SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports

Saturday Links: Therapy Cow Spotted in Sonoma County Visiting Bedridden Resident

San Quentin is at risk of losing its arts programming; Senator Tammy Duckworth says travelers should be told to take their shoes off during security again after it was revealed TSA scanners can’t effectively screen shoes; and there’s a very fuzzy emotional support cow in Sebastopol.

Day Around the Bay: The Fabulous Hunky Jesus Contest Returns Sunday

A fifth dead whale has turned up in the bay in three weeks; a cargo fire broke out at SFO Friday; and Dolores Park is sure to be packed with fans enjoying Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s Easter festivities Sunday, most notably the famous Hunky Jesus Contest.

Supervisor Jackie Fielder's Absence From Board of Supervisors Follows Investigation Into Leaked Memo

As San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder remains on a mental health leave from the Board of Supervisors, her office is reportedly at the center of an investigation into the leak of a confidential memo from the City Attorney's Office.

Arts & Entertainment

Mayor Lurie May Discuss Bringing Back Pandas to SF Zoo During ‘Sister Cities’ Tour In Asia

Mayor Lurie is set to visit two of San Francisco’s “sister cities,” Shanghai and Seoul, later this month as part of a tour promoting tourism through SF’s arts and culture, and he said there’s been talk of bringing pandas back to the SF Zoo.

SF Restaurants, Food & Drink

This Week In Food: Presidio Food Hall Nears Opening

The Mess Hall at the Presidio Tunnel Tops is nearing an opening; Parasol at Flore has softly opened in the Castro, at least for breakfast/lunch; and Causwells expands to the Peninsula, all in This Week in Food.

Trump Hasn't Forgotten About Asinine Plan to Reopen Alcatraz

President Trump has, in fact, allocated $152 million in taxpayer money in his proposed budget to fund the first year of "project expenses" for his asinine, entirely impractical, and likely-to-be-abandoned plan to reopen Alcatraz as a prison, because he thinks it's a neat idea.

Clipper Developer Says It Will Resolve Chaos From Disastrous 2.0 Rollout By May 30

Clipper’s 2.0 upgrade in December went badly, and riders continue to face technical issues, with only 1.5 million users successfully transitioning to the new system so far out of 15 million.

Three Tennessee Men Arrested In Connection With Crypto Heist Near Dolores Park

Three arrests have been made and authorities are reportedly still looking for the criminal or criminals in charge of a crypto theft ring that allegedly plotted "wrench attacks" on multiple holders of cryptocurrency fortunes on the West Coast.

New Report Blames Back-Country Guides For Choosing Highly Avalanche-Prone Route In Tahoe Tragedy

A new report by an avalanche education organization describes in detail the events of February 17, and the avalanche conditions that were present as a group of 11 skiers and four guides headed on a dangerous route out of the back country near Donner Summit.

Arts & Entertainment

Friends Who Bought ‘Dirt Alley’ Are Looking For 1,280 People to Help Transform It Into Public Art

Three tech “pranksters” are holding a contest — deadline April 7 — for a public art project that will transform a barren alley in SF’s Sunset District into a 1,280-piece art quilt. The friends recently purchased the alley from a couple who mistakenly thought they were buying a nearby duplex.

Friday Morning Constitutional: Clay Theater Could Reopen By Next Year

The revamp of the Clay Theater has cleared a key hurdle with Historic Preservation; the SFPD just welcomed its largest recruit class in a decade; and K-Pop group NMIXX is throwing out the first pitch at the Giants' game Monday.

Day Around the Bay: Sheryl Davis Delays Arraignment, Plans to Plead Not Guilty

Embattled former City Hall figure Sheryl Davis has delayed her arraignment; a rabid bat was found in Fremont; and Sunday Streets has made it halfway to its fundraising goal.

Arts & Entertainment

EDM Label Om Records Throwing Big Embarcadero Party Next Month, With Another Planet's Help

To celebrate the label's 30th birthday, Om Records is having both a free Day Party and a ticketed Night Party on Saturday, May 9, and the daytime event will, like several other EDM parties before it, happen at Embarcadero Plaza.

Homicide Suspect Arrested Five Months After East Bay Jail Released Him By Mistake

A Washington homicide suspect with prior warrants in the East Bay was arrested in Missouri this week after he was mistakenly released in October from Contra Costa County’s Martinez Jail while waiting to be extradited to Washington state.

Craiglist’s Craig Newmark Is Inspiring Billionaires to Donate Their Fortunes Like He Is

In an opinion piece in the New York Times this week, Craig Newmark of Craigslist fame wrote about his decision to sign the “Giving Pledge” last year with the goal of giving up to $1 billion to nonprofits, and he’s been encouraging other wealthy people to do the same.

As City Committee Applies Pressure, Lurie's Office Insists There Are No More Documents Relating to Trump Phone Call

Questions remain about what, exactly, was said the night of October 22 when San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie got on the phone with President Trump to encourage him to call off his federal agent surge. But the mayor's office says there's nothing being kept from the public.

Arts & Entertainment

Mountain View Second Grader Designs Artemis Crew’s ‘Rise’ Mascot, Beating 2,600 Others

The winning mascot chosen to serve as the crew’s official zero-gravity indicator aboard the Artemis II on its trip to the moon Wednesday was created by eight-year-old Lucas Ye of Mountain View, who beat out more than 2,600 other contestants internationally, including adults and kids.

United Airlines Adds TSA Wait Time Tracker to Its App for SFO and Six Other Hubs

Taking the guesswork out of how early you need to be at the airport, United Airlines has added a very helpful feature to its app, in the midst of an ongoing congressional impasse over the funding that keeps TSA operating.

Suspect Flees SoMa Traffic Stop, Leads Police on Chase Onto Bay Bridge at Rush Hour

An allegedly stolen vehicle that San Francisco police spotted and tried to pull over in SoMa Wednesday evening ended up being at the center of a chase that ended on the Bay Bridge.

Pam Bondi Out as Attorney General After Months of Ham-Fisted Handling of Epstein Files

Attorney General Pam Bondi today becomes the second high-profile firing of the second Trump administration, and the second woman fired from the cabinet, after months in which her handling of the Epstein affair created further political liabilities for President Trump.

Residents Protest Proposed 25-Story Marina Safeway Redevelopment

A group of residents gathered outside the Marina Safeway Wednesday in protest of the proposed redevelopment of the property into a 25-story mixed-use tower, which they say would unfavorably impact the neighborhood, and the city is required to finalize the design review by August 1.

Business & Tech

Waymo Cars Again Engaged In April Fool's Tomfoolery

If you took a Waymo anywhere on Wednesday, you were likely treated to a little April Fool's prank. Isn't it cute when the robots try to have fun with us?

Thursday Morning What's Up: Overnight Earthquake Wakes Up Many Bay Area Residents

There was an overnight earthquake in the Santa Cruz Mountains that may have jolted you awake; the 17-year-old victim in Tuesday's stabbing in Milpitas has been identified; and a Chinatown nonprofit has bought the Empress of China building.

Day Around the Bay: Trans Nonprofits Brace For Funding Cuts When Support Is Needed Most

Trump is building a high-rise presidential library in Miami; San Francisco’s current projected two-year deficit is $644 million, $234 million less than last month’s projected number; and nonprofits supporting the trans community are preparing for impending city and federal budget cuts.

8 Years on, SF Woman Convicted of Grisly Murder and Dismemberment of Roommate Who Wouldn't Leave

A San Francisco jury has convicted Lisa Gonzales of the 2018 murder of her roommate Margaret Mamer, in a gruesome case in which police found Mamer's body dismembered and decomposing in a plastic bin.