Monster Park

S.F. Officials Now Have An Excuse to Cancel 4/20 Fun, but Will They?

If you live in San Francisco, there are certain places in San Francisco you simply will not go. North Beach on a Saturday night, Candlestick Park when the 49ers are playing the Raiders, and now add to the list the eastern end of Golden Gate Park on 4/20. We've heard "horror" stories of the ravages ... More >>

Kaepernick Fever: So Hot the Road Team Is Favored Over the Top-Seeded Home Team

The Niners' NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons features a rarity in football gambling: the Falcons, the home team and the NFC's number one seed, will play the game as the underdog. When the line opened on Monday morning, San Francisco was a 3-point favorite. By Tuesday evening, the ... More >>

Here's Your Chance to Help Kids and Dogs This Holiday Season

So 2012 was a bad year for you -- you lost your job or your home, or maybe you lost both your job and your home -- in that order. But here's your chance to end the year on a good note and do something great for everyone, yourself included. You can start by donating some new toys to San Francisco's ... More >>

Pedicabs: A Highly Regulated Industry -- in One Neighborhood

SF Weekly Letters

Kristopher Viana, Alexandro F. Arguelles Arrested in Football Jersey Stabbing

San Francisco police arrested two men who they say are responsible for attacking and stabbing some Dallas Cowboys football fans near Candlestick Park on Sunday. Kristopher Viana, 22, and Alexandro F Arguelles, 30, both of San Francisco, were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and ... More >>

America's Cup: A Day at the Races

Sunday was about as glorious an afternoon as San Francisco ever hosted. The sun shone brightly and the weather was Northern California perfect. Beautiful people and their dogs were everywhere. That there was an America's Cup World Series race taking place was almost an auxiliary pleasure.  ... More >>

Matt Cain to Start All-Star Game. May He Have Better Luck than Giants Predecessors.

Some controversy has erupted over the selection of Giants ace Matt Cain to start tonight's All-Star Game over New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. This is a transcendentally stupid matter to get worked up over. If this game was meaningful and important, it wouldn't be held in Kansas City.Major L ... More >>

Fernando Sanchez-Sanchez Identified as Motorcyclist Who Died During CHP Chase

Medical authorities identified the motorcyclist who died in a solo crash on Monday night as 26-year-old Fernando Sanchez-Sanchez. Police told reporters that officers attempted to stop Sanchez-Sanchez who was allegedly speeding on Highway 101 near Candlestick Park at about 8:10 p.m. CHP officers chas ... More >>

49ers Not Bringing Gold Back to San Francisco

The 49ers' pending move to Santa Clara feels a bit like losing one's spouse to a rich, superficial cad. But the analogy breaks down quickly. Ideally, loving and intimate relationships between two people do not require a cost-benefit analysis as the ultimate arbiter of feasibility. Relationships betw ... More >>

Ed Lee Calls Candlestick Blackout "National Embarrassment." Ain't That a Bit Harsh?

ESPN television broadcastIf John Madden were calling this clip, no doubt he'd say "Boom!" ​When Mayor Ed Lee told gathered throngs of media that the multiple power failures during Monday Night Football were a "national embarrassment," he used strong -- and curious -- language. San Francisco's infr ... More >>

Harold Miller Still Wants Your Vote!

​Loyal readers of this page -- and, perhaps, no one else -- are familiar with eccentric mayoral candidate Harold Miller. His position statements include impressing Jerry Rice into coaching an expansion football team at Candlestick Park; setting up an 800 number so streetcorner beggars can be impre ... More >>

The Sounds of 2010

What we'll remember from the year in S.F. music.

Mickey Pfleger, 'The Luckiest Person In The World,' Dies at 61

Brad ManginMickey Pfleger in his natural environment​If serendipity had a human form, it had to be Mickey Pfleger. You may not remember Pfleger's name, but you may well remember his story. A series of events that led the ace freelance sports photographer to dub himself 'the luckiest person in the ... More >>

World Cup:Qatar, Russia Win What San Francisco Could Not

Not happening in San Francisco. At least not on the field. ​Today's decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively, to Russia and Qatar -- yes, Qatar! -- comes as cold comfort for San Francisco. We learned all the way back in January that, even if the United States succeeded in its C ... More >>

Ravens, Crows, Bedbugs, and Drain Flies Among Pests City Combats With Chemicals

Begone, critters.​Following Tuesday's election, San Francisco may seem like a political island in a sea of shellacking states. Judging from a recent report from the Department of Environment's Integrated Pest Management Plan, we're an island under constant attack.Last year San Francisco bought 2,2 ... More >>

Mayoral candidate Harold Miller's eye-catching advice on race relations

Garbage gallery: At Recology, turning trash into treasure

Monday's Pick: Jerry Garcia Tribute Night

​Jerry Garcia Tribute NightAT&T ParkPre-game tribute performance at home plate at 6:30; game at 7:15Even after his death, Jerry Garcia is still on a long, strange trip, which will make a stop at the Giants/Cubs game at AT&T Park tonight. Aligned with the 15th anniversary of his passing, Je ... More >>

Baseball in Candlestick Park? Millions of Reasons to Say No.

​Not long ago, Supervisor Sean Elsbernd had an idea that was either wonderful or terrible or wonderful because it was so terrible. Since 2010 is the 50th anniversary of the first Giants game at Candlestick Park, why not have a game there to commemorate it? At first blush, the notion of giving up a ... More >>

San Francisco Pet Ban Makes Sense to Animal Control Officials

Joe EskenaziDon't bother asking how much that doggie in the window is...​This morning, we wrote about a proposal to ban the sale of any pets (other than fish) within city limits. The suggestion seemed a little extreme to us. But, then, we never had to sign the papers condemning countless doggies, ... More >>

Good News All Around: Cal To Play at AT&T Park in 2011; Tightwad Hill Going Nowhere

Vance CardellCal topped Miami, 24-17, in the 2008 Emerald Bowl at AT&T Park​Like many folks with a media e-mail account, your humble narrator received the word Monday that Cal will be playing its home football games at AT&T Park in 2011 -- or whatever Pacific Bell/SBC/AT&T Park is call ... More >>

Grabbin' Some Pine With Mike Krukow

​Back in 1987 your humble narrator's father had a breakthrough realization. If he managed to buy the cheapest and worst tickets for the National League Championship Series between the Giants and Cardinals, he discovered he could waltz right into the jury-rigged Candlestick Park media overflow sect ... More >>

Niners' 'Harleyman' Lucky Charm Once Again

Tom TracySteve Mahoney and Meridith spur the home side to victory​Was it the tenacious defense? Perhaps. Frank Gore rumbling through the 'Stick like a runaway train? Could be. Steve Mahoney leading the 49ers out of the gate on his custom Niners Harley? You can't scientifically prove otherwise. In ... More >>

Candlestick Park Trample Victim Lawsuit Isn't First Involving S.F. Police Horse -- But It's the First In a Long Time

​We've written a little bit about Eugene Caldwell, the 78-year-old 49ers fan killed by a runaway police horse last year at Candlestick Park. According to court records, Caldwell's widow and grown children filed suit against a bevy of defendants on April 17; yesterday the Examiner ran a story in wh ... More >>

49ers 'Harleyman' To Lead Convoy To Team's Home Opener

Tom TracyHave a cup of joe with 49ers 'Harleyman' Steve Mahoney before the game this Sunday​Barring a miracle, you will not get the chance to play on the field with the San Francisco 49ers. But if you wish to ride the roads with the team's Harley-mounted figurehead -- well, that could happen. Stev ... More >>

'Text-a-Tip' Program Drags SFPD Into 21st Century. SFPD Web Site? Still Vintage 1994.

The SFPD Web Page induces nostalgia for the 1990s​When Police Chief George Gascon today announces San Francisco cops will soon have the ability to engage in real-time text message conversations with people who have witnessed -- or are witnessing -- a crime, it will be more than a technologically u ... More >>

It's On! Department of Public Works Street-Steamer Passes On-Field Audition, Will Lead 49ers Out of Tunnel On Opening Day.

Tom TracyThe leader of the Pack ... er, the 49ers​Last week we reported that Steve Mahoney, a Department of Public Works steam-cleaner and motorcycle enthusiast, was stoked to be tentatively named the team's new on-field leader. All that was between Mahoney and a gig leading the 49ers onto the fie ... More >>

San Francisco 49ers New On-Field Leader: Department of Public Works Street-Steamer

Tom TracySteve Mahoney has Niners fandom in his blood (as well as ink)​With hopes high that the San Francisco 49ers can, once again, provide as much or more entertainment as the Piccolo Pete's sandwich and clandestine booze fans smuggle into Candlestick Park, the jury is out on who will be the tea ... More >>

Scalp a Ticket, Go to Jail? Basis of San Francisco's Law Odder Than You'd Think.

It's against the law -- or is it?A soft toss away from the high-legged kick of the Juan Marichal monument outside AT&T Park, an attention-grabbing sign blows in the gentle breeze. In large, alarming letters, the sign warns of the dangers of purchasing scalped tickets -- and notes that both the b ... More >>

Paris Hilton Syndrome hits S.F. Animal Control

Gridiron of Dreams: S.F. Man Spends Huge Chunk of Life Savings on Minor League Football Team -- and He's the Running Back

Joe EskenaziQuarterback Dion Pickett, formerly of College of San Mateo, drops back to pass at a Bay Area Buccaneers practice in San Francisco's Hamilton SquareFrom a distance you could hear them laughing and shouting -- a bunch of kids playing football in the park. But with every step closer to Hami ... More >>

And the Primary Results are In

Well, Blow Me Down! Why the Hell Has S.F. Been So Windy Lately? We ask a Scientist

A Man in Full: Despite Media Myopia and Internet Ghouls, Torrey Kretschman’s Life was About More Than His Death

The War On Gangs

With murders on the rise, City Attorney Dennis Herrera is cracking down on gangs using a legal tool critics say smacks of McCarthyism

Grabbing for the Ring

City officials are trying to lure the Summer Olympic Games to San Francisco for 2016. Do you think it's a good idea? Find out where you stand!

Offensive Line

Numbers guy and Stanford MBA Paraag Marathe has become a scapegoat for the 49ers' failure, but he's really the future of the NFL

Inside the NFHell

Are you a 49ers apologist? Or a football fan?

Easy Parking

The parks to hit when San Francisco weather turns nice.

Dog Bites

Who Needs to Think When Your Feet Just Go?

Riff Raff

Dog Bites

No Fishin'

The Coast Guard busts skippers for angling next to Hunters Point

Riff Raff

Night+Day

Night+Day

Whose Library Is It?

Funding for the New Main Library has activists wondering about the private sector's role in the public institution

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