year. Everything is going to upset you. Case in point: The recall election. Former Olymp... Read More

News Briefs

City climate goals exceeded

By John Zipperer

While President Joe Biden was holding a virtual climate summit of global leaders and announcing ambitious national goals to address climate change, San Francisco Mayor London Bree... Read More

News Briefs

Facts and figures

By John Zipperer

$350 million: estimated cost of new residential high-rise developments pitched for downtown and SoMa . . . $358: cost of children’s earrings featuring 14 karat gold and 14 diamo... Read More

News Briefs

A real springtime

By John Zipperer

Hopes for a reopening of city life grew in April as the vaccination campaign picked up speed. Mayor London Breed reported on April 23 that more than two-thirds of San Francisco re... Read More

News Briefs

Facts and figures

By John Zipperer

Ninth: national ranking of the Bay Area in terms of its optimism about job opportunities, according to the University of Phoenix; 65 percent of local workers report being optimist... Read More

John Zipperer