Posts Tagged ‘mark leno’

Photovoltaic Solar Panels Have Come to San Franciscos Public Housing Projects

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

That big residential solar project in the Lower Haight / Western Addition / Hayes Valley from SunWheel Energy Partners just went live. The juice, she  is flowing.

See all the deets in this 15 minute video - it’s just like being there.

San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Phil “The Thrill” Ting was there for the ribbon-cutting…

…as was District 5 Supervisor Ross “The Boss” Mirkarimi:

San Francisco Affordable Housing Sites Power On Solar Energy
 
Federal, State and Local Officials, Site Residents and Community Members Celebrate Green Energy and New Jobs at Western Addition Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
 
San Francisco, CA, January 26, 2010 – On Monday, January 25, 2010, Sunwheel Energy Partners, which provides turnkey solar energy systems for urban and community partners, celebrated the commissioning of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at three affordable housing community sites in San Francisco’s Western Addition and Hayes Valley neighborhoods — bringing solar power, green jobs and financial relief to residents and owners.  The ribbon cutting ceremony at Plaza East Apartments was widely attended by a notable group of federal, state and local officials as well as the site’s residents and community members who were hired to install the solar panels.
 
Dignitaries in attendance included Henry Alvarez, Executive Director, San Francisco Housing Authority; Timothy Alan Simon, CPUC Commissioner; Phil Ting, SF Assessor-Recorder; David Rubin, Director of Service Analysis, PG&E; Michael Carlin, SFPUC Deputy General Manager; Neola Gans, Vice President, SF Housing Authority Commission; Caroline Krewson, Deputy Regional Director, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Stephen Schneller, Director, San Francisco Office of Public Housing; Ross Mirkarimi, San Francisco Supervisor; and representatives of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer’s offices. Senator Mark Leno issued a proclamation commending the site.

Even more deets, after the jump

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Beth Spotswood’s Soberversary is San Francisco’s Affair of the Decade

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

San Francisco’s online world was all a Twitter last night due to writer Beth Spotwood’s First Annual Soberversary at Yelp-rated Rye in the Theatre District.

Hundreds of well-wishers tried to pack into the place – it was truly San Francisco’s Affair of the Decade of the Aughts.

Here are just a few…

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…of Beth’s supporters.

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This was as close as I could get to the program next door due to the standing-room-only crowd. Emcee Melissa Griffinintroduced the always-dapper, besuited Senator Mark Leno, who presented an official certificate to Beth:

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And here’s Beth in action, doing spoken word in front of a brick wall.

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Congratulations, Beth. Bon courage!

San Francisco Democrats Boo Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at Gala – How Wude!

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Pity poor Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger – tonight he crashed the annual San Francisco Democratic Party Fundraising Gala and Auction at the Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill and he was rewarded with a loud round of booing.

Poor guy. Did Assemblymember Tom Ammiano spontaneously yell, “You lie” at Arnold, ala Congressman Joe Wilson? Haha!

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The evening captured via Francis Tsang’s BlackBerry

Per SF FYI Net:

San Francisco Democratic Party – Onward to Victory Gala 2009
When: October 7, 2009 – Wednesday
5:30 p.m. Cocktails and Auction
7:00 p.m. Dinner and Program
Where: The Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason Street, San Francisco
What: San Francisco Democratic Party’s Annual Gala Fund Raiser. Many voices – one vision. Funds raised at the gala will directly support voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities to ensure that we elect a Democratic governor in 2010. $150.

Everyone Agrees: Dave Jones for Insurance Commish Rally is a Big Dis for Michela Alioto Pier

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

This was the scene yesterday on the steps of San Francisco City Hall yesterday. What did people make of this Assemblymember Dave Jones for State Insurance Commissioner rally? Read on.

A friendly knuckle knock (“or a fist bump? A pound? A terrorist fist jab?“) from Supervisor Chris Daly amuses both Dave Jones and Julian Davis. Click to expand:

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Luke Thomas interrogates Candidate Jones as Aaron Peskin and the Chronicle’s Marisa Lagos listen in:

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First of all, who showed up? San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, Supervisors  Chris Daly, Ross Mirkarimi, John Avalos, David Campos, and Eric Mar, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Assessor Phil Ting, Board of Education President Kim-Shree Maufas, Democratic County Central Committee Chairman Aaron Peskin, as well representatives from the offices of Senator Mark Leno and Assemblymembers Fiona Ma and Tom Ammiano. Add those people to the list of endorsers, which also includes State Senate President Darrell Steinberg and State Controller John Chiang.

And what did the media have to say?

Latest Alioto-Pier Rumor Triggers Rally for Dave Jones 

Fog City Journal - Luke Thomas - ‎6 hours ago‎

“Assemblymember Jones’ candidacy for Insurance Commissioner has been endorsed by a wide spectrum of San Francisco elected officials,” Peskin said,

Supervisors back Pier’s potential opponent

San Francisco Chronicle - Marisa LagosHeather Knight - ‎11 hours ago‎

Wednesday to endorse Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, who announced last fall he would seek the seat. Former board President Aaron Peskin,

SF leaders back Jones and snub Alioto-Pier

San Francisco Bay Guardian - Nellie NelsonSteven T. Jones - ‎16 hours ago‎

Numerous city officials gathered this morning on the steps of City Hall to endorse Assembly member Dave Jones in his run for state

Not a lot of Alioto-Pier support

San Francisco Chronicle - ‎19 hours ago‎

At a hastily thrown together press conference Wednesday — hosted by former board president Aaron Peskin, who is now chairman of the San Francisco

Alioto-Pier’s future under attack

The San Francisco Examiner - Joshua Sabatini - ‎19 hours ago‎

Dave Jones, D-Sacramento. One couldn’t help but think it was a rally against possible opponent Alioto-Pier. Peskin had long battled against her when he

It’s not often you find such unanimity.

San Francisco’s 42nd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, 2009

Sunday, April 19th, 2009

As expected, there was a great turnout for the 42nd Annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown today. Sunny skies and the Grand Parade made today the busiest of the four-day festival. Let’s take a look at the staging area this morning.

Its Grand Marshall George Takei! Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu (born in San Francisco) is seen here hanging out with Heidi Cheung, Miss San Francisco’s Outstanding Teen 2009 and Crystal Lee, Miss California’s Outstanding Teen 2008.

Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California President and Mrs. Masaaki Tanaka, Ambassador of Japan to the United States of America, H.E. Ambassador and Mrs. Ichiro Fujisajki, George Takei, and Consul General of Japan and Mrs. Yasumasa Nagamine:

The mise-en-scene in front of City Hall:. Click to expand:

My Melody, Hello Kitty, and Badtz Maru were pleased to be on the scene:

From Hawaii with aloha:

Photographer David Yu was welcomed by all, including this contingent from Los Angeles:

Miss National Asia Dow-An Kou is on the right:

Bevan Dufty chilling with local pageant winners. 

Elizabeth Kress, Miss San Francisco:

And Little Miss San Francisco 2009, Alyssa-Marie Muna:

And now on with the parade:

Senator Leland Yee:

Frosty Senator Mark Leno:

Assemblymember Fiona Ma with Bob Twomey:

Assemblymember Tom Ammiano:

Board of Supervisors President David Chiu:

And his ride for today:

Supervisor Bevan Dufty and company:

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi with the Japanese Ambassador and Consul General:

Supervisor Eric Mar:

 Richard Hashimoto, President of the Japantown Merchants Association:

Thought this was an electric Tesla Roadster at first. Actually, it’s the similar (but lighter) gas-powered Lotus Elise. (Horrible Tesla Motors is long on promises, certainly, but just because a toy car is expensive and is powered by electricity, that doesn’t mean it’s a desirable product, that doesn’t mean it represents “the high end.” Just ask Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who ended up giving his Tesla Roadster back. Go ahead and buy one if you want, though. While you’re at it, why not buy an impractical electric Ultra Motor A2B bike and an impractical electric Segway Scooter as well.)

Speaking of cars, here’s part of the NUMMI contingent all the way from Fremont. It’s the only car factory in the West that’s still operating. Union labor, FYI 

Nihonmachi Little Friends:

And your reward for making it all the way to J-Town? Yummy chicken and rice balls from O-Izakaya Lounge at 1625 Post Street.

See you next year!

Martin Luther King Breakfast at San Francisco Hilton a Huge Success

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

There’s been a lot of news today, but yesterday saw the the 24th Annual  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Labor and Community Breakfast at the San Francisco Hilton. This year’s effort didn’t have as many big names as in years past because of the Great Migration from the Bay Area to Washington D.C. to see the Barack Obama Inaugural. And it appears that the scheduled headliner, rock star and State Controller John Chiang, couldn’t make it either. But on with the show.

M.C. Millard Larkin II, President of the MLK Civic Committee and CEO of Alanique Consultants, introduced newly-installed Senator Mark Leno, who talked about the latest budget crisis negotiations. He reported that the Republicans in Sacramento, for the first time, agree that the State of California has a “revenue problem,” meaning that they now understand that new sources of money will have to be found. The Repubs want to get a hold of ”$7 billion in Proposition 63 funds and billions more in Proposition 10 funds” to use this money for other purposes. Senator Leno pointed out that “you don’t grab other peoples’ money [OPM], if you don’t have a revenue problem.”

Does that mean that the Republicans will, whether or not they admit it in so many words right now, vote for new taxes? We’ll see. Click to expand:

Assemblymember Tom Ammiano spoke and, well you know Examiner City Hall Examiner and legal commentator Sweet Melissa Griffin was there as well and her valuable Moleskine notebook has the same quotes as mine, so let’s let her take over for a bit: 

“‘Assemblyman Ammiano spoke and started right in, basically saying, ‘A lot of people have been asking me where I’m gonna live in Sacramento. Well the Governor helped me find a place with a nice Mormon family.”‘Then, discussing the potential statewide cuts to social services this year said ‘There are two ‘girlie men’ up there [in Sacramento] now- the Senator [openly gay Mark Leno] and Assemblymember [gayer than gay Ammiano] and we are not going to let this happen!’”

What’s this? It’s the San Francisco Junior ROTC Color Guard – they’re Everywhere You Want To Be, at least for now.

And former SupervisorAssemblymemberSenator Carole Migden was on hand to give a short stemwinder about international development in Africa, which earned more than a few amens from the crowd.

So there you have it, as much of this event as the Sandman would allow.

See you next year.

The Internet Has Gone Plumb Crazy Today in San Francisco

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

What’s up with that? Earlier today, people trying to read the SFWeekly got sent to Ohio’s Cuyahoga County, in a way. More precisely, their browsers got sent to Cleveland Scene. Did somebody hack on the pooooor Weekly? Was this some kind of joke against Ohio’s Mistake By the Lake or agin Village Voice Media? Now who would do a thing like that?  Thankfully, things are back to normal now.

But what about over at the San Francisco Sentinel? Some web surfers interested in learning about the people working for Proposition G and Lennar Corporation weren’t able to access this page. All they could see is “Not Found” and “Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn’t here.” Isn’t that a shame?

But through the miracle of the cache, here’s the missing webpage:

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After all, information wants to be free and available, doesn’t it? 

Wasn’t it Chairman Mao who said, “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let the hundred schools of thought contend”? It sure was. So, let’s stop all this internet fooferall and stop messing with peoples’ websites.

Capische?

Senator Carole Migden Leading Latest Online Poll

Saturday, May 17th, 2008

Forget about that other District 3 poll, the one that had to be pulled due to cheating by Internet-savvy individuals. Here’s the latest from the San Francisco Bay Guardian. Their survey currently shows Carole Migden leading with 54%, Mark Leno at 43% and Joe Nation trailing with 3%.

Click to enlarge: 

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Get in on the fun right now and cast your vote. You can’t win if you don’t play!

This Marin County Bus Supports Both Senator Carole Migden and Mark Leno

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008

Check out what local attorney and former Newsweek cover boy John Corcoran saw on the streets of Marin County the other day: a Golden Gate Transit bus supporting both Carole Migden and Mark Leno for the same office.

Perhaps the other candidate, Joe Nation, could buy the ad space on the right side of this bus? 

The election is just a month away - things are only just getting started

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Attorney and Political Consultant John Corcoran using a BlackBerry 8100

Allegation of Electronic Ballot Box Stuffing in Leno, Migden, Nation Senate Poll

Monday, April 28th, 2008

The Marin Independent Journal is trying to do the best it can in this Internet Age. That means putting content online and maybe allowing for a reader poll on some topic of the day.

Last week, IJ editor/writer Brad Breithaupt wrote a piece about the sprawling 3rd Senate District involving “incumbent Senator Carole Migden and her two challengers, Assemblyman Mark Leno and former [A]ssemblyman Joe Nation.”

Readers were allowed to cast their vote for whomever they favored until someone at the IJ cancelled it. Why? Check it:

Due to suspected ballot-box stuffing, results of the poll will not appear. You dirty rascals!”

Thusly:

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Appears is if more than one person repeatedly voted for a particular candidate and, so much so, the results got all screwy. Apparently, “cookies” were involved.

Now, who would do such a thing? (If only Marin County had its own Matier and Ross to get to the bottom of this!)

Can’t we all get along?