It hasn't been easy for the San Francisco Giants this year after they massively revamped their roster in the offseason to transform themselves back into a competitive team.

Aside from Jordan Hicks and Matt Chapman, most of the high-profile additions to this team have been flops.

That's largely not the fault of the players, as Jung Hoo Lee suffered a freak shoulder injury that will keep him out for the rest of the year. Blake Snell signed late and hasn't had a proper warm-up period to prepare his body for Major League Baseball.

One thing continues to trouble this team during the summer months: injuries.

Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that the Giants have made another roster change after placing star outfielder Mike Yastrzemski on the injured list with an oblique muscle strain. Starting pitcher Keaton Winn is also being placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation.

In corresponding steps, San Francisco calls up the star young talents Luis Matos and David Villar.

Matos will get another chance at the major league level after making his debut in 2023, playing in 73 games with the Giants en route to a .250/.319/.342 batting average with two home runs, 16 extra-base hits and 14 RBI. He saw much less action this year, appearing in just 21 games before being demoted in the midst of his slump.

There were some opinions that if he appeared to have things under control at the plate, he wouldn't be able to stay in the minors for long.

Yastrzemski's injury gives him another chance to show the organization that he has what it takes to become an impact player in the major leagues.

However, how long he will stay on the show is uncertain.

Yastrzemski described his oblique strain as “minor” and is “glad it was caught so early.” He hopes to be back in action in 10 days.

For Winn, this is a disappointing development.

In his second year in the MLB, he looked like he could be a part of that rotation in the future, as he posted a 3.18 ERA in his first six starts this season. He spiraled out of control in May when he was forced out with right forearm discomfort and subsequently placed on the injured list.

This will be Winn's second stay on the injured list, which is never good for a young pitcher.

The post San Francisco Giants Announce Main Roster Modifications as Star Hits Injured Checklist appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The Pittsburgh Pirates released their 2023 regular-season schedule on Wednesday.

Twenty-two different teams will visit PNC Park as part of Major League Baseball’s new scheduling format.

The Pirates will open the 2023 campaign on March 30 at the Cincinnati Reds with a three-game series. Pittsburgh will play at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox from April 3-5.

The Pirates will return to Pittsburgh to face the Chicago White Sox in the home opener with the beginning of a three-game series from April 7-9.

Pittsburgh will also host Arizona, Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado, Detroit, Houston, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami, Milwaukee, the New York Mets and Yankees, Oakland, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Texas, Toronto and Washington.

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Roger Utting/123rf

United Airlines says it will be nearly 70% larger in New Zealand than in 2019.

United Airlines has announced a new Christchurch-San Francisco route making it the only airline to offer direct flights between the South Island and the US.

The announcement is part of what the airline calls “the largest South Pacific network expansion ever to and from the continental US”.

The flights to Christchurch from California start on December 1 and United will be flying three times a week on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. It is the first ever direct flight between Christchurch and San Francisco.

The airline is also adding new direct flights from Los Angeles to Auckland, as well as increased services to Australia.

The last direct connection between the South Island and the US was Air New Zealand’s service from Christchurch to Los Angeles which ended in 2006.

Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances at United, said the airline has been “enhancing” its network over the last few months.

“Our strong partnerships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia provide unparalleled connectivity, and with our historic expansion across five destinations in New Zealand and Australia, United is the clear choice for customers’ travel to the region,” said Quayle.

Christchurch Airport welcomed the news, saying on social media: “We’re so excited to announce that from 1 December United will be flying direct from Ōtautahi Christchurch to San Francisco all summer! Operating three times per week on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, you’ll be able to head to destinations across the United States and beyond.”

Currently, flyers from Christchurch need to stop over in either Auckland, Nadi or Sydney for flights to the US.

The airport’s chief executive Justin Watson said the new route will “supercharge” tourism in the region.

“The American travel market is buoyant. Americans are travelling widely again and we know they want to experience what the South Island offers,” said Watson

“Statistics show American visitors who enter the country through Christchurch Airport spend 42% more in New Zealand and stay 33% longer. Based on government data, the seasonal service is forecast to bring in $44 million in visitor spend for New Zealand, with $32 million of that in South Island regions. This is the ideal combination of national value impact and regional economic impact.”

Air New Zealand, which is a Star Alliance partner of United, welcomed the news.

The airline’s Chief Transformation and Alliances Officer Mike Williams said: “We’re thrilled that as part of our long-standing alliance partnership, our friends at United Airlines will be adding two new direct services between the United States and New Zealand in the upcoming northern winter season. This will bring the total number of routes offered by our Alliance to 8, providing unparalleled choice for Kiwis and North American visitors alike.

”Once in Aotearoa, visitors can head around the country seamlessly on our extensive domestic network.

“Our alliance partnership with United allows customers of both airlines to reach all corners of the world. It gives Kiwis the opportunity to connect domestically across the US and beyond, while also bringing more visitors to our shores. We look forward to our strong alliance continuing for many years to come.”

United claims it will have more flights and serve more destinations between the US and Australia and the US and New Zealand than any other carrier in the world.

In January another giant US airline, Delta, confirmed it will start flying to New Zealand for the first time.

It will begin operating a Los Angeles-Auckland service from October 28 using its Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

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OAKLAND — For the third time in five years, Oakland sports fans woke up heartbroken Thursday morning when their last remaining major sports franchise — the Oakland Athletics — announced they were leaving the city of East Bay.

First it was the Golden State Warriors who moved to San Francisco. Then the NFL Raiders moved to Las Vegas and now the A’s will soon follow them out of town.

Team president Dave Kaval said Wednesday night the team struck a deal last week to buy the 49-acre site where the A’s plan to build the stadium near the Las Vegas Strip with a seating capacity of 30,000-35,000.

The A’s will work with Nevada and Clark County through a public-private partnership to fund the stadium. Kaval said the A’s hopes to lay the groundwork by next year and hope to move into their new home by 2027.

“This is of course a very big milestone for us,” said Kaval. “We worked in Las Vegas for almost two years trying to find a site suitable for a long-term home. Identifying a site and having a bill of sale is a big step.”

On Wednesday, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo laid out the welcome mat.

“Welcoming the A’s to Las Vegas would be great news for southern Nevada and our entire state,” he said in a statement. “The prospect of bringing new jobs, greater economic development and an exceptional MLB team to Las Vegas is exciting on many levels. As we continue to capitalize on this opportunity, I am in regular communication with the A’s legislative leadership, Major League Baseball, and local and state stakeholders.”

The A’s had spent years looking for a new home to replace the outdated and dilapidated Oakland Coliseum, where the team had played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. They had attempted to build a stadium in Fremont and San Jose before turning their attention to Oakland’s waterfront.

Las Vegas was the fourth home for a franchise that began as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901 to 1954.

“We have our full attention on Las Vegas,” Kaval said. “We were on parallel paths before. But we’re really focused on Las Vegas as our route to finding a future home for the A’s.”

Commissioner Rob Manfred said in December that the A’s would not have to pay a relocation fee if the team moved to Las Vegas.

“We have exceeded any reasonable timeframe to resolve the situation in Oakland,” Manfred said at the time.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said in a statement she was disappointed the A’s did not negotiate with the city as a “true partner.”

“The city has done everything it can to get mutually beneficial terms to keep the A’s in Oakland,” she said. “Over the past three months, we have made significant progress towards closing the deal. However, I realize that the A’s have no intention of staying in Oakland and have simply used this process to try and get a better deal out of it, so I’m not interested in continuing to play this game — the fans and our residents deserve something better.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished as a city, including securing a position in good standing and over $375 million in new infrastructure investments that will benefit Oakland and its port for generations to come. At a time of budget deficits, I refuse to compromise the safety and well-being of our residents. In light of these facts, we are halting negotiations and are looking at alternatives for the redevelopment of Howard Terminal.”

The A’s would be only the second MLB team to change cities in more than half a century. Since the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers in 1972, the only team to move has been the Montreal Expos, who became the Washington Nationals in 2005.

The lease of the A in the Coliseum expires after the 2024 season. The A’s have struggled to attract fans to the Colosseum in recent years as owner John Fisher has slashed payroll and many of the team’s most prominent stars have been traded away.

Oakland had baseball’s lowest opening-day salary total at $58 million — less than the combined salaries of Mets pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, who posted a major league high of $43.3 million.

The team is 3-16 this season and has been surpassed by 86 runs — their worst mark in 19 games since 1899. The average attendance in 12 home games this season is 11,027, the lowest mark in the majors and less than half of League average about 27,800. The A’s have not attracted 2 million fans at home since 2014 – their only year since 2005 that they have reached the mark.

“We know it’s a difficult message for our people in Oakland,” Kaval said. “Obviously we are grateful for all the hard work that has gone into the Waterfront. But we haven’t been able to achieve success or make enough progress.”

Las Vegas has quickly become a sports mecca after years of being considered a pariah due to its ties to the gambling industry. With gambling legalized across much of the country, the city could now have a baseball team to join the NHL’s Golden Knights, which started as an expansion team in 2017, and the Raiders.

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Legendary art rock group The Residents have officially announced FACELESS FOREVER, their 50th San Francisco, California) tour April 17-19, 2023. In glorious celebration of their strange and unlikely 50th anniversary, The Residents will perform a selection from their legendary DUCK STAB! Album plus spotlight music from recent release METAL, MEAT & BONE along with an eclectic collection of fan favourites. Always unpredictable, The Residents bring their debut feature film, Triple Trouble, to live audiences nationwide at every venue on the FACELESS FOREVER tour. Triple Trouble is shown at 8:00 p.m., the concert time at 9:30 p.m.

Following its New York theatrical premiere on March 7, Triple Trouble will stream March 9-23, 2023 on MoMA (NYC)’s members-only Virtual Cinema platform (CLICK to join).

Detailed information on DUCK STAB!; METAL, FLESH & BONES; and Triple Trouble, see below:

DUCK ROD!

Released in 1978, DUCK STAB! was an EP of seven cleanly sung songs with understandable (if nonsensical) lyrics – a first for The Residents. The EP was a resounding success. After the first pressing quickly sold out, The Cryptic Corporation soon released a second pressing. Unfortunately the sound quality of the EP was poor because The Residents tried to squeeze sixteen minutes of music onto the disc. The band decided to re-release the songs in an album to improve the sound. They took a similar unreleased EP called Buster & Glen and made it onto side two of the new album. DUCK ROD! / Buster & Glen was released the following November and later renamed simply DUCK STAB. The album was a huge critical hit thanks to the music’s accessibility and sly, Lewis Carroll-inspired lyrics (not to mention Snakefinger’s amazing guitar work).

METAL, FLESH & BONES

The Residents released a new double CD recording, METAL, MEAT & BONE, based on newly discovered recordings by Alvin Snow (aka Dyin’ Dog). METAL, MEAT & BONE includes 10 Dyin’ Dog demos, 10 renditions of The Residents demos and six new Dyin’ Dog-inspired tracks. Black Francis of the Pixies is featured on the track “DIE! DIE! DIE!” to see. Rolling Stone released the music video for DIE! THE! DIE!“, which can be seen HERE.

For more information on Alvin Snow aka Dyin’ Dog, visit: youtube.com/watch?v=trE_SmrngbM&feature=youtu.be

Triple problem:

Written and directed by Homer Flynn and The Residents and produced by Starr Sutherland, Triple Trouble premiered at the 2022 Chicago Underground Film Festival and has since made guest appearances at the 45th Mill Valley Film Festival and other prestigious festivals. Triple Trouble is set in the near future after the death of Randy Rose, former lead singer of The Residents. His son Randy Junior discovers his father’s ashes have been stolen and put up for sale on eBay by a mysterious perpetrator. During his research, Junior discovers the footage for the group’s unfinished feature film, Vileness Fats, in a locker in his mother’s basement. Vileness Fats remained unfinished after initial filming in the 1970s – and was never released due to its format on half-inch “industrial” videotape. The Residents resurrect Vileness Fats with a rewritten script for Triple Trouble and feature an all-star cast of independent actors including Dustin York, Gerri Lawlor, Isabelle Ellingson and Isabelle Barbier.

Triple Trouble Synopsis:

Randall “Junior” Rose, a former priest who has lost faith in the church, has become a plumber, and instead of the easy life he had envisioned, Junior’s new job unveils an unexpected danger: an alien fungus that can destroy the whole city ​​congested. Convinced that the fungus poses a threat to humanity, Junior records a series of accounts detailing the origin of the strange white growth. Accompanied by his only companion, Cherry, an AI-powered drone, the plumber slowly gathers evidence to support his bizarre theory: an epidemic of white vans, a repeating pattern of black-and-white sidewalk drawings, a ubiquitous communications tower, and a massive increase in stops -Drains high.

He is further provoked by news of a “white flu” infiltrating the culture.

The death of his mother and a recent divorce have left Junior emotionally isolated, a victim of his own deep-rooted fears, but despite warnings from Cherry and Suzi, his ex-wife, his obsession continues to swell at an alarming rate. Encouraged by his father’s spirit, Junior spirals out of control while being plagued by a mysterious figure that threatens the edges of his lonely world. Panicked, the plumber retreats to his apartment and starts drinking.

Drunk and beside himself, Junior staggers through his apartment, neurotically longing for his dead mother’s company. Desperate for fresh air, he opens his patio door when an ominous figure bursts in. It’s Al Gump, the former guard at the crematorium where Junior’s father was cremated. Five years earlier, Gump and his brother Ollie had kidnapped his ex-wife Suzi; As a result, Junior’s mother shot and killed Ollie and the enraged Al demanded revenge. But as the brute’s fingers tighten around the hapless plumber’s neck, Gump suddenly gurgles, snorts and staggers across the room and falls to the floor with a massive thud as a foamy white substance oozes and oozes from his mouth.

Staring in amazement, Junior can only utter one word: “FUNGUS!”.

About the residents

The Residents (band, writer, artist; she/they) are an American artist collective best known for creating avant-garde music and multimedia works. Since their first official release, Santa Dog (1972), the group has released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs. You have done ten major tours and made several films. As pioneers in exploring the potential of CD-ROM and similar technologies, the Residents have received multiple awards for their multimedia projects. Ralph Records, a record label focused on avant-garde music, was founded by the band. Throughout the group’s existence, the individual members have reportedly attempted to operate under anonymity, preferring instead to draw attention to their artistic production. Much outside speculation and rumor has focused on this aspect of the group. In public, the group appears silent and in costume, often wearing eyeball helmets, top hats, and tails—an enduring costume now recognized as its distinctive iconography. His albums generally fall into two categories: deconstructions of Western popular music and complex conceptual pieces composed around a theme, theory or plot. The group is known for surrealistic lyrics and sounds, disregard for conventional musical composition, and the over-the-top theatrical spectacle of their live performances. In addition to their pioneering work in trance, world fusion, electronica, punk, industrial and lounge music, the group is also considered one of the founders of performance art and music video. Two of her videos are in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection and her Freak Show CD-ROM was recently featured in MoMA’s Looking at Music 3.0 exhibit. The Theory of Obscurity, a documentary about The Residents, premiered at SXSW in 2015.

In January 2020, while reviving their critically acclaimed 1988 album God in 3 Persons, The Residents collaborated with noted video artist John Sanborn to create a major multimedia performance at the Museum of Modern Art. Based on Alvin’s newly discovered footage Snow, also known as Dyin’ Dog, the group completed their 49th studio album, METAL, MEAT & BONE. In August 2021, The Residents performed select concerts featuring Snow’s music, reviving The Third Reich ‘n’ Roll and Duck Stab, two seminal Residents albums. In Winter/Spring 2023, The Residents will embark on their FACELESS FOREVER 50th Anniversary Tour of Europe and North America. residents. com

The Residents – FACELESS FOREVER – 50th Anniversary Tour 2023

Thu 3/16/23 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom

Free. 3/17/23 – Seattle, WA – Fremont Abbey Arts Center

Sat. 3/18/23 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theater

Mon. 3/20/23 – Salt Lake City, UT – City Lounge

Tue. 3/21/23 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater

Thu 3/23/23 – Minneapolis, MN – The Cedar

Fri. 3/24/23 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall

Sat 3/25/23 – Detroit, MI – Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit Mon

3/27/23 — South Burlington — Higher Ground Tue.

3/28/23 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair

Thu 3/30/23 – New York, NY – (Le) Poisson Rouge

Fri 3/31/23 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry at the Fillmore

Sat 4/1/23 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar

Sun. 4/2/23 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle

Mon. 4/3/23 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse

Marry. 04/05/23 – New Orleans, LA – The Broadside

Fri 4/7/23 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler

Sat 4/8/23 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater

Sun. 04/09/23 – Austin, TX – The community

Marry. 4/12/23 – Tucson, AZ – 191 Toole

Sat 4/15/23 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theater

Mon. 4/17/23 – San Francisco – Great American Music Hall

Tue. 04/18/23 – San Francisco – Great American Music Hall

Marry. 04/19/23 – San Francisco – Great American Music Hall

The post The Residents Announce FACELESS FOREVER fiftieth Anniversary Tour and Screenings of TRIPLE TROUBLE appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco Plumbing and Drain Cleaning

Our San Francisco plumbers can clear any sewer line using our advanced Hydro-jetting equipment. We have a special truck we use for this service and we are now offering $20 off of this sewer cleaning service

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB)
October 28, 2014

Plumbers in San Francisco California at Magic Plumbing have been helping homeowners and commercial customers for over 20 years. They are now offering new plumbing service discounts. The new discounts include $20 off of drain cleaning and trenchless sewer replacement in San Francisco. The new coupon is also applicable to water jetting. Hydro-jetting is the process of using a high pressure water jet to cut through any debris that are blocking the sewer pipe. Hydro-jetting can clear large grease clogs, paper products and the water can even cut through tree roots. Magic Plumbing has technicians that specialize in this type of San Francisco plumbing repair.

“Our San Francisco plumbers can clear any sewer line using our advanced Hydro-jetting equipment. We have a special truck we use for this service and we are now offering $20 off of this sewer cleaning service,” says Paul, Manager at Magic Plumbing. In addition to hydro-jetting Magic Plumbing is also offering a coupon for $20 off whole house repiping. This includes both PEX and Copper Repiping in San Francisco and the Peninsula.

Copper repiping in San Francisco or PEX re-piping should always be handled by a licensed professional. Any type of fresh water coming into the home from a city connection needs to be done right. “If a DIY homeowner messes up on welding the pipes or making the proper pipe connections the result could be catastrophic,” says Paul. “We can handle most PEX or copper re-piping in San Francisco in just one day.”

In addition to providing sewer cleaning services like hydro-jetting and whole house re-piping with copper or PEX piping, Magic Plumbing is also a full service plumber. They offer complete plumbing service and repair. Some of the services they offer include San Francisco drain cleaning, water heater repair, sewer pipe replacement, gas line installation and toilet repair. “There’s no plumbing problem we can’t handle anywhere in San Francisco,” says Paul.

To learn more about the San Francisco plumbers at Magic Plumbing please visit their website. Homeowners and businesses are also invited to read their press releases and watch their online videos. People are also encouraged to take advantage of the new discount coupons being offered for hydro-jetting and repiping in San Francisco.

Magic Plumbing

912 Cole St

suite 295

San Francisco, CA 94117

(415) 237-2083

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OAKLAND (CBS SF) — The Oakland Education Association on Sunday announced it was planning a one-day teacher strike this Friday over planned permanent school closures and what the group called “unfair labor practices.”

The official Oakland Education Association Twitter account posted information about the strike Sunday afternoon. In addition to pickets outside of Oakland Unified School District schools starting at 6:30 am on Friday, April 29, the post said there would also be an OEA block party at the Lake Amphitheater.

pic.twitter.com/MtyfyJyKnn

— Oakland Education Association (@OaklandEA) April 24, 2022

READ MORE: Santa Cruz Couple Arrested After Dog Fight Leads to Assault, Homophobic Slur

“OEA is launching a new contract campaign for safe and racially just community schools for all Oakland students!” the message read. The organization is pushing to garner support as they negotiate their next three-year contract with the district.

For months, the OEA — along with Oakland Unified parents and students — have been protesting planned closures approved by district officials earlier this year.

According to the plan, Brookfield Elementary, Carl B. Munck Elementary, Grass Valley Elementary, Horace Mann Elementary and Korematsu Discovery Academy will close in the 2022-2023 school year, while Hillcrest K-8 would close its middle school grades. Rise Community Elementary and New Highland Academy will merge this year into one school.

READ MORE: Pederson Homers Twice in Giants’ 12-3 Rout of Nationals

Oakland Unified issued a letter in response to the strike announcement later Sunday afternoon. It read in part:

“The purported basis for this potential strike is in protest over the consolidation of district schools. If this is correct, we demand that OEA immediately cease and desist from moving forward with this strike.

There is no legal basis for any concerted activity that would justify a strike or refusal to perform services benefiting District students. OEA is strongly encouraged to consult with its legal counsel before counting any votes, before announcing any results, and especially before taking any actual action. To be clear, any strike, other withholding of unit member services, or other concerted activity that disrupts the education of District students would be unlawful and an unfair labor practice, a violation of the current collective bargaining agreement between the District and OEA, and a
violation of the EERA.

More importantly, the impact on students would be significant. In light of the lost instruction due to the pandemic, OEA and OUSD worked hard together to ensure that in-person instruction was the norm for this school year. Even the threat of again depriving students of instruction, let alone an actual deprivation, especially without legal justification, will only further hurt students.”

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Oakland teachers have also been calling for improved COVID safety protocols and funding since last fall.

The post Oakland Lecturers Announce One-Day Strike on Friday; District Calls Plan ‘Unlawful’ – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Two agencies in San Francisco that focus on women, girls and non-binary people are restructuring their relationship after almost 50 years of working together. Both expect the transition to be seamless and benefit both.

The Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women and the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women announced on November 8 that the Friends Group will no longer fund and support the work of the city council and its public oversight agency. Instead, the Friends Group would widen its focus to working with myriad organizations working to ensure equality for all women, girls and non-binary people.

“We are incredibly proud of the extensive work we have done together over the past 46 years and we will continue to work with the Commission and the Department in a new format that will better serve women and girls by focusing on whom and as we expand. ” distribute the funds we have raised, “said Verna Liza Antonio-Caba, director of the group of friends, in a press release announcing the restructuring.

In a telephone interview with the Bay Area reporter, Antonio-Caba said the decision was made amicably between the two organizations. The Friends Group is its own 501 (c) 3 community and has already launched its own programs, such as two upcoming trainings for women and non-binary individuals to learn how to negotiate with their employers about a raise or a better contract . According to the 2019 tax return, the company had revenue of approximately $ 74,000 that year.

“With a view to rebranding and redefining our mission, I hope to offer more services similar to salary negotiations,” said Antonio-Caba, a direct ally who has led the group of friends for the past five years.

Due to the changed relationship with the magistrate, the Freundeskreis is expected to agree on a new name sometime in 2022. It is unclear whether it will be broader than just using the term women.

“This was so new that the board had no chance to actually meet and find out what the new name will be,” said Antonio-Caba. “Most likely yes, we will have a new name in 2022.”

Antonio-Caba noted that providing services to transgender and non-binary people has been a focus of the group of friends for quite some time. When it was founded, these terms were not used

“It’s a 46-year-old organization and I would say that terminology has only become commonplace in the last few years,” she said.

The Friends Group was founded in 1975 when the city set up the Commission on the Status of Women. A few decades later, in 1994, the city’s voters passed a vote creating the Department of the Status of Women to carry out the work of the commission.

Last November, the Mayor of London Breed appointed progressive activist Kimberly Ellis as its new director. Ellis, former executive director of Emerge California, which trains women to run for office, tried unsuccessfully to become chairwoman of the California Democratic Party in 2017. It lost in a closely-split vote against Eric Bauman, a gay man who resigned in 2018 on charges of sexually molesting several party’s employees and younger male leaders.

Ellis took over the management of the city department a few months after Breed issued an executive order that obliged all city departments with external partner organizations to introduce uniform and stricter standards for their fundraising. It followed the federal corruption scandal involving the former head of the city’s public works department, who was accused of channeling bribes into an account owned by the nonprofit San Francisco Parks Alliance.

Part of the mayor’s directive required all city departments to formalize their relationships with a non-city organization that accepts donations on behalf of the department through letters of intent. The MOUs should be drawn up and approved by the offices of the public prosecutor’s office, the controller and, if applicable, the board or commission of the department.

Ellis told the BAR in a telephone interview that her department and circle of friends had concluded that it made no sense for her to enter into a letter of intent. Instead, the city council plans to reach an agreement with a foundation that will monitor its fundraising from outside sources.

“I want to reiterate that this was a decision made after much thought and research into the historical nature of both organizations,” Ellis said, adding that what worked between the two entities decades ago no longer is what they are today Development fits.

“Really, for us it came down to the incongruity in the structural nature of the relationship that led us to decide that we had to take a different direction by partnering with a foundation or company that was not only better structured, but better also “uniquely structured to meet the needs of a department like ours,” said Ellis.

According to their joint publication, the group of friends had given the city council a total of more than $ 260,000 in annual grants over the past 15 years. The fellowships were for specific purposes based on the department’s budgets and projections, with some funding the department’s fellowship program, including a full-time fellow with an emphasis on women’s economic security.

The department, Ellis said in the press release, owes the group of friends “thanks for their staunch support, and we congratulate them as they take this new direction, when their leadership is most needed.”

Ellis told the BAR, “We do not anticipate any negative impact on either side due to the change in the relationship between the two organizations”.

“We look forward to continuing to support the Friends in the development of their organization,” said Ellis. “We look forward to this new chapter for everyone involved.”

The department has a budget of $ 10 million for the current fiscal year and has distributed more than $ 8.5 million to local organizations over the past 18 years. Like the Friends Group, she and her commission provide services to women and girls of all ages, including those who identify as non-binary or transgender.

But it is not intended to change its name to be more expansive, said Ellis, who noted that this could be confusing as the city also has an office for transgender initiatives that reports directly to the mayor. Nonetheless, she pointed out that the department had become more inclusive in the terminology used.

For example, its website includes a statement that “all references to ‘women and girls’ include gender-expansive people (cis women and girls, trans women and girls, non-binary people, gender nonconforming people, gender-specific people, and all women or girls) . identified persons). “

“This is something I have come to be aware of during my tenure, since I have worked here in all aspects of the way we work to take the most comprehensive and inclusive approach to gender,” said Ellis.

Sophia Andary, a queer woman who sits on the commission, told the BAR that there was no need to change the official name of the city council or its regulator as trans women are women.

“Trans women are women’s time,” said Andary, co-founder of the Women’s March San Francisco. “There has to be a more inclusive language for the non-binary community so that they know where they belong. But that doesn’t have to be in the title. ”

To accommodate gender-specific involvement by the department and the commission, several members of the supervisory board, including Andary, have set up a working group to develop a mission statement that will outline how both institutions will provide services to women, girls and non-binary individuals independently their sexual orientation or gender identity. It would be in addition to the model of the two entities.

“You cannot summarize everything in one mission statement. I think a vision statement goes a little deeper, ”explains Andary. “It’s something that focuses on future goals, not just a general everyday thing, but more on getting us to that point.”

It is expected that the full commission will adopt the vision statement in the coming months.

To learn more about the Friends Group, visit their website.

You can find more information about the city office here.

Stay up to date with the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes

Do you have a tip about LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or email m.bajko@ebar.com

The Political Notes column will appear on Monday, December 6th.

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The state will renew discounts to homeowners who replace older, inefficient wood-burning stoves with cleaner, EPA-certified wood and pellet stoves that use less fuel, reduce energy costs and improve air quality.

the Commonwealth Woodstove Change-out Program will provide $ 450,000 for citizens who meet eligibility requirements. The announcement was made by state energy and environmental officials during a tour of The Fire Place in Whately on Thursday.

The program has helped more than 2,300 residents swap dirty, inefficient stoves for newer, cleaner models, with 50 percent of the funding going to low-income residents. To improve air quality, all newly installed stoves must exceed federal emission standards. The program has also increased its incentive to support ovens with proven high efficiency.

To qualify for a discount, a resident must have a functional, non-EPA certified wood stove. Apply, the resident should visit a participating wood-burning stove dealer or contact a participating stove specialist such as a chimney sweep, who will process the discount application on behalf of the residents. Residents across the state can find a local participating wood stove professional by viewing the list of wood stove dealers who have registered to participate.

Discount requests will be accepted until August 5th, 2019.

The Commonwealth Woodstove Change-Out Program was launched in 2012 and is administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) with support from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

If you have any questions about the Commonwealth Woodstove Change-Out Program, please call (617) 315-9300 or email woodstoves@masscec.com.

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