Taken at the Legion of Honor. Photo by meilev.

This is awesome! GO GIANTS! Thanks to reader bayareamusician for the tip!

Sarah B.

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of October 29, 2010. To be added to the station's mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]

CAPTAIN RICHARD CORREIA’S MESSAGE
October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The San Francisco Police Department’s Domestic Violence Response Unit is located at the Hall Of Justice. There fifteen Inspectors who investigate 350 to 400 reports of domestic violence each month. Inspectors are available to respond directly to the scene of domestic violence, elder abuse and stalking incidents 24 hours a day.

This investigative unit currently has two Casa de las Madres victim advocates assigned to work in the office with the Inspectors. The advocates assist victims with shelter and other services. If you are a victim, or know someone who is a victim of domestic violence, please contact the Domestic Violence Unit at 415.553.9227. In an emergency, call 911.

Our next Police Community Forum will be on November 16, 2010 at 7:00 PM at Richmond Station. Please join us to discuss public safety in the Richmond .

During the past week in the District there were 22 traffic accidents 1 involving injuries. There were 2 citations issued for driving without a license or driving on a suspended license. There were 3 arrests for driving under the influence.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 10/24/10 at 6:30pm on the 700 block of Arguello a suspect entered a business and selected a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. The suspect then went to the rear of the store, wrapped the wine up in a scarf and placed it in her purse. The suspect then walked passed all of the registers and to the front door where she was stopped by an employee. The suspect denied that she had taken anything and kept trying to leave. The employee took hold of the suspect’s purse, and as the suspect was prying the employee’s fingers from the purse the officers arrived on scene. Officers located the wine in her purse and the 26 year old was charged with the theft.

On 10/28/10 at 3:43am officers were called to the 3100 block of Fulton on a report of a person trying to
force open the front door of an apartment building. When the first officer arrived he observed the suspect walking out of the lobby door out onto the sidewalk. The suspect had a screwdriver in one hand and an Easter basket with 23 spray paint cans in the other. The suspect was detained by the officer. The caller had reported that they had heard a scratching noise first at the main door and then several loud bangs over several minutes as if someone was ramming the door. The suspect told the officer that he was trying to get into the building to do graffiti. The 25 year old male was charged with burglary and possession of graffiti tools.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 10/23/10 between 2:30pm and 3:30pm a suspect entered a home on the 800 block of Lake Street via an unlocked window that faced the backyard. The suspect took an I-pad and I-pod that had been in a purse.

On 10/23/10 between 4:00pm and 11:00pm on the 400 block of 31st Avenue a suspect gained entry into an apartment and took cash. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 10/25/10 at 12:10am on the 700 block of 6th Avenue a victim was getting ready to enter his home
when a suspect ran over from across the street. The suspect was holding a handgun and told the victim to give up his wallet and money. The suspect then put his hands in the victim’s front pants pocket and took out the victim’s cell phone and lighter. The victim then gave the suspect cash and the suspect fled to a vehicle that was parked down the street. The suspect was described as a male, 25-30 years of age wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. The victim was unable to provide a description of the vehicle.

On 10/25/10 at 6:35am an officer was flagged down on the 3500 block of Geary Boulevard . The officer was alerted to the front glass door of a business being smashed out. Other officers arrived and conducted a walk thru of the business, but the suspects had fled. The owner of the business arrived and told the officers that someone had gained access to the safe in the office and taken a large amount of cash.

On 10/25/10 at 9:25am on the 600 block of 41st Avenue a victim was on the upper level of his home when he heard a noise from downstairs. As he went to investigate he saw a suspect, who was holding a crow bar, standing in the living room. When the suspect saw the victim he ran out the front door. The suspect had made entry by prying open the rear door. The suspect was described as a male with long hair in a pony tail.

On 10/27/10 between 8:30am and 10:30pm on the 300 block of 12th Avenue a suspect gained entry into an apartment by kicking open the front door. The suspect took three laptops and a suitcase.

On 10/27/10 between 9:00am and 10:30pm on the 200 block of 27th Avenue a suspect gained entry into an apartment by prying open the front door. The suspect took a laptop, game system and cuff links.

Congratulations to the Giants and the fans! Where were you when they won? Did you celebrate tonight? Let us know in the comments.

The official victory parade is this Wednesday at 11am. Will you be there?

Remember this moment – it was 56 years in the making!

Sarah B.

I know we’re all supposed to have moved onto Christmas by now (Walgreens has – they were shoving over Halloween merchandise yesterday to start stocking ornaments!) but I couldn’t resist this macabre tale from the Bike Nopa website.

On a Sunday morning ride through Golden Gate Park, the NOPA VELO cycling troupe veered off JFK Drive around 10:30am to head up into Stow Lake. That’s when they reported seeing the infamous white ghost of Stow Lake.

She’s been a San Francisco urban legend for many decades, and is apparently the ghost of a woman searching for her lost child (maybe it wandered off for pink popcorn?)

Once we were half-way around the lake, someone shouted, ‘There’s the ghost, across the water near the pagoda.’ We all stopped and sure enough a woman in a white flowing gown was pushing through the reeds like she was looking for something. We all heard a distinctive, eerie wailing as if someone was in deep distress or mourning. We knew the lake was supposed to be haunted, but we had no idea we’d actually see the ghost!

They even called out to the ethereal being (she continued wailing and gesturing). Nearby tourists with small children retreated in fright and “one child ran up the hillside for safety.” The ghost reportedly stuck around for nearly 10 minutes while everyone gaped and carried on. Read the full story at Bike Nopa

The woman ghost of Stow Lake has been a San Francisco urban legend for almost 100 years. There are claims her tragic story appeared in a local newspaper but I’ve never seen any evidence of it:

It is said that a young woman was boating on this lake with her young toddler sometime in the late 1800’s. The toddler accidentally fell into the lake and the young mother in panic, jumped into the water to rescue her baby. It’s said that both her and the young child drowned in the lake. [hauntedamericatours.com]

How does one deal with the emotional trauma of a ghost sighting? Apparently by snacking on Twix bars at Ocean Beach, which was the only thing that could calm the nerves of the 2 wheeled troupe. Ahem.

So, is this fact or fiction? I say “Party foul!” and it’s complete fiction but what do I know… One of my readers claimed on Facebook that her husband saw the ghost 3 years ago on November 2nd. Spoooooooky!

Sarah B.

[via Curbed SF]

A friend of mine said he noticed fencing all the way around the Polo Fields on Friday. Today, RichmondSFBlog reader rodesfishburne said he heard from SF Rec & Park that the Polo Fields will remain closed until March 2011.

During the closure, they are installing new irrigation and anti-vole technology.

Voles are also known as meadow mice or field mice, and according to Wikipedia they are “a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars.”

Perhaps we need more stray cats in Golden Gate Park to eradicate these voles? It would be interesting to know what technology they’re using to ward off these evil voles. I found these stakes that emit a noise at a frequency of 300 Hz and a vibration from the internal motor.

Below is a photo of the work taken a couple of weeks ago. Thanks orion for the tip!

Sarah B.

Photo by orionsan.

A rendering of the new Safeway entrance at Fulton and La Playa

A new and improved Safeway is in the works for the La Playa location near Ocean Beach. Read more about the project from a January 2010 article

Safeway has put up a new website to help neighbors keep up with the project’s plans and progress: safewayonlaplayasf.com.

Thanks to the Planning Association for the Richmond for the tip. They also report that “the next neighborhood meeting [about the new Safeway] will be held sometime in mid-November 2010.”

For ongoing information on the Safeway project, contact Ms. Natalie C. Mattei, Real Estate Manager, Safeway, Inc. Northern California Division, 5918 Stoneridge Mall Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588-3229 or by phone at (925) 467-3063. The new website also has a contact form.

Sarah B.

The top of the Lincoln Park stairs at the end of California Street now has a beautiful new tiled bench area thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Lincoln Park.

This is the first phase in a 2 year restoration project for the steps, which included re-pouring the wall bench and tiling it. The tiles for the Lincoln steps are inspired by historic photographs of Sutro Baths and buildings of the 1890 World’s Fair in San Francisco, and from the artistic vision of Aileen Barr.

Barr is a renowned tile artist who has worked on many public projects in San Francisco, including the award-winning 16th Avenue Stairs in Golden Gate Heights and tiled benches at Alta Plaza playground.

The restoration is spearheaded by lifetime Richmond District resident and Friends of Lincoln Park member Anna Yartroussis, whose goal is to raise $300,000 for the project. They were awarded a $51,000 Community Challenge Grant award from the city last year and received a $10,000 donation from adjacent Katherine Delmar Burke School where Yartroussis’ daugters are enrolled.

They are also receiving assistance from the San Francisco Parks Trust and the SF Recreation and Parks Department. The project is also receiving private donations from residents (make a donation).

On Friday November 12 at 4pm, there will be an official ribbon cutting celebration for the completion of this first phase. Congratulations to the Friends of Lincoln Park on completing the upper area – it looks great!

Sarah B.

An artist’s rendering of the restored Lincoln Steps.