Fong reports community policing progress

San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Brent Begin, Bay City News Service

December 5, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - San Francisco police Chief Heather Fong released a 150 page report yesterday summarizing more than a year's worth of efforts to make the department more community friendly.

The report comes a day before the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to look into a foot patrol program in which a veto by Mayor Gavin Newsom was overturned by supervisors.

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NAACP calls for probe into possible voter discrimination

By Caitilin McAdoo, Bay City News Service

December 5, 2006

RICHMOND (BCN) - The Richmond branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has asked the Contra Costa County Elections Department and the state and federal departments of justice to investigate allegations that some minorities in west Contra Costa County faced serious obstacles to casting their votes in the Nov. 7 election.

Long lines and pencil shortages were not the only problems reported in Richmond and North Richmond communities during the recent election.

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San Francisco ban abolishing chemicals in baby products challenged

By Elizabeth Daley, Bay City News Service

December 4, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - A pending San Francisco law prohibiting the manufacture, sale and distribution of baby products containing certain possibly harmful chemicals has been stayed after the city was challenged by two separate lawsuits filed by retailers, manufacturers and chemists.

The law was supposed to have gone into effect Dec. 1, according to city attorney spokesman Matt Dorsey. The lawsuits are set to be heard Jan. 8.

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San Jose Mayor-elect taps Cortese for Vice Mayor

By Jason Bennert, Bay City News Service

December 4, 2006

SAN JOSE (BCN) - San Jose Mayor-elect Chuck Reed today announced his selection of City Councilman David Cortese, one of his opponents in this year's mayoral election, as his vice mayor.

Cortese came in fourth place with 16 percent of the vote in June's mayoral primary election. Reed got the most votes in June and trounced current Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez by 20 points in last month's runoff election.

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EVENTS

 

Free San Francisco journalist Josh Wolf

Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

What: Free Josh Wolf Event

When: Thursday, December 7th 2006, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Balazo Gallery, 2183 Mission Street @18th, 415-255-7227

On December 7th journalists, activists, and local leaders will convene to call upon the United States Government to free Josh Wolf from "coercive custody." Josh is a San Francisco free-lance journalist being held for his refusal, based on journalistic principles, to turn over to a federal grand jury his news footage from a July 2005 protest. Free press advocates from around the world have called his incarceration unjust and a grave violation of the freedom of the press.

More event details, click here

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