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Joe Kukura, Lover of San Francisco and Longtime Voice on SFist, Dies at 55

It is a sad day here at SFist as we mourn the loss of one of our own — and this is a first for a website that has been in existence 22 years. Joe Kukura, who began contributing to the site in its earliest days and became its associate editor in the last decade, has died at age 55.

Defective Urine Tests From Santa Rosa Lab May Have Led to Some False DUI Positives

Urine test kits issued by a state-run forensic lab in Santa Rosa were discovered to have been faulty, leading to potential false positives for alcohol intoxication in a small number of Sonoma County cases over nine years, and it’s unclear whether other counties were affected.

Friday Morning Constitutional: Dublin Teachers Strike Ends

The Dublin teachers' union reached a tentative agreement with the district, ending their four-day strike; one man was stabbed in a SoMa alley Thursday; and SF Public Defender Mano Raju says he'll continue to turn down cases due to unmanageable caseloads despite being held in contempt.

Day Around the Bay: Two Homes Catch Fire In Sunset District

Two homes were damaged in a fire in SF's Sunset District Thursday; the snowmelt happening in the Sierra is unprecedented in its speed and volume; and SF's emergency sirens sure would come in handy if Iran were to send a drone here, but they will not be used.

Prominent Pac Heights Mansion to Be Used as Entertaining Space for the Algerian Consulate

A highly visible mansion at Divisadero and Pacific in Pacific Heights has finally sold after languishing on the market for over two years, and it has sold to a foreign government.

SF Community Reunites Dog of SoMa Homicide Victim With Relatives

Carl Jones, Jr., who grew up in SF’s Fillmore District, was fatally shot on Sixth Street in the South of Market neighborhood on March 3, and a neighbor who rescued Jones’s dog Teddy G at the scene collaborated with others to reunite him with one of Jones’s siblings.

Cal/OSHA May Fine BART $200K Over 2024 Incident With Staff on Live Track

BART has set aside over $500,000 to fight citations for violations dating back to 2019, as Cal/OSHA considers fining the agency more than $200,000 over a 2024 incident where managers allowed employees to work on a live track, and BART is blaming the workers.

District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong Launches Contest to Call Out 'Dumb' SF Laws

Newbie SF Supervisor Alan Wong launched a “dumb laws” contest Wednesday inviting residents and small businesses to submit examples of regulations or permit requirements they consider unnecessary, outdated, or overly burdensome, which could potentially be repealed.

Arts & Entertainment

Mark Bittner, Writer and Musician Known for 'The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill,' Dies at 74

A local celebrity of a very particular kind, Mark Bittner, has passed away, 21 years after he helped put San Francisco's wild parrots on the map in 'The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.'

Lucky Grocery Store on Fulton Street In NoPa, Near USF, Set to Close This Fall

Some bad news for NoPa residents who rely on the Lucky supermarket for their groceries: The store is closing later this year because it is not financial viable, parent company Save Mart says.

Arts & Entertainment

Here's How to Watch Oakland's Celebration of Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu Live — With Kehlani!

Oakland is having its big rally at noon in Frank Ogawa Plaza to celebrate hometown Olympian Alysa Liu, who trained at the Oakland Ice Center and grew up in nearby Richmond.

Mayor Lurie, Sup. Mandelman Introduce Ballot Measures Aimed at Reforming City Charter

San Francisco voters may see three major charter reform measures on the November 2026 ballot — proposals that would reshape how City Hall works while drawing early criticism from labor leaders who say the changes could concentrate power and limit public participation.

Thursday Morning What's Up: Construction Begins on 23-Story UC Berkeley Dorm

The Oakland Police Commission is holding community meetings about hiring a new chief; construction is beginning on what will be the tallest building in Berkeley; and Vallejo just had its first homicide of the year.

Day Around the Bay: Mayor Issues Statement About Potential Iranian Attack

Mayor Daniel Lurie made a video statement about the report of a potential Iranian attack on CA; a judge has released the man accused of assaulting Lurie's security guard last week; and there was some sort of pepper-spray incident at SF's Leadership High School.

Business & Tech

Meta Acquires 'Social Network for AI Agents' Moltbook, While OpenAI Hires One of Its Vibe Coders

Yes, we are apparently arriving at the day, or we've already arrived there, when AI agents interact with one another and "gossip" about their respective systems on a social networking platform.

Prosecutors Say Chinatown Backstabbing Was Random Attack With 'No Words Spoken'

Chinatown residents are unnerved by a seemingly random attack in which a man waiting to cross the street was randomly and violently stabbed in the back by another man who said nothing and proceeded on his way.

Lawyer For Man Accused In Altercation With Bodyguard Says Mayor Lurie's Street Outreach Is 'Performative'

The lawyer for the man accused of assaulting Mayor Daniel Lurie's bodyguard in a Tenderloin alley last week suggests that the confrontation was entirely the mayor's fault, and he did not need to stop his vehicle to engage with the men on the street.

Audit Says 2024 Mark Farrell Campaign Complied With Law Despite Violations, Probe Ongoing

The SF Ethics Commission found that Mark Farrell’s 2024 mayoral campaign failed to report certain payments, misreported spending, and improperly documented some donations — but still “substantially complied” with the law, and the case has been referred to the commission's enforcement division.

Iran May Be Seeking to Strike California With Drone, According to FBI Warning

The consequences of Trump's (and Israel's) war with Iran could hit very close to home if Iran, or one of its proxies, were able to launch a drone strike from a vessel in the Pacific aimed at California.

Arts & Entertainment

Outside Lands Sells Out 3-Day Tickets In Less Than a Week, Single-Day Tickets On Sale Thursday

The daily lineups are now here for Outside Lands 2026, and after a couple of pre-sales last week and the lineup announcement, three-day tickets have sold out in record time.

Governor's Race Reshuffles In New Poll With Swalwell Pulling Ahead, Thank God

East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell appears to be pulling ahead of the pack of candidates for California governor, and thankfully it's not just the two Republicans at the top of the polls anymore.

Three Small Children on Electric Motorbikes Injured In Napa County Vehicle Crash

Two children, ages 5 and 7, had to be airlifted to UC Davis Tuesday after a crash involving a car in Angwin, in northern Napa County, and a third child also suffered injuries.

Humpday Headlines: San Mateo Safeway Gets Redevelopment Plan

A warming trend begins today across the Bay, and some areas could see 90s by Monday; the SF developer seeking to turn Safeways into housing eyes one in San Mateo; and SF's District 4 voters who like Sunset Dunes don't have a supervisor candidate to vote for.

Day Around the Bay: Trump Further Cuts Back Government's Use of Anthropic’s Claude

The state Democratic party is trying to shame its own governor candidates out of the race; there’s a reason for all these teachers’ strikes lately; and the pissing match between Trump and SF’s Anthropic keeps escalating.

SF to Consider New Nanny State Ordinance Requiring That All Dogs Must Be Neutered

Yes, there is an overpopulation in dog shelters, but may be a snip too far that the SF Board of Supervisors will soon consider legislation mandating that all dogs in SF be spayed or neutered.