An ordinance passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisor and signed into law by Mayor Ed Lee last year has provided a green light to urban farms such as Little City Gardens (pictured above), to produce and vend locally grown fruits and vegetables. Photo courtesy Little City Gardens.
By Catherine Adams, guest contributor
January 27, 2012
San Francisco took a bold step in 2011 further legitimizing urban agriculture in the city. With the passage of the Planning Code Amendment on Urban Agriculture (ordinance 66-11), commercial garden and small farm sites are now legal city-wide. The ordinance received unanimous support from the Board of Supervisors in April before it was approved by Mayor Ed Lee.
This ordinance allows properly permitted and code-abiding gardeners and farmers to sell any produce they grow directly to the public on site. Growers were previously required to haul their bounty to a third party commercial zone, like a farmers market, or sell through a distributor. The permit does not, however, allow for value-added products, such as pickles or jam, or animal products, such as honey and eggs, to be sold at garden sites in residential areas. These products can, however, be sold on production sites within commercial zones. Growers can apply for a permit through the Planning Department for approximately $350.
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Accompanied by his new attorney, Lidia Stiglich, Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi provided a brief statement to a throng of reporters Thursday following a court hearing in which Judge Susan Breall refused to modify a stay away order. Mirkarimi is facing three misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident involving his wife, Eliana Lopez, on New Year's Eve. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Kat Anderson
January 26, 2012
Embattled Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi lost his bid Thursday to be repatriated with his family.
Returning to Judge Susan Breall’s courtroom with his new lawyer, defense attorney Lidia Stiglich, Mirkarimi hoped at least to be able to have supervised visits with his two year-old son, Theo. He also requested the order changed to a “no harassment” order so that he could communicate with his wife, Eliana Lopez.
Continue reading Judge Refuses Change to Mirkarimi Stay Away Order, Prosecutor Reveals Lopez Messages
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With his attorney Robert Waggener by his side (far left), San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi (center) made his way through a throng of reporters today for a court hearing at the Hall of Justice. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Kat Anderson
January 23, 2012
In a brief appearance today before Judge John Allen at the Hall of Justice, Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi and his attorney, Robert Waggener, agreed to a February 24 trial date. Mirkarimi faces charges that he physically abused his wife, Eliana Lopez, in front of their son on New Year’s Eve and then told her not to tell anyone.
Mirkarimi and Lopez deny any wrongdoing.
Lopez, 36, did not attend the hearing. A “stay away” order prevents Mirkarimi from coming within 100 yards of his wife and son.
Normally not one to be at a loss for words, Mirkarimi silently kept his head down as he cut his way through a mash of media into the courtroom. A supporter and friend of 11 years, Kary McElroy, had some choice words, however.
Continue reading Sheriff Mirkarimi’s Trial Date Set,
Attorney Says Case “Overblown”,
Second Woman Files Complaint
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An enlarged photo of the late labor leader Walter Johnson was propped up during a reception Saturday at the Mason Auditorium following a memorial service at Grace Cathedral. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Kat Anderson
January 23, 2012
Water Johnson, a humble man who had big dreams for workers and who could garner the power to achieve those dreams, was memorialized Saturday at Grace Cathedral.
A union leader for 50 years, Johnson died January 12, following a heart attack. He was 87.
The ceremony was simple, but the celebrants were remarkable. No less than the Episcopal Bishop of California, Marc Andrus, and the Dean of Grace Cathedral, Jane Shaw, presided over the service. In attendance included Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Attorney General Kamala Harris, State Senator Mark Leno, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, Supervisor Eric Mar, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu and former Mayor Art Agnos.
As many as 300 filled the pews at Grace Cathedral.
A ‘Who’s Who’ of labor leaders and the hundreds of workers who attended the memorial to honor the man who never forgot about them, would have especially touched Johnson.
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Taking a stand for political, social and economic justice, University professor and Occupy Wall Street West protester, NTanya Lee, chained herself to the entrance of Wells Fargo Bank headquarters in San Francisco, 1/20/12, to protest bank foreclosures. Photos by Eric Louie.
By Eric Louie
Editor’s note: Additional coverage of Thursday’s Occupy Wall Street West protest in San Francisco, via Pacific Media Workers Guild.
January 22, 2012
The rain didn’t dampen NTanya Lee’s protest spirit as she sat chained to the the revolving door of Wells Fargo’s downtown San Francisco headquarters.
Like hundreds of others she braved Friday’s downpour to participate in Occupy Wall Street West, a daylong event featuring dozens of demonstrations, and ending with some broken windows, other minor vandalism and a short takeover of a now-closed hotel before police moved in. And while the weather may have discouraged some, the strong support that did show up made it clear they are not going away.
“We’ll keep going,” said Lee, 42, a university professor in public policy wearing a button with her 4-year-old son’s picture. “It doesn’t stop here.”
Continue reading Occupy West Protesters Decry Bank Foreclosures, Corporate Personhood
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Occupy Wall Street West protesters chained themselves to the entrance of Wells Fargo Bank headquarters in downtown San Francisco yesterday, effectively shutting down the bank for several hours. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Kat Anderson
January 21, 2012
Soggy, but undaunted, Occupy activists pulled off a coordinated day of action Friday in San Francisco that highlighted banks’ role in bringing citizens of the 99 percent to their financial knees.
Protesters also decried the role that the Supreme Court case Citizens United, now two years old, has played in pulling representative democracy out of the grasp of ordinary citizens. As many as 2,000 protesters took part in all of the activities. Thirteen people were arrested in actions at Wells Fargo and Bank of America.
Threaded throughout the Financial District, Occupy affinity groups engaged in various forms of non-violent activity such as chaining themselves with lock boxes to all the entrances to Wells Fargo’s headquarters on California Street, staging a rally at the “bankers heart” sculpture at the foot of the Bank of America building, performing guerrilla theater as military personnel arresting “terrorists” (American citizens), and marching from Justin Herman Plaza throughout the financial district.
Continue reading Occupy Wall Street West Ends Hibernation
in Quest to Right America
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San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi (center), with his attorney Robert Waggener, emerged from a two and half hour arraignment hearing, 1/19/12, after pleading not guilty to three misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident involving his wife, Eliana Lopez, on New Year's Eve. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Kat Anderson
January 19, 2012
San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi pled not guilty today during his arraignment of three misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident involving his wife Eliana Lopez on New Year’s Eve.
Prosecutors allege Mirkarimi hurt his wife during an argument in the presence of their two-year old son and told her not to discuss it with anyone.
Both Mirkarimi and Lopez deny any wrongdoing.
Continue reading Mirkarimi Pleads Not Guilty,
Court Extends Protective Order
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