The Richmond District is bordered on each side by large parks – the Presidio and Golden Gate Park – both of which have their own budding populations of feral cats. Some of them may be visitors to your property on occasion, looking for a little food and affection.

Next Tuesday night, the Richmond District branch library will host a free workshop on “Community Cats”. The program is put on by the Community Cares Department of the San Francisco SPCA.

Come to the workshop to learn more about San Francisco’s community cats, how Trap Neuter Return (TNR) programs can be successful in your neighborhood, and how you can get involved in helping the feral cats in our neighborhood.

The free workshop takes place on Tuesday, January 31 from 6pm until 8pm at the Richmond Library (351 9th Avenue).

Sarah B.

Residents met with police and city officials on January 20th about the Jack in the Box
after hours permit request. Photo by David H.

Last Friday afternoon, the Richmond District police station hosted a community meeting about the Jack in the Box restaurant on Geary at 11th Avenue. At tomorrow’s Entertainment Commission meeting, the restaurant will be asking for their after-hours permit to be renewed, allowing them to remain open between the hours of 2am and 6am.

About ten neighbors attended the meeting, along with owners of two local bars – The Hearth and Would You Believe? – that are located just across the street from the restaurant. Others in attendance included new Richmond District station Captain Eric Vintero, two members of the Entertainment Commission, a representative from Jack in the Box, and Supervisor Eric Mar, who led the meeting.

Up for discussion was whether or not Jack in the Box should be permitted to stay open 24 hours. A fight began early on Thanksgiving morning in the restaurant, which then led to a brutal hit-n-run crime a couple of blocks away. After the incident, the city took a closer look at the restaurant and realized it no longer had the proper permits to operate after hours. So since early December, the Jack in the Box has been closed between 2am and 6am.

Neighbors who live nearby say it’s been a great improvement since the restaurant reduced its hours. There’s been less noise and a general sense of feeling safer.

“People have said for years it’s been like an alarm clock at 2 a.m.,” Lee said. “Now we can sleep through the night, and we feel safer to be shopping and walking around. It has transformed our neighborhood immediately around Jack in the Box, and we are here to fight to keep it this way,” resident David Lee told The Examiner.

The Examiner reports that police calls are down. The SFPD has received only 3 calls in the 7 weeks since Jack in the Box reduced their hours. In the months prior, when the restaurant was open 24/7, they were averaging 7 calls a month; a total of 270 calls in 2010. The majority of those occurred between 9pm and 4am.

While many residents are opposed to Jack in the Box being granted an after-hours permit, the SFPD are not. At the meeting, the police said they supported Jack in the Box being open 24 hours a day, with the stipulation that they increase their security.

Last year, the manager at the Jack in the Box worked with the Richmond Police Advisory Board and SAFE to make security improvements to the property, including improved lighting, adding security guards on Thursday through Saturday nights, and trimming overgrown landscaping.

Things seemed to be improving after the security changes, but the Thanksgiving day incident brought a high-powered microscope over the restaurant, one of only two businesses in the Richmond District that is open 24 hours a day.

The other is the Subway sandwich shop (5650 Geary at 21st Avenue) which, as it turns out, also does not have the proper permits to stay open after hours. The city is working to get them in to compliance. At last Friday’s meeting, Clement Street’s Rockit Room was mentioned several times as another source of neighborhood problems, resulting in police calls. Residents claim that so far, the club’s owners have not responded to the offer of a free security survey offer from SAFE, like the one that was provided for Jack in the Box last year.

The real fireworks will come at tomorrow’s meeting of the Entertainment Commission (6:30pm at City Hall, Room 400), when arguments will be heard from both sides about whether or not Jack in the Box should be allowed to operate after hours.

David Lee, a Richmond District resident and business owner, will no doubt present his petition for which he has gathered nearly 1,500 signatures from neighbors, all opposing Jack in the Box extending its hours.

But with the SFPD supporting a 24 hour operation and there being so few in the neighborhood, it’s possible that Jack in the Box could get its permit back.

Which way would you vote? To let Jack in the Box stay open 24 hours, or stay with their reduced hours?

Special thanks to cub reporter David H. for the details and photo from last Friday’s meeting.

Sarah B.

While you’re getting wet today, you can reflect back on the great rainbow we had on Saturday. Photos by cristiano valli.

Today caps the end of the first week for Captain Eric Vintero as the new head of the Richmond District police station. He replaces Captain Keith Sanford who will remain on as one of the night captains at the precinct.

Captain Vintero included his full bio below in this week’s police blotter. Highlights include 17 years with the SFPD, and stints at many station houses. Vintero grew up right here in the Richmond District, attending Frank McCoppin Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and George Washington High School.

“I am honored to be the Captain of Richmond Station and I look forward to working with the Community to make this the safest district in the City,” Vintero said.

Welcome back to the neighborhood, Captain Vintero!

Sarah B.

=======================

POLICE BLOTTER – January 20, 2011

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of January 12, 2011. To be added to the station's mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]

CAPTAIN VINTERO’S MESSAGE
This has been my first week on the job as the Captain of Richmond Station. I have been with the SFPD for nearly 17 years and have worked at the following stations and units; Richmond Station, Northern Station, Ingleside Station, Southern Station, SWAT team, Tenderloin Station, Taraval Station, Robbery Detail, Park Station, Mission Station, Bayview Station, and the Legal Division. I was born and raised in San Francisco and grew up in the Richmond District, attending Frank McCoppin Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and George Washington High School. I have an A.S. Degree in Criminology from City College of San Francisco, and a B.S. Degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco . I am happily married and have 5 beautiful children. I am honored to be the Captain of Richmond Station and I look forward to working with the Community to make this the safest district in the City.

There have been several serious traffic accidents this week. Richmond Station will be conducting several traffic enforcement operations at problematic intersections to increase traffic and pedestrian safety. Attached to this bulletin are safety tips for drivers and pedestrians.

Captain Eric Vintero
Eric.vintero@sfgov.org

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 01/10/12, 9:15pm and 01/11/12, 7:15am on the 2700 block of Bush St, a suspect gained entry into a garage and entered the vehicle parked inside. The suspect took a wallet, cash and identification from the car, and a bike and skill saw from the garage. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 01/12 between 8am and 7pm on the 500 block of 7th Ave , a suspect gained entry into a garage and took a bicycle. There were no signs of forced entry.

Between 01/13/12, 6pm and 01/16/12, 9:30am on the 400 block of 9th Ave, a suspect gained entry into a garage and broke out a window of a vehicle parked inside. The suspect took a bag of clothing and a charger. There were no signs of forced entry into the garage.

On 01/15/12 at 10:37pm, the victim was on Fulton near 4th Ave. The suspects were walking towards him
and as they began to pass, one of the suspects grabbed the victim around his body, and the second suspect brandished a handgun. As victim struggled to get free the suspects punched him about his body then threw him to the ground. The suspects searched his pockets but were not able to locate any items. They fled north on 4th Ave , towards Cabrillo. The suspects were described as males in their early 20’s, one wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, the other in a gold jacket with a white hood.

On 01/16/12 at 1pm, the victim locked her bike to a tree at Clement and 8th Ave. When she returned at
1:30pm, the bike and lock were gone.

On 01/17/12 at 9:45am, the victim was inside her home on the 3200 block Pacific when she happened to look at her window. She saw that the suspect had opened the driver’s side door of her vehicle and was leaning into her vehicle taking her property. The victim remembered she had left her wallet in the car and ran out of the house yelling at the suspect to give her the wallet back. The suspect ran to his car and jumped in the driver’s seat, but the victim was able to hold open the suspects door, all the while yelling at him. With the victim still holding onto the open door, the suspect tried to back out of the parking place but didn’t have enough room. The suspect became agitated and finally threw the victim’s items out into the street. He then threw the car into reverse, struck the car parked behind him and fled west bound on Pacific Ave. The victim was uninjured. The suspect was described as a male in his early 20’s wearing a dark beanie cap, black jacket and blue jeans. The vehicle was described as a blue SUV, possibly a Toyota.

On 01/17/12 between 1pm and 11:30pm on the 400 block of 8th Ave , a suspect gained entry into a
garage and took a bike. There were no signs of forced entry.

Event Co-Chairs Eva Monroe and Ernie Ng at Thursday’s press event.

This Saturday from 10am until 4pm, the Botanical Garden in Golden Park is hosting their annual, free celebration and show in honor of the Chinese New Year.

This year’s program includes classical stringed instruments and cultural dance performances by Alice Fong Yu School, lion dancers, magician Jaden Huang, and a puppet show from the Chinese Historical Society of America. There will also be a raffle with prizes given away throughout the day.

You can also attend a talk by Chinatown historian Lyle Jan, or taste in the Tea Room thanks to Vital Tea Leaf.

For the kids there’s story time, educational activities, an Asian Art Museum center for the kids, plus learning activities with the 826 Valencia writing center.

Saturday’s schedule:
10am – West Coast Lion dancers
11am – Alice Fong Yu School Performance
11:30am – Rosa Parks School Performance
12pm – West Coast Lion Dancers
12:15pm – Magician Jaden Huang
1:30pm – SFBGS Story Time
2pm – Chinatown history with Lyle Jan

While there, grab a map for a self-guided tour of the Asian Plants in the Botanical Garden, or join a docent tour at 10:30am or 1pm.

Also expect to see some beautiful and exotic flowers. The photo below was taken at the press preview on Thursday.

The celebration takes place on Saturday from 10am until 4pm at the County Fair Building in the Botanical Garden. Admission is free.

Sarah B.

Photo by PatrickSmithPhotography

Some background on the shot from the photographer:

I was thinking about some long exposures after I had photographed some big surf so I walked along the haunted concrete walkways crossing over what seem like ancient ruins. I did a couple of long exposures and as I set up for one last shot, a couple decided to plop right down in front. Rather than worry about it, I worked them into the photo by moving to the right far enough to get them separated from the dark background of the offshore rocks. That way they stood out well against the background. They stayed put for the entire time and 4 minutes later, I was finished! Taken February, 2010.

This Saturday, the Westside Art House is putting on a concert to celebrate the Chinese New Year which takes place next Monday, Jan. 23. This is the year of the dragon.

Performing will be the San Francisco-based trio of DaMaDa. They combine Chinese folk song styles from Zhuangzu, Yi Zu, Miaozu, Xinjiang, and other Chinese provinces with American improvisational jazz forms.

The concert begins at 8:30pm this Saturday at the Westside Art House, 540 Balboa. Tickets are $8 per person.

Since they opened last February, the Westside Art House has built a great calendar of free and low-cost classes, workshops and seminars for the community. Check out their website or follow them on Facebook to keep up with their events and classes.

Sarah B.

RichmondSFBlog reader Robyn sent us this photo of a Honda CRV on its keester yesterday.

Robyn reports that the car, holding two teenage girls, was crossing at 44th Avenue around 8:30am on Tuesday when another heading east up Pt. Lobos t-boned it, toppling it over.

Today a speed check was set up by police at the intersection. The maximum speed limit is 25mph but Robyn says, “most people are blazing thru @ 50″ as they drive up from Ocean Beach.

Be careful out there, folks!

Sarah B.