Richmond Roundup

Pickpockets Riding Geary
Police have reported an increase in pickpocket activity on Muni's 38-Geary bus line.

Often crowded to capacity as it makes its run from the Ferry Building to Ocean Beach, police speculate that the bus line has been targeted by pickpockets recently because many riders may be holding more cash than usual to buy gifts for the Chinese New Year.

Because pickpocket victims are often unaware that they have being robbed, descriptions of suspects are hard to come by. Police department and Muni officials have said they are aware of the problem and are maintaining a greater police presence on the bus line to apprehend the robbers.

Garage Plan Draws More Fire
Opponents of a plan to widen Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Golden Gate Park got assistance in their efforts when the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods voted to oppose widening the street.

At its Feb. 15 meeting, the coalition voted 19 to 5 to oppose the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority's plan to accommodate a second entrance to an underground parking garage that was approved by city voters. The coalition's resolution calls for SF Mayor Gavin Newsom and members of the SF Board of Supervisors to intervene and stop construction of the second entrance. One entrance will be located at 10th Avenue and Fulton Street.

"This vote illustrates a broad base of support across the city for opposing plans to turn MLK Drive into a four-lane freeway into Golden Gate Park," said Craig Dawson, president of the Inner Sunset Merchants Association.

Groups that have declared their opposition to the garage entrance plan include the Inner Sunset Merchants Association, Sunset-Parkside Education and Action Committee, Sunset District Neighborhood Coalition, Sierra Club and the SF Council of District Merchants.

Judges to Explain Legal Issues to Public
Former Judge and District 1 supervisorial candidate Lillian Sing and former candidate Leanna Dawydiak have organized a neighborhood judicial forum that will bring SF Superior Court judges out to the district to answer questions and speak on a variety of topics, including landlord/tenant disputes, driving under the influence of alcohol charges, drug court, traffic issues, domestic violence and the "Access Program" (a program which assists non-lawyers in filling out court forms when representing themselves).

The event will be held at the Richmond Recreation Center on Wednesday, March 9, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call Sing at 668-8072 or Dawydiak at 807-8297.

New Beach Benches for Ocean Beach
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) recently purchased 24 benches for Ocean Beach and Sutro Heights Park. The funding to procure the benches was done in 2004, but the installation of the benches relies on the GGNRA securing another $10,000 for materials and labor to install them.

When installed, the benches will sit near the seawall walkway facing the ocean. They will be located approximately at every other stairwell along the seawall.

"They were down to one or two workable benches from 25 or so," neighborhood activist Tom Koon was quoted as saying in the SF Examiner. "People need to rest, especially kids and the elderly."

"Woman of the Year" Named
California Assemblyman Leland Yee has named Tess Manalo-Ventresca as the 12th Assembly District's Woman of the Year.

Manalo-Ventresca has been an active volunteer in the Sunset District for more than 30 years. She has donated many hours to numerous causes, from creating award-winning youth programs and assisting underserved populations throughout the City to advocating for small business, community safety and neighborhood participation. She has fought to keep high-rise buildings, chain stores and absentee landlords out of the Sunset and she continually organizes neighborhood clean-ups and arts programs to keep the community clean, safe and beautiful.

"I could not be more delighted to nominate Tess Manalo-Ventresca for this prestigious award," Yee said. "She truly embodies the spirit of giving - never asking for anything in reward and never losing her sense of humanity."

Volunteers Needed at Golden Gate Park
Volunteers are needed for the reopening of the M.H. de Young Museum and for giving tours in Golden Gate Park.

For more information about volunteering to work at the new de Young, which is scheduled to reopen Oct. 15, call Marilyn at 750-3633.

Individuals are also needed to learn about Golden Gate Park and its intriguing history to become a volunteer park guide. Volunteer guides lead groups on free historical walks throughout Golden Gate Park, including tours of the Japanese Tea Garden, Stow Lake, Strawberry Hill and the western windmill areas.

This is a good volunteer opportunity for those who enjoy walking in Golden Gate Park, have an interest in history and storytelling, want to share their appreciation of the park with groups of visitors or supports the SF Parks Trust in promoting stewardship of city parks.

The next training session begins Saturday, March 19. For more information or to volunteer, contact SF Parks Trust Volunteer Manager Michele Canning at (415) 750-5109 or by e-mail at michele@sfpt.org.

Free Computer, Television Recycling
One company, with the aid of a state grant, is currently recycling old computers, printers and televisions at no charge.

Direct Computer Disposal, located at the old Hunters Point Shipyard in the Bayview District, takes advantage of state legislation that provides funding for the collecting and recycling of  CRT devices (monitors, televisions, etc). Old equipment is sorted according to different classifications. Some of it is still usable and is either resold or donated to school and charities. Other equipment is taken to refineries in California where it is recycled. Hazardous waste is not shipped outside of the state.

Because the company is registered with the state as an Ewaste collector, it has to provide reports to the state about where the equipment came from and where it is going.

Direct Computer Disposal is located at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Building 400, H Street. Computers can be dropped off seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (If no one is at the drop-off site, it is OK to leave materials.) For more information, call 310-0328 or go to www.DirectComputerDisposal.com.

Youth Baseball League Kicks Off
The San Francisco Youth Baseball League, in which more than 150 teams are expected to participate, will start its season Saturday, April 2. The league, which is sponsored by the SF Fire Department (FLAME), SF Police Activities League (PAL) and SF Recreation and Park Department, is seeking players and coaches. Children interested in playing can call the league office at 831-6318 and prospective coaches can call Rec. and Park at 831-6318, PAL at 410-4666 or FLAME at 664-7475 for more information about meetings, clinics and fingerprinting.

Last year, from April through June, 2,306 youths ages five through 14 played baseball while 189 volunteer coaches taught.

Model Yacht Club Launches New Season at Spreckels
The San Francisco Model Yacht Club will launch its 2005 season of sailing model yachts at Spreckels Lake in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, March 5, at 1 p.m.

On the following Sunday, March 13, the club will host the Stinkpot/Ragtop Regatta featuring a relay competition.

Lead by Commodore Jim Forbes and Power Squadron Officer Ken Reilly, informal power boating takes place starting at 9 a.m. on Saturdays (gasoline) and Sunday (electric and steam). Sail regattas (radio-control and free-sail) take place most Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 1 p.m.

All events hosted by the club are held at Spreckels Lake, located in the park at 36th Avenue and JFK Drive.

For more information, call Forbes at 925-672-7788 or visit the club's website at www.sfmyc.org.

Tat Wong Academy Led Parade
The Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade hit the streets of San Francisco Feb. 19 with members of the Richmond District Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy leading the grand parade.

Considered one of the world's top 10 parades, it is also one of the few lighted nighttime parades. With roots dating back to the 1860's, the parade informs the public about Chinese culture.

Master Tat-Mau Wong, founder of the Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy, believes the tradition of sharing with the community is just as important today as it was in  the 1800s.

"It's a great way for our students to get involved and learn more about Chinese culture and tradition," he said.

For about 150 students of the Tat Wong team, commitment and respect were key ideals during the many hours of rehearsal.

"It's really quite amazing that even the youngest performers of five and six years old held their focus and worked hard during rehearsal," Wong said. 

The director of the parade, Wayne Hu, invited the Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy for the lead honor.

New Tree Planting
The Friends of the Urban Forest is organizing a tree planting in the Inner Richmond District for June. Local residents living between Geary Boulevard and Fulton Street and Stanyan Street and Fifth Avenue are urged to sign-up eight weeks in advance to have a tree planted.

Friends will provide help cutting concrete, selecting a good species of tree for the location and getting a proper permit. For more information, call Ihsan Dujali at 554-8930, ext. 21.

Author to Speak at Emanu-El
Best-selling author, television personality, media entrepreneur and spokeswoman for the "queer" Muslim community, Irshad Manji will speak at the Congregation Emanu-El in March.

In her international best-seller, "The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith," Manji addresses with candor and humor the troubling aspects of mainstream Islam today: deep-seated anti-Semitism, tribal insularity, the ill-treatment of women and an uncritical acceptance of the Koran as the supreme manifesto of God's will. Describing her book as an open letter, Manji calls for her Muslim readers to re-examine their prejudices and come to terms with the diversity of ideas, beliefs and people in this world . Above all, she has a challenge for non-Muslims: "Don't silence yourselves. Ask questions."

Manji will speak at the Congregation Emanu-El, Martin Meyer Sanctuary, 2 Lake St., on Thursday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m.  Admission is free and valet parking is available.

For more information, contact Molly Schneider at (415) 751-2541, ext. 124, or by e-mail at mschneider@emanuelsf.org.

Local Volunteer Recognized
San Francisco School Volunteers recently recognized Matt Grigoryan for his exceptional volunteer efforts at Lafayette Elementary School.

As a young boy, the Russian-speaking-only Grigoryan emigrated to the U.S. from Armenia and received English language instruction from school volunteers.

To reciprocate the help he received from his community, he now works with Russian emigres at Lafayette and acts as an interpreter for the parents of students at the school. Grigoryan has been volunteering at the school four days a week, for five hours a day, during the past three years.

Chancellor Earns Medal
The University of California at San Francisco Chancellor J. Michael Bishop, MD, has been named a recipient of the 2003 National Medal of Science, the nation's highest honor for science and technology.

Bishop was among eight winners announced Feb. 14 by President George W. Bush. The honorees will receive medals at a White House ceremony March 14.

The National Medal of Science honors individuals in a variety of fields for pioneering scientific research that has led to a better understanding of the world, as well as to the innovations and technologies that give the United States its global economic edge.

Bishop, who is also a professor at UCSF, began his research career working on the replication of the polio virus. Soon after arriving at UCSF in 1968, he shifted his attention to Rous sarcoma virus, hoping to explore the fundamental mechanisms of tumorigenesis. In 1970, Harold Varmus joined him and, together, they directed research that led to the discovery of proto-oncogenes - normal genes that can be converted to cancer genes by genetic damage. This work eventually led to the recognition that all cancer probably arises from damage to normal genes and provided new strategies for the detection and treatment of cancer. Bishop has devoted his research to the study of proto-oncogenes - their functions in normal cells and the manner in which they become cancer genes.

Bishop is the author of more than 300 research publications and the book "How to Win the Nobel Prize: An Unexpected Life in Science."

Chorus Sings at Zion Lutheran
As part of its spring tour of California, Nevada and Missouri, the Concordia Seminary Chorus recently sang at the Richmond District's Zion Lutheran Church.

Directed by the Rev. Henry V. Gerike, the chorus provided an evening of sacred concerts that included scripture readings, congregational hymns, and psalms. Members of the Zion Lutheran Church also joined the Seminary Chorus to sing Bach's "I Know that my Redeemer Lives" and the psalm chant for Psalm 130.

The Concordia Seminary Chorus is a male choir of seminary students who are studying to become pastors in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The group has toured more than 35 states and is planning a tour of Germany this spring.

Nominate Exemplary Businesses for Award
Nominations are currently being accepted for contenders in the Small Business of the Year Awards. The award recognizes the accomplishments and community contributions of small businesses in the 12th Assembly District, which includes the Richmond, Sunset and Parkside districts. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 31 and winners will be announced April 27. For more information or eligibility requirements, call Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Leland Yee's office at 557-2312.

Author Seeks Old Photos
Local writer Lorri Ungaretti, who recently wrote "San Francisco's Sunset District" for Arcadia Publishing, is now working on "San Francisco's Richmond District."

The author is requesting the use of personal photos for the Richmond book. For more information, contact Ungaretti at 922-7439 or by e-mail at lorrisf@comcast.net.

Artists' Films Featured
Richmond District resident Leizel Olegario's music video will be featured at the SF International Asian American Film Festival.

Olegario wrote, directed and produced the music video "Tiles and Smears," which is part of the film festival's shorts program. He is currently pursuing two degrees at SF State University, one in cinema and one in broadcasting.

A former Richmond and Sunset district resident, Evan Leong, will have his film "Him Mark Lai: the People's Historian" shown at the festival. Leong will interview Lai, who is well known for documenting everyday life in China, before the showing of the film on Sunday, March 13.

The film festival runs March 10 through March 20 at various locations, including the AMC Kabuki 8 and Castro Theater.

For more information, call 865-1588.

New Crop of Hall of Fame Inductees
The George Washington High School Athletic Hall of Fame is holding its annual induction ceremony at the United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Ave., on Saturday, March 26. The no-host social hour will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. and the dinner and program will commence at 7:30 p.m.

This year's inductees, selected by the Hall of Fame's board of directors, include: James Strokes, who played basketball, track and football in 1958; Robert Prince, who played baseball, football and track in 1964; Eddie Chow, who played basketball in 1971; Michael Coit, who participated in baseball, basketball, football and cross country in 1981; Nelson Ahlstrom, who coached from 1985 to 1998; Jenn Gee, who played volleyball, basketball and softball in 1989; Annie Kang, who played volleyball and softball in 1991; Nephtalin Drummer, who played football in 1995; and Thomas Swartz, who will receive special recognition for his contributions that began in 1971.

For more information or to purchase advance tickets, which are $45 per person and include dinner, call 826-3572.