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Archive for November, 2009

Nov-30-2009

Thanksgiving Day hit and run in the Presidio

[My earlier version of this post incorrectly labeled this accident as a fatality. The victim did not die and was recently released from the ICU and is resting at home. Yay! - Sarah B.]

On Thanksgiving day at about 3:30pm, a woman was struck by a hit and run driver near Lincoln Boulevard and Langdon Court in the Presidio. According to a KCBS report (audio below), the woman was a well-known speedwalker that lived just outside the Presidio gates.

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Presidio Trust spokesman Clay Harrell says the car involved in the hit and run is described as a dark green, 1991-1994 Chevy Blazer Ford Explorer with Colorado plates, a broken/missing right mirror and excessive exhaust.

“The Park Police will be reviewing tapes of the bridge traffic for that day and they’ve also put out an all points bulletin,” Polk said.

If you have any information that might be helpful to the police investigating the hit and run, please call Dectective Robert Reidy at (415) 561-5148 or the anonymous tip line at (415) 561-5150.

Many of you may remember a similar hit and run death of 27-year-old Ashlyn Dyer in March of 2006 in the Presidio. That case also remains unsolved.

Sarah B.

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9:09 pm | Posted under Crime, News | 11 comments
Nov-30-2009

Ways to keep up with the blog

We’re all busy these days, especially with the holidays approaching. And as much as you may enjoy the blog, it can be hard to remember to visit it every day.

The good news is that there are a few ways you can keep up with what’s new on the blog and in the neighborhood, without having to always make a trip to the site.

Email Updates
Sign up for email updates and once a day, you’ll get a digest of the new articles that are on the site, delivered right to your email inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Facebook
Become a fan of the Richmond SF Blog on Facebook. When I post new articles, I will post to Facebook as well and you’ll see it in your usual stream of updates.

Twitter
If you’re on twitter, follow the blog to get updates on the latest news and articles.

News Feed
If you use a news reader or Mac Mail, you can add our RSS feed and get a list of the latest articles.

Thank you for reading the blog and leaving comments – I always appreciate it!

Sarah B.

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3:55 pm | Posted under Blog news | 2 comments
Nov-30-2009

Learn to make guilt-free holiday desserts this Wed. night

If any of you were as gluttonous as I was over Thanksgiving, you’ll appreciate this event on Wednesday night.

The Kalo Clinic Health & Healing Center at 5718 Geary will host a workshop where you can learn how to prepare tasty, guilt-free holiday dessert recipes.

Natural Chef Karen Dobronyi will teach you how to create sweet and delicious holiday treats free of dairy, gluten, and refined sugar. Best of all, you’ll get to sample the finished product.

The evening will also include a brief and informative talk on blood sugar balancing, as well as a free chair massages for participants.

The event runs from 7-8:30pm on Wednesday night. Admission is $20 per person but if you bring a friend, you both get in free. Friends, sweets and chair massages – oh yeah!

For more information, contact the Kalo Clinic at 379-9830.

Sarah B.

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1:06 pm | Posted under Food, Free stuff, Health | Add comments
Nov-30-2009

See 1974′s “Black Christmas” at the 4-Star Theater, Dec. 3

Do you like a little gore mixed in with your holiday cheer? This Thursday night at 8pm, the spirits of Thrillville are bringing a cult classic, “Black Christmas”, to the 4-Star Theater for one night only (rare, 35mm print too!).

Long before “A Christmas Story,” Bob Clark directed this first true “seasonal” slasher flick which pre-dated “Halloween” by four years. Black Christmas stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder and John Saxon and is a stylish, sinister stocking stuffed with twists, turns and terror! Is that Santa coming down the chimney? No, “It’s me, Billy”

The story is simple: right before Christmas break, an unseen psycho sneaks into the attic of a Canadian sorority house, menacing the girls with obscene phone calls and killing them off one by one.

In keeping with the holiday spirit, moviegoers will have a chance to win prizes. Plus swingin’ holiday music provided by Project Pimento. Tickets are $10 and the holiday fun fright begins at 8pm.

“If this movie doesn’t make your skin crawl… it’s on too tight.”

Sarah B.


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12:13 pm | Posted under Movies | 1 comment
Nov-30-2009

Gift bag & wreath making workshops – Dec. 3 & 5

Everyone always tells us that handmade treasures always make the best gifts during the holidays. So here’s a couple of chances for you and your famlies to put your imagination and that do-it-yourself spirit to the test.

Make Gift Bags from Last Year’s Calendars & Gift Wrap | Thursday, December 3, 6:30 – 8pm. Richmond Library

Learn how to turn your favorite 12-month calendars and old wrapping paper into unique gift bags for the holidays. Bring your own materials or use the ones provided by the instructor. The workshop is free but is limited to 15 people. Sign up in advance by calling 355-5600.

Wreath-Making Workshop | Saturday, December 5, 10am-2pm. Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park

Round up the family and join the Botanical Garden for a holiday tradition! Create unique, festive wreaths and garlands to usher in the season, using colorful greens and cuttings straight from the Garden. All ages are welcome and no advanced reservations are needed.

Just drop in on Saturday and be sure to bring the following supplies: lunch, pruners, wire cutters, accents, ribbons or any other items you may want to include on your wreath. The cost is $20, $30 or $40 depending on the size of wreath frame you need. More info

Sarah B.

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11:52 am | Posted under Events, Golden Gate Park, Kids | Add comments
Nov-27-2009

Jun Piñon Floral Arranging Demo at the Conservatory, Dec. 3

On December 3rd the Conservatory of Flowers will host celebrated San Francisco floral designer Jun Piñon. Piñon will give a live floral arranging demonstration in the Orchid Gallery, focused on the benefits of working with floral elements during the winter season.

Piñon is a prestigious floral designer in the city, counting The Ritz Carlton, The Four Seasons, and Campton Place hotels among his clientele. Known for his bold and creative designs, Pinon said in 2004, “I love the magical effects flowers have on people,” he said. “That’s why I got into this.”

Unlike his usual large-scale shows, the Conservatory’s event will be a rare opportunity to interact with Piñon in an intimate setting as he creates and teaches. The event begins at 12:30 with a reception, followed by a demonstration at 1pm, and a Q&A session at 2pm. Tickets are $75 for the public / $60 for members and can be purchased in advance.

And one lucky attendee will walk away with one of Piñon’s creations – an arrangement will be raffled off during the event.

The Conservatory of Flowers newsletter interviewed Piñon recently; here are a few excerpts:

CF: In your arrangements, do you have any seasonal traditions?
JP: For Thanksgiving, people like to get a lot of texture in arrangements. Blackberries are coming in beautifully, and anything with orange hues, people tend to like that. For fall, jewel tone colors are big. We get flowers from all over the world at the SF Flower Mart, so we can really do anything people can imagine.

CF: How did you become interested in flowers?
JP: I studied interior design, and I graduated here in SF. I worked for a shop here in the Bay Area, and I had the opportunity to deliver flowers, and to see the magical affect of flowers on people. It’s very powerful. I was delivering flowers on Mother’s Day, and at the end of my route, I had a delivery for a lady who was well into her 80s. When she opened the door, she had a walker, and when she saw the flowers, her face lit up and her smile made my day. It was a life changing moment for me. I went home, and shared my experience with my parents: I said, right then and there, I wanted to be the best at bringing flowers. Flowers are meant to be shared. This is why I take my time to make sure I share what I know.

CF: What is your favorite flower to work with?
JP: Roses. They come in so many different varieties!

CF: Do you have any advice you would like to share with our readers?
JP: Don’t be intimidated by trying something different. One thing to remember in arranging: always try to simplify. Monochromatic designs, different flowers of one color, these are so elegant. And eco-friendly is the next wave of designs, so always look to that! I look forward to sharing more at the demonstration on December 3rd! Remember, working with flowers is therapy! Be well!

Read the full interview here.

Sarah B.

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6:13 am | Posted under Events, Golden Gate Park | Add comments
Nov-26-2009

Happy Thanksgiving!



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2:15 am | Posted under Community | 1 comment
Nov-25-2009

Police Blotter – November 25, 2009

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of November 25, 2009. To be added to the station's mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org or visit their website.]

CAPTAIN RICHARD CORREIA’S MESSAGE
On November 16, 2009 at 3:00 P.M. a twenty five year old motorcyclist was killed at the intersection of Arguello and California. He had been traveling west-bound on California Street when he struck the side of vehicle heading northbound on Arguello. The young man was pronounced dead a short time later at San Francisco General Hospital.

On November 19, 2009 at 8:17 A.M. a sixty-nine female pedestrian was struck by a van and killed as she crossed Geary Boulevard at Ninth Avenue. The van had been traveling southbound on Ninth Avenue and turned onto eastbound Geary Boulevard.

Both accidents are under investigation in the Hit and Run Detail.

The angle of the morning and afternoon sun this time of year limits visibility of drivers as they travel our major east-west thoroughfares. Please be careful when you are crossing the street. Motorists should drive carefully and defensively, and slow down.

The loss of two members of our community weighs heavily on the hearts of officers of Richmond Station. Their families are in our prayers.

During the past week, there were 30 traffic accidents, 8 involving injuries. There were 4 citations issued for driving without a license or driving on a suspended license. There were 2 arrests for driving under the influence.

We are in the process of forming a community advisory board for the Richmond Police District. If the notion of participating interests you, kindly send me an email and I will send you some literature that describes the functions of the board, time commitments and objectives. Our first meeting is here at the station on December 2, 2009 at 6:45 pm.

Due to the holidays, our next newsletter will be sent out on Friday, 12/04/09.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 11/20 at 2:30pm officers responded to the 1800 block of Divisadero Street regarding a suspect from a previous theft. The caller stated that a female suspect had just been in their store, and that it was the same suspect who had stolen jewelry two weeks prior. A description was provided and officers searched the area. Plainclothes officers located the suspect at Sutter and Fillmore a short time later. When explaining to the suspect why she was being stopped, she said “I didn’t steal anything today,” and that she hadn’t “stole anything from Divisadero in a couple of weeks.” The 46-year-old female was charged with theft and probation violation.

On 11/21/09 at 8:23pm plainclothes officers responded to a call of a male attempting to break into vehicles in the area of Pine and Steiner Streets. A description was provided by the caller and officers observed the suspect at California and Steiner. They began to surveil the suspect and saw him look into windows of parked cars, and try the door handles. The suspect continually looked around to see if anyone was watching him and finally went to a Toyota that was parked on Fillmore near Sacramento Street. The suspect opened the door and rummaged around the interior before finally exiting. The suspect was detained by the officers. The suspect, a 20-year-old male who is on felony probation, was charged with the auto burglary and violation of probation.

On 11/22 at 3:35pm, officers were called to the Public Library on 9th Ave regarding a male who had just taken numerous DVD’s. The witness had alerted the staff and followed the male out of the premise. The suspect was seen boarding a 38 Geary MUNI line headed towards downtown. At 6th Ave and Geary, two officers were preparing to board a MUNI bus and saw that it was the same coach number as provided by the witness. The officers located the suspect on the bus and he was in possession of 46 DVD’s that he had taken from the library. The 34 year old male was charged with burglary and theft.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 11/19/09 11:00pm and 11/20, 6:00am on the 400 block of Clement Street a suspect entered a business by prying open the front door. The suspect took cash.

On 11/21/09 between 12:00am and 7:40am on the 3600 block of Balboa, a suspect entered a business by removing the louvered windows from above the front door. Once inside a sliding window was removed from the frame. The suspect(s) took cash, a flat screen TV and a computer.

On 11/21/09 between 3:15pm and 3:30pm on the 200 block of 3rd Avenue, a suspect lit newspaper on fire and left it under the front stairs of a residence. A neighbor reported that she had seen three young teenagers leave the area minutes before. There was minimal damage to the property.

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7:00 pm | Posted under Crime | Add comments
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