3rd Alarm Fire on 700 block of Masonic. Multiple buildings evacuated with a partial floor collapse. 1 person rescued and transported to local area hospital. Masonic between Hayes and Fulton is closed to traffic. Please avoid the area and find alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/atvTExY9Rt

— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) December 11, 2023

San Francisco (CA) firefighters responded to a fire in a three-story residential building on Masonic Avenue early Monday.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the fire burned three duplexes and left two people injured.

At least 100 firefighters responded to the early-morning fire that struck an Edwardian building and two adjacent dwellings. One person jumped out of a window and sustained minor injuries, while another had to be escorted out by responders.

Lieutenant Mariano Elias, a fire department spokesperson, told reporters that the original fire building was undergoing construction, and floors partially collapsed from the flames.

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The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and City College of San Francisco have filed dueling lawsuits over who will move the massive piece back to the college. Image by mliu92/Wikimedia Commons

Nov. 18 (UPI) — Two public institutions — an art museum and a community college — are facing dueling lawsuits over who will pay to move a massive Diego Rivera fresco.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art claimed in an October lawsuit that City College of San Francisco hasn’t paid its share to move the 30-ton mural, colloquially known as Pan American Unity, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. City College countersued Friday, saying the museum mismanaged its finances so it can’t afford to send the piece back.

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The he-said, she-said sets the stage for a court battle while the work remains stuck in limbo, college Board of Trustees President Alan Wong said.

“We were thrilled to partner with the SFMOMA to share the mural with the world. Our partnership had an agreed upon multi-million dollar budget for them to take care of and return the mural we loaned,” he said.

“Now they haven’t returned the mural by the agreed-upon deadline, exceeded the budget and want money meant for our school buildings to foot the bill. We are, therefore, deeply disappointed that we had no choice but to file a counterclaim in response to the museum’s lawsuit against the college. We look forward to resolving this dispute and returning this national art treasure to its rightful home.”

The standoff began after the school loaned the work — officially called Unión de la Expresión Artística del Norte y Sur de este Continente — to the museum in 2019 while the school performed building renovations.

According to court documents, the agreement states the museum was to budget nearly $4 million, which included $1 million dedicated to return the piece by Sept. 1. Any deadline changes were required to be mutually approved.

The school claims the museum mismanaged its finances and never set aside funds to return the piece. Instead, the museum allegedly changed the terms of the initial agreement without approval and pursued litigation, the school said.

“SFMOMA also suggested the college tap into its $181.3 million in San Francisco taxpayer bond funds, which can only be used for the construction of new educational facilities, to compensate for the world-renowned museum’s financial mismanagement,” the school said.

The mural is currently in storage at the museum but is slated to be displayed in the college’s new Performing Arts Pavilion in 2026. The piece, which spans 1,600 feet, was completed in 1940 and features 10 panels depicting the past, present and future. It also includes three self-portraits and a portrait of artist Frida Kahlo, his wife.

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Ravens 27, Bengals 24: In Cincinnati, Lamar Jackson tossed two touchdown passes, Gus Edwards ran for another score and Baltimore held off slow-starting Cincinnati on Sunday.

The AFC North champion Bengals fell to 0-2 for the second consecutive season. The Ravens (2-0), their division rival, certainly looked like the better team.

Jackson was 24 for 33 for 237 yards. He ran for 54 more, and Edwards – with more chances because of a season-ending Achilles tendon injury to J.K. Dobbins – picked up 62 yards on 10 carries.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, looking as if he might still be suffering the effects of a calf injury in training camp, finished 27-for-41 for 222 yards and two TDs after passing for just 86 last week in the season-opening loss to Cleveland.

Burrow hooked up with Tee Higgins for a 4-yard touchdown on third-and-goal to cut the deficit to three with 3:28 left in the game.

But the Bengals couldn’t stop Jackson and the Ravens’ offense, which moved the chains twice after the ensuing kickoff to run out the clock.

Jackson completed all five passes he threw on a 70-yard opening drive that ate up nearly eight minutes, and Edwards bulled in from 1 yard out to finish it.

The Bengals tied it early in the second quarter on an electrifying 81-yard punt return for a touchdown by rookie Charlie Jones. It was Jones’ first NFL score and the first punt returned for a TD by a Cincinnati player since 2012.

The Bengals didn’t shake off their lingering offensive malaise until well into the second quarter. They didn’t record a first down until more than 10 minutes into the second, and that came on a defensive pass interference penalty.

But the drive stalled at the Ravens 9 when cornerback Rock Ya-Sin knocked away a pass into the end zone intended for Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals had to settle for 27-yard field goal from Evan McPherson.

In the second half, Burrow engineered a drive that went to the Ravens 17, but he was picked off near the goal line by Geno Stone. Baltimore’s ensuing drive ended with a 3-yard TD pass from Jackson to Mark Andrews and a 20-10 Ravens lead.

The Bengals pulled within 20-17 while putting together their best drive of the season, with Burrow going 8 for 10 and tossing a 3-yard TD pass to Tee Higgins.

Baltimore pushed the lead back to 10 in the fourth quarter when Jackson connected with Nelson Agholor from 17 yards out.

Commanders 35, Broncos 33: In Denver, Sam Howell threw for two touchdowns and Washington rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat Denver, holding on after Russell Wilson connected with Brandon Johnson on a 50-yard Hail Mary, but failed to complete the tying two-point try.

Washington cornerback Benjamin St-Juste broke up Wilson’s pass to Courtland Sutton on the 2-point conversion attempt. St-Juste appeared to get away with pass interference, but no flag was thrown and the Commanders celebrated the franchise’s first 2-0 start since 2011 while Sutton and his teammates argued vehemently for a foul.

Howell threw for 299 yards on on 27-of-39 passing in his first road start and led Washington to the second-biggest comeback in franchise history. Washington overcame a 21-point deficit to beat Detroit on Nov. 4, 1990.

The Commanders trailed 21-3 in the second quarter. Brian Robinson Jr. ran for two scores during a 32-6 scoring outburst before the Broncos made it interesting at the very end.

With 2 seconds left and the Broncos trailing 35-27, Wilson heaved a pass toward the end zone that was deflected by a scrum of players before Johnson snared it for the score.

The Broncos (0-2) have lost back-to-back home games for the first time, not the kind of history coach Sean Payton was hoping to make in his return to the sideline after a year in the broadcast studio following a highly successful 15-year stint in New Orleans, especially after he criticized predecessor Nathaniel Hackett for doing one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history last year.

The Broncos jumped out to their big lead by scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions for the first time since Nov. 14, 2010, against Kansas City, a game they went on to win 49-29.

Payton got the ball into his young speedsters’ hands early on, and it paid off with undrafted rookie Jaleel McLaughlin scoring on a 5-yard pitch, rookie receiver Marvin Mims Jr. hauling in a 60-yard touchdown pass and second-year wideout Johnson hauling in a 16-yard score.

None of the three touched the ball again until Mims got a handoff midway through the third quarter with the score tied at 21.

Mims had two caches for 113 yards on two targets but wasn’t targeted again and spent much of the rest of the game on the sideline.

Robinson’s 2-yard TD run with 13:25 left gave Washington its first lead at 28-24 and his second score, from 15 yards out, made it 35-24 with 7:11 remaining.

The game turned when Howell threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Logan Thomas on fourth-and-goal and safety Kareem Jackson was ejected for launching himself at the tight end, who suffered a concussion on the play and didn’t return. Jackson also drew a 15-yard flag in the opener for a hit he put on Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers.

With the flag moving the conversion try to the 1, Washington went for 2 and pulled within 21-11 when Robinson got the ball past the plane. Joey Slye’s 46-yard field goal as the first half expired made it 21-14.

The Commanders tied it on Terry McLaurin’s 30-yard TD grab on their first drive after halftime.

Giants 31, Cardinals 28: In Glendale, Arizona, Daniel Jones threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns, Graham Gano connected on a 34-yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining and New York rallied from a 21-point third-quarter deficit to stun Arizona.

It was the biggest comeback win for the Giants since a 21-point rally in 1949 – also against the Cardinals. Arizona blew its biggest lead since 2011.

The Giants (1-1) lost 40-0 in Week 1 against the Cowboys and didn’t look much better against the Cardinals during the first half, falling into a 20-0 hole at halftime. They trailed 28-7 in the third quarter but cut the margin to 28-14 on Saquon Barkley’s 1-yard touchdown run.

New York kept the pressure on in the fourth, pulling within 28-21 with 8:51 left on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Barkley. They tied the game on Jones’ perfectly placed 11-yard touchdown pass to a diving Isaiah Hodgins.

The Giants forced a three-and-out, then drove 56 yards in eight plays to set up Gano’s go-ahead kick.

Jones was 26 of 37 passing. He also ran for 59 yards and a 14-yard touchdown. Barkley ran for 63 yards and a touchdown, but hobbled off the field late in the fourth quarter with an apparent right ankle injury.

James Conner ran for 106 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals.

Arizona (0-2) has lost six straight games at home dating to last October. The Giants denied quarterback Joshua Dobbs his first win as an NFL starter and coach Jonathan Gannon his first NFL victory.

Dobbs – making his second start with the Cardinals after being acquired in a trade with the Browns last month – pushed the Cardinals ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter on a 23-yard touchdown run, bowling through Giants safety Xavier McKinney on the way to the end zone.

Dobbs fell to 0-4 as a starter. He lost twice with Tennessee last season. He was 21 of 31 passing for 228 yards and a touchdown.

Arizona went ahead 7-0 midway through the first quarter after an impressive nine-play, 86-yard drive that ended with Conner’s 4-yard touchdown run.

Things got worse for the Giants late in the second quarter when Jones’ pass to Barkley bounced off the running back and into the arms of Arizona safety Jalen Thompson, who ran it back 35 yards to the New York 34. The Cardinals capitalized with Matt Prater’s 44-yard field goal.

49ers 30, Rams 23: In Inglewood, California, Brock Purdy passed for 206 yards and ran for an early touchdown, Deebo Samuel rushed for an 11-yard TD with 11:28 left and San Francisco hung on its ninth consecutive regular-season victory over Los Angeles.

Christian McCaffrey rushed for 116 yards and a score for the 49ers (2-0), whose only loss to the Rams since December 2018 was in the NFC championship game in January 2022.

Isaiah Oliver and Deommodore Lenoir intercepted passes by Matthew Stafford in the second half, finally allowing the 49ers to pull in front of their longtime rivals.

The 49ers’ defense overcame a record-setting performance by rookie Puka Nacua, who caught 15 passes for 147 yards for Los Angeles (1-1). The fifth-round pick broke the NFL’s single-game record for receptions by a rookie, and he set a new overall league mark with 25 catches in the first two games of his career.

Purdy went 17 for 25 with a handful of glaring mistakes in his first career game against the rebuilding Rams (1-1), who followed up their surprise season-opening win at Seattle by remaining competitive with their powerhouse opponent throughout the afternoon at SoFi Stadium. Purdy came through on fourth down at the Rams 1 on the final play before halftime, sneaking over the goal line to even the score 17-17.

Stafford passed for 307 yards and threw a TD pass to Kyren Williams for Los Angeles. Williams also rushed for a touchdown and had 100 combined offensive yards in his first NFL start, but he caused a key interception when a pass ricocheted off his hands in the third quarter, leading to Jake Moody’s go-ahead, 57-yard field goal.

Along with Nacua’s second spectacular game, Tutu Atwell added seven catches for 77 yards for Los Angeles as both receivers stepped up again in Cooper Kupp’s absence.

The 49ers are unbeaten after back-to-back road games to open the season, but they were tested in Inglewood. Los Angeles’ undertalented defense made several timely stops and forced San Francisco to settle for three field goals, including after both of the 49ers’ takeaways.

McCaffrey made a 14-yard touchdown run to cap San Francisco’s opening drive. McCaffrey then made a 50-yard run on the final play of the first quarter, but the Rams kept it even with a responding drive ending in Williams’ first TD.

Los Angeles went ahead 1:45 before halftime with an 88-yard drive ending in Williams’ TD run, but the Niners went 75 yards for Purdy’s fourth-down sneak for a 1-yard TD at the halftime gun.

Purdy missed receivers on long throws at least three times, keeping the game close and frustrating the 49ers fans in attendance. But Williams gifted an interception to Oliver in the third quarter when Stafford’s pass hit the running back in the hands and popped high in the air.

After kicking a field goal, the Niners went 74 yards for a score on their next drive, ending in Samuel’s sprint through two missed tackles.

The Rams got the ball back with 5:29 left, but Stafford’s third-down throw into traffic was picked off by Lenoir.

Falcons 25, Packers 24: In Atlanta, Younghoe Koo booted a 25-yard field goal with 57 seconds remaining and rookie Bijan Robinson turned in another dynamic performance Sunday, rallying Atlanta to victory over Jordan Love and Green Bay.

Robinson rushed for 124 yards on 19 carries and hauled in four catches for another 48 yards, showing why the Falcons (2-0) selected him No. 8 pick in the draft even though running backs aren’t supposed to go that high anymore.

The Packers (1-1) squandered a 24-12 lead and three more touchdown passes from Love, who now has a half-dozen scoring throws in his first two games as Aaron Rodgers’ replacement in Titletown.

Atlanta’s young quarterback, Desmond Ridder, bootlegged for a 6-yard touchdown on fourth-and-4 with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Then it was Ridder and Robinson teaming up for two more drives that set up field goals by Koo, including a 39-yarder with 8:13 remaining.

Robinson had 56 yards rushing and 27 yards receiving in his NFL debut, a 24-10 victory over the Panthers.

He was even better against the Packers.

Love wasn’t too shabby, either, especially considering the injury-depleted offense that was around him. He completed 14 of 25 passes for 151 yards and hooked up with a pair of rookies on his three TDs.

But the Packers offense dried up in the final quarter, allowing the Falcons to move to 2-0 for only the 11th time in franchise history.

Love went to second-round pick Jayden Reed for touchdowns of 10 and 9 yards – the first scores of the receiver’s young career.

Love also connected with Dontayvion Wicks on a 32-yard touchdown that gave the fifth-round pick his first TD as a pro.

The Packers were missing three injured starters on offense and lost another during the game, leaving Love to play behind a patched-together line.

Koo kicked four field goals to offset a missed extra point that left the Falcons down 10-9 at halftime.

Seahawks 37, Lions 31 (OT): In Detroit, Geno Smith threw a second touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett on the opening drive of overtime, lifting Seattle to a win over Detroit.

The Seahawks (1-1) earned the victory after the Lions (1-1) rallied from a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter, extending the game with Riley Patterson’s 38-yard field goal as regulation expired.

Smith threw a go-ahead, 3-yard touchdown pass to Lockett early in the fourth and Tre Brown returned a Jared Goff interception for a score on the ensuring drive to give Seattle a 31-21 lead.

Goff showed his resilience after throwing his first interception in 383 attempts – 30 shy of the NFL record – by throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds to cap a drive that started with linebacker Darrell Taylor getting flagged for roughing the passer.

Detroit forced Seattle to punt on the ensuing possession on fourth-and-35, sacking Smith for the first – and only time – when Alex Anzalone tracked him down at his 3.

The Seahawks bounced back from a lopsided loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams with an impressive win against a suddenly relevant team.

The Lions failed to give their fired-up fans a reason to cheer after opening the season with a win on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Seattle started strong, going 75 yards on 12 plays in nearly 8 minutes with Walker scoring on a 1-yard run.

The Lions answered quickly on Goff’s 22-yard touchdown throw to Josh Reynolds. They took a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter when rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon was fooled on a flea flicker in his NFL debut, allowing Kalif Raymond to get behind him to catch Goff’s 36-yard pass.

On Detroit’s first snap of the second half, David Montgomery fumbled at the Lions 22 and Seattle took advantage with Walker’s 3-yard touchdown run to pull into a tie. As the Lions did early in the game, they responded with a touchdown drive that ended with Montgomery’s 4-yard tiebreaking score.

The Seahawks’ second 12-play possession ended with Jason Myers, who missed a pair of field goals in the first half, making a 25-yard field goal late in the third quarter.

Titans 27, Chargers 24 (OT): In Nashville, Tennessee, Nick Folk kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime in a sudden downpour and Tennessee snapped an eight-game skid by beating Los Angeles.

The Titans (1-1) won for the first time since Nov. 17 in Green Bay last season. They had to rally from an 11-3 deficit at a point where the Chargers had more points than Tennessee had yards (eight).

Ryan Tannehill rebounded from the worst game of his career in the opener by throwing for 246 yards and put Tennessee up 24-21 with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. He also ran for a touchdown and started the game-winning drive with a 49-yard toss to Chris Moore.

Derrick Henry had 80 yards and also ran for a touchdown.

The Chargers (0-2) now are mired in their first winless start since 2017 when they lost their first four games in both their first season in Los Angeles and first with then-coach Anthony Lynn.

Justin Herbert threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns to Keenan Allen. With the ball and 2:22 left in regulation, he was sacked by Harold Landry forcing the Chargers to settle for Cameron Dicker’s third field goal of the game to force overtime.

The Chargers won the coin toss. But Herbert threw three straight incompletions as Tennessee forced just its third three-and-out of the game.

Both teams played without key starters because of injuries. For the Chargers, running back Austin Ekeler (ankle) and linebacker Eric Kendricks, their biggest offseason addition, was sidelined by a sore hamstring.

Los Angeles at least had linebacker Joey Bosa active after he had been questionable with an injured hamstring. He had two of the Chargers’ five sacks.

The Titans already declared out two starters in their secondary with safety Amani Hooker in the concussion protocol and cornerback Kristian Fulton’s hamstring an issue again. Rookie left guard Peter Skoronski, the No. 11 pick overall out of Northwestern in April, was declared out Saturday with an illness.

Tennessee started Xavier Newman, a second-year undrafted free agent out of Baylor at left guard. That didn’t last as the Chargers ended back-to-back drives with sacks getting to Tannehill untouched. Dillon Radunz, who tore an ACL last December, took over to start the second quarter.

Tennessee finally showed signs of life on offense. Tannehill hit Treylon Burks with a perfectly thrown 70-yard pass, and Henry capped the quick drive with 1-yard TD – Tennessee’s first TD of the season.

Folk kicked a 33-yard field goal as the half ended to pull Tennessee within 14-10. Tannehill capped a 75-yard drive to open the third with a 12-yard TD run, a drive kept alive by the Chargers’ first two penalties of the game both on third down.

Herbert capped an 80-yard drive with a 12-yard TD pass to Allen within the first minute of the fourth quarter.

The Titans tried to answer but went three-and-out on consecutive drives, the second ended by the Chargers’ fifth sack.

Colts 31, Texans 20: In Houston, Anthony Richardson rushed for two touchdowns before leaving with a concussion and Gardner Minshew threw for 171 yards and a TD as the Indianapolis Colts held off the Houston Texans for a 31-20 win on Sunday.

It was the first win for coach Shane Steichen, who was hired in February after spending the last two seasons as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator.

The Colts led by 18 at halftime and managed only a field goal in the second half. But their dominant start was enough to snap an eight-game skid dating to last season. It was their first win since Nov. 13 at Las Vegas.

Richardson gave the Colts (1-1) an early lead when he dashed 18 yards untouched on their first drive.

C.J. Stroud fumbled when he was sacked by Samson Ebukam, and it was recovered by Indianapolis at the 15. Richardson made it 14-0 when he ran 15 yards for the score on the next play.

The rookie quarterback, who was selected by Indy with the No. 4 pick in the NFL draft, hit the back of his head when he was pushed down at the end of the score, but he popped right up to celebrate. He remained in the game for two more possessions before going to the medical tent and then to the locker room.

Stroud, the second overall pick in the draft, threw for 384 yards and two touchdowns . But he was sacked six times and hit nine other times playing behind a line filled with backups. The Texans (0-2) lost four starters on the line during camp and were also without star left tackle Laremy Tunsil on Sunday because of a knee injury.

The Texans closed to 31-20 on a 23-yard touchdown reception by rookie Tank Dell with about 10 minutes to go. It was the first career touchdown for the third-round pick from the University of Houston.

Houston got a stop after that, but wouldn’t get any closer after missing a long field goal on the next possession.

Stroud threw his first career touchdown pass when he connected with Nico Collins for a 12-yard score that cut the lead to 14-7 with about three minutes left in the first quarter. Collins finished with seven receptions for a career-high 146 yards.

Minshew took over for Richardson in the second quarter and orchestrated a 76-yard drive capped by an 11-yard scoring run by Zack Moss that made it 21-7.

The Colts pushed it to 28-10 when Kylen Granson scored on a 4-yard pass just before halftime.

Richardson is the third QB in NFL history with three rushing touchdowns in his first two games, joining Daunte Culpepper and Jack Thompson. Richardson, who is 21 years and 118 days old, is also the youngest quarterback with two rushing touchdowns in a game.

Josh Jones filled in for Tunsil and had a holding penalty in the fourth quarter that negated a touchdown by Dell. The Texans settled for a field goal on that drive to cut the lead to 31-13.

Chiefs 17, Jaguars 9: In Jacksonville, Florida, Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes, including one to returning star Travis Kelce, and Kansas City overcame three early turnovers to beat Jacksonville for its third victory against the Jaguars in 10 months.

The Chiefs (1-1) won their eighth straight in the series and avoided becoming the first Super Bowl champions to start 0-2 since Denver in 1999.

The Jaguars (1-1), who insisted all week they owed the Chiefs because of a loss in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs in January, pretty much no-showed in their home opener.

Coach Doug Pederson’s team had another slow start, failed to capitalize on two of three turnovers and struggled to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Lawrence threw incomplete on a fourth-and-12 play with 4:16 remaining in an eight-point game, and Kansas City didn’t let the Jaguars get the ball back.

Chiefs All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, making his season debut after ending his holdout and signing a one-year contract, dominated his one-on-one matchups. Jones manhandled rookie right tackle Anton Harrison and was equally effective against the rest of Jacksonville’s line. He finished with two sacks on five QB pressures.

With extra time to prepare following a loss to Detroit 10 days earlier in the NFL opener, the Chiefs had hoped to look a lot more like their normally dynamic selves on offense. But Richie James muffed a punt, Justin Watson fumbled and Mahomes threw an interception. Kadarius Toney, who dropped three passes in the opener, fumbled late in the third but was able to scoop up the loose ball and avoid another turnover.

Mahomes completed 29 of 41 passes for 305 yards. He found Kelce all alone in the end zone to extend KC’s lead to 14-6. CBS play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle slipped in a song reference to reports linking Kelce to pop superstar Taylor Swift by saying “Kelce finds a blank space for the score.” One of Swift’s many hits is “Blank Space.”

Kelce, who missed the opener because of a hyperextended knee, punted the ball into the end zone to celebrate. He finished with four catches on nine targets for 26 yards.

The Chiefs converted twice on fourth down and outgained Jacksonville 399 to 271 in total yards. The Jaguars had several chances but settled for field goals in two trips into the red zone, and they averaged a measly 4.2 yards per play.

Buccaneers 27, Bears 17: In Tampa, Florida, Baker Mayfield passed for 317 yards and a touchdown Sunday, adding to his strong debut with Tampa Bay with a victory over struggling Chicago.

With Mayfield playing turnover-free ball for the second straight week and Mike Evans catching six balls for 171 yards and a TD, the Bucs improved to 2-0 while handing the Bears a franchise-record 12th consecutive loss.

Mayfield completed 26 of 34 passes, looking quite comfortable in another new home. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft is playing with his fourth team in just over two years.

He set up Rachaad White’s 1-yard TD run with a 70-yard completion to Evans in the first quarter. He also finished an 89-yard drive with a 32-yard scoring pass to Tampa Bay’s all-time leading receiver early in the second half.

Tampa Bay’s defense did its job, too, after yielding a 75-yard TD drive on Chicago’s first possession of the game. The Buccaneers sacked Justin Fields six times and picked him off twice.

The Bears (0-2) closed to 20-17 on Chase Claypool’s 20-yard TD catch, but saw any hope for a comeback fade when Fields – throwing out of his own end zone – tossed an interception that Bucs linebacker Shaquil Barrett returned 4 yards for a clinching TD.

Mayfield, who spent his first four seasons with Cleveland before splitting 2022 between Carolina and the Los Angeles Rams, shrugged off a slow start to throw for 173 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover to beat Minnesota 20-17 on the road in the season opener.

The Bucs started more smoothly against the Bears, driving 77 yards in 12 plays to take an early 3-0 lead on Chase McLaughlin’s 26 -yard field goal. Mayfield drove his team to another field goal in the closing seconds of the second quarter for a 13-10 halftime lead.

Fields completed 16 of 29 passes for 211 yards. DJ Moore, acquired in the offseason in a bid to put more playmakers around Chicago’s young quarterback, had six receptions for 104 yards, but the Bears were limited to just 67 yards rushing.

Cowboys 30, Jets 10: In Arlington, Texas, Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns, Zach Wilson had three interceptions in his first start after Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles tendon injury, and Dallas beat New York.

CeeDee Lamb had 143 receiving yards and Brandon Aubrey kicked five field goals in the 28-year-old rookie’s second game as the Cowboys (2-0) finished a season-opening sweep of the New York. Dallas routed the Giants 40-0 in the opener.

Wilson threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson to get the Jets (1-1) within three points in the second quarter and ran for 36 yards on a drive to a field goal for an eight-point halftime deficit.

But New York had just 147 yards outside the long TD, and four second-half turnovers left little doubt for Dallas.

Wilson, who was sacked three times a week after Dallas dropped the Giants’ Daniel Jones seven times, was picked off by Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker and Trevon Diggs.

Dalvin Cook lost a fumble when Micah Parsons, who had two sacks, ripped the ball out of his arms just before Cook was tackled. Parsons got up and ran to the end zone, but was ruled down on review.

Prescott’s TD tosses were to tight ends, including rookie Luke Schoonmaker’s first career score on a 1-yarder after Brandin Echols was called for pass interference in the end zone. Jake Ferguson had the first score from 4 yards.

With new sidekick Brandin Cooks sidelined by a knee injury a week after his Dallas debut, Lamb didn’t look like he needed much help while tying a career high with 11 catches.

Lamb helped set up both Dallas touchdowns. The first was a 25-yard catch followed by a 20-yarder after Garrett Wilson’s TD when he hung on despite landing on a shoulder after getting upended by Tony Adams.

Prescott targeted Lamb so much – 13 times, two shy of his career high – it was almost one too many. Sauce Gardner stepped in front of one of the throws and would have had a pick-6 to put the Jets in front before halftime but the ball slipped through his hands.

Prescott was 31 of 38 for 255 yards and Tony Pollard had 72 rushing yards. Wilson finished 12 of 27 for 170 yards.

Bills 38, Raiders 10: In Orchard Park, New York, Josh Allen rebounded from a four-turnover, season-opening dud by throwing three touchdown passes and leading Buffalo to a rout of Las Vegas.

Linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard each intercepted Jimmy Garoppolo, and the Bills eased the lingering frustrations following a 22-16 overtime loss at the New York Jets on Monday and a week full of off-field distractions.

Coach Sean McDermott had to address his leadership group after team owner Terry Pegula was accused of making racially insensitive comments in a lawsuit filed by a former NFL Media reporter. Pegula denied the allegations.

On Wednesday, a Bills media reporter was overheard on an open microphone questioning receiver Stefon Diggs’ character. Diggs went to social media a day later by calling the comments “hurtful” and “insulting.”

It was an especially uplifting performance from Allen, who enjoyed his 21st three-or-more touchdown outing after spending much of last week facing questions about his sloppy performance, which he fully acknowledged cost the Bills a victory.

Allen completed his first 13 attempts for 94 yards, and finished 31 of 37 for 274 yards passing and no turnovers. His 13 consecutive completions to start a game set an individual record and matched his best run at any point of an outing. He improved to 13-4 in games following a loss, and 23-4 in games he doesn’t commit a turnover.

Dawson Knox scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard catch to put Buffalo up 14-7 three minutes into the second quarter, and Khalil Shakir padded the lead with an 11-yard touchdown reception in the final seconds of the first half.

Allen sealed the victory by opening the second half overseeing a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 9:01 of the clock. He went 7 of 8 for 37 yards, and capped the drive by throwing across his body to hit Gabe Davis in double-coverage in the end zone to convert fourth-and-goal from the 2.

Whatever chance the Raiders had to get back into the game ended four plays from scrimmage later, when Milano jumped in front of Josh Jacobs to intercept Garoppolo’s pass at midfield.

The Raiders dropped to 1-1, following a season-opening 17-16 win at Denver, and blew an opportunity to open a season with back-to-back road wins for the first time since 1982.

Garoppolo finished 16 of 24 for 185 yards, with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams. The touchdown was the 88th of Adams’ career to move him ahead of Larry Fitzgerald for the fifth-most by a player in his first 10 NFL seasons. The Raiders tweeted after the game that Adams was being evaluated for a concussion.

The Raiders running attack continues to be grounded with Jacobs finishing with minus-2 yards on nine carries. Though Jacobs had five catches for 51 yards, the NFL’s leading rusher last season now has combined for 46 yards rushing through two games.

Bills and former University of Pittsburgh safety Damar Hamlin was a healthy inactive for the second straight week. The third-year player has not appeared in an NFL regular-season game since going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field at Cincinnati on Jan. 2.

Dolphins 24, Patriots 17: In Foxborough, Massachusetts, Raheem Mostert had a pair of TD runs, including a 43-yard romp in the fourth quarter, and Tua Tagovailoa added a 2-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill to help Miami hold off New England on Sunday night.

Mostert carried 18 times for 121 yards and Tagovailoa completed 21 of 30 passes for 249 yards and an interception. After opening with two road wins, the Dolphins will try for their second straight 3-0 start under coach Mike McDaniel when they host Denver next weekend.

New England dropped to 0-2 for the first time since 2001, which was Bill Belichick’s second season as coach.

Trailing 24-17, the Patriots appeared to keep their hopes alive by converting a miraculous fourth-and-4 on the Dolphins 33. Mac Jones completed a pass to Mike Gesicki short of the first down marker, but the veteran tight end spun and flipped the ball to left guard Cole Strange, who lunged forward.

It was originally called a first down, but a review showed Strange was short of the needed yardage, turning the ball over on downs. Miami then ran the clock out.

Jones finished 31 of 42 for 231 yards, a touchdown and interception.

The Patriots played short-handed in the secondary after starting cornerback Jonathan Jones was ruled out prior to kickoff with an ankle injury. They took another hit in the second quarter when Marcus Jones left with a shoulder issue.

The Dolphins took advantage as Tagovailoa spread the ball around to eight different receivers, including nine completions to Hill and Waddle.

Defensively, Miami recovered a first-quarter fumble by rookie Demario Douglas, leading to Mostert’s first score. Then, leading 17-3 in the third quarter, Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard grabbed an underthrown pass from Mac Jones that was intended for DeVante Parker inside the 5.

Miami punted the ball back and New England found some traction, using an 18-yard run by Jones and a holding penalty on Howard to help set up a 6-yard TD pass from Jones to Hunter Henry.

New England got the ball right back when Tagovailoa had a deep pass intended for Hill intercepted by Christian Gonzalez. But backed up, the Patriots went three-and-out.

Then, on the first play after the changeover, Mostert took a handoff, found a seam in the middle of the Patriots defense and sprinted for his 43-yard TD.

New England marched right down the field and closed to 24-17 on Rhamondre Stevenson’s 2-yard touchdown run, capping a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

Miami had the ball on its own 30 when Tagovailoa missed on a pass to Jaylen Waddle. But Marte Mapu was called for unnecessary roughness, giving the Dolphins a first down near midfield.

The Dolphins had a chance to extend their lead with a 55-yard field goal attempt by Jason Sanders, but it missed wide left.

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This weekend saw Cal participate in the annual Battle in the Bay Classic. Three Bears took the courts at the California Tennis Club to compete in this year’s tournament.

Though the main draw headlines the Battle in the Bay, Cal showcased four freshmen in extra singles, giving them a taste of tournament play.

“The greatest thing about the freshmen is that they don’t shy away from practice or competition, proving they’re always eager to learn what they can do better. It’s a very easy group to work with, so I see a lot of success ahead of them … I’m excited for them and hopefully the enthusiasm they brought from the start continues growing,” said Cal head coach Kris Kwinta.

Junior Derrick Chen, who dominated the qualifiers, landed himself a spot in the opening singles round of 32 against Nikolas Kuraica from the University of San Francisco.

Chen got the upper hand early and cleaned up the draw in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.

Chen was not the only Bear to compete in the singles as fellow juniors Carl Emil Overbeck and Alex Chang were present as well.

Overbeck faced San Diego’s Lambert Ruland, facing a grueling three-set match, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-0. Much like his teammate Chen, Overbeck found himself moving on to the round of 16.

On the other hand, Chang’s time in the main draw was short-lived after his draw with the nation’s 27th-ranked singles player Iiro Vasa from the University of San Diego. Chang fought to three sets, but the tournament’s fifth-seeded player was too much for the Cal junior to handle.

Moving onto the singles round of 16, Chen and Overbeck were both matched with nationally ranked opponents, ultimately ending their tournament stints.

Chen dropped both sets, 6-2, 6-4, to No. 37 ranked Ronnie Hohmann. Chen’s level of competition is not to be disregarded as Michigan State’s Hohmann appeared in the singles finals.

“I’m happy with the way I performed in general, a little bit disappointed in the second match, which I lost, but I think the hard work that I’ve been putting in is paying off,” Chen said. “I maybe overplayed a little bit … I feel like I should have hung in the match a little bit longer and tested my opponent and put him under more pressure … but there are definitely a lot of things I can work on.”

Overbeck’s second round draw was against three-seeded Jeffrey von der Schulenburg from the University of Virginia. Overbeck held his own against the 13th-ranked singles player as he lost the draw in three sets, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

“We have to be looking to get mentally tougher and to be able to move on from unfortunate situations,” Kwinta said. “This is a big part of the game, especially in a collegiate format … but I thought the chemistry was great. Guys were cheering for each other and staying close together. The team camaraderie is great, so I’m excited in that aspect for sure”

Cal’s play didn’t end there as Overbeck and Chang paired together for doubles.

Overbeck won the previous two doubles titles at the California Tennis Club with former teammate Yuta Kikuchi, looking to three-peat with his new teammate Chang.

In the doubles round of 16 and the quarterfinals, Overbeck seemed to seamlessly mesh with Chang as they rolled past USF’s Moritz Hoffmann and Nikolas Kuraica, 8-2, and UCSB’s Pablo Masjuan and Gianluca Brunkow in the quarterfinals, 8-6.

With the title just two wins away, Overbeck and Chang met their match against Arizona’s duo of Colton Smith and Herman Hoeyerral, falling short 8-7(1).

Nonetheless, this is not the end of the road for the blue and gold, but rather just the beginning of the tennis season for Cal as each individual looks to improve on the Battle in the Bay Classic performances in future matches and tournaments.

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Mark Eckert, the second-longest-serving mayor in the history of Belleville, Illinois, died Wednesday after a seven-month battle with cancer. He turned 67 in January.

Eckert was elected mayor in 2005 after serving as an alderman for seven years. He served four terms as mayor and on numerous community, education and business boards. Had Eckert won re-election in April 2021, he would have passed up Belleville’s longest-serving mayor, Charles Nichols, who served for 17 years and six months, until 1978, according to the Belleville News-Democrat, citing city records.

Eckert, who graduated from Belleville Township High School West and the Southwest Illinois Police Academy, served as a St. Clair County deputy sheriff and as an ambulance driver and emergency medical technician before becoming mayor, the News-Democrat reported.

A biography from the city said Eckert was a lifelong member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Belleville. He and his wife, Rita, have run Eckert Florist in Belleville for 23 years. Mark Eckert also previously owned and operated Maine Chimney Sweep in Belleville.

“His passion for our city, its residents, and the many organizations he played a key role in was unwavering,” Belleville Mayor Patty Gregory said in a statement. “I would also like to express my deepest condolences to his wife Rita, his children, and his grandchildren. Please keep his family and friends in your prayers”

Gregory also talked about Eckert’s deep passion for the city and its growth.

“I remember one night getting a call that he was in the alleys picking up any trash before the art show because he didn’t want anybody to get the wrong impression of Belleville,” she said.

The former alderman’s passion for Belleville shined through his support for area nonprofits, such as Catholic Urban Programs and the Franklin Neighborhood Association. He has been involved as a Boy Scout leader for many years.

“That’s what he wanted to see was just that strong connectivity of the entire community. Not only the city being strong, but our business community working stronger too and marrying those together to make it strong in what it is today so we can last another hundred years,” said Wendy Pfeil, president and CEO of the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce.

The former mayor backed street innovation during his tenure so that businesses like Bennie’s Pizza Pub on Main Street could thrive.

“Having this beautiful streetscape where you can have restaurants with outside dining and all that even now in moving forward that’s going to benefit us for a long time,” owner Bennie Parr said.

Eckert made sure everyone he led felt like family.

“He may have not always agreed with every person in this community but he felt it was always the best for this community. On a personal level, Bicentennial Park. Developing that park,” said Jason Polle, director of public works.

Eckert is survived by his wife, Rita; four children, Lt. Col. Matthew (Carly) Eckert; Kate (Jacob) Kotler; Luke (Erika) Eckert; and Lucy Eckert; and four grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 115 W. B St. in Belleville, on Sunday, June 18, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday, June 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The funeral at St. Paul United Church of Christ will be held on Monday, June 19, at noon. Burial will be at Walnut Hill Cemetery in Belleville, according to Renner Funeral Homes.

Go here for KSDK’s full report.

The St. Louis Business Journal contributed information to this report.

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San Francisco: Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg on Sunday traded barbs at each other before their upcoming cage fight at an epic location in Italy, with the Tesla CEO challenging Meta Founder to fight in his backyard on Monday.

Musk posted a chat with Zuckerberg on X (formerly Twitter), saying he will be in Palo Alto (California) on Monday and offered to fight on Zuckerberg’s “Octagon”.

Zuckerberg apparently messaged Musk: “If you still want to do a real MMA fight, then you should train on your own and let me know when you’re ready to compete”.

“I don’t want to keep hyping something that will never happen, so you should either decide you’re going to do this and do it soon, or we should move on,” Zuckerberg said.

Musk replied: “1 have not been practicing much, apart from a brief bout with Lex Fridman today. While I think it is very unlikely, given our size difference, perhaps you are a modern day Bruce Lee and will somehow win”.

American author-journalist Walter Isaacson first posted that Musk is asking Zuckerberg to fight at his home in Palo Alto, California.

In a tweet, Isaacson who has been the President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan policy studies organisation, said: “I got this text message from Elon Musk at 4:44am CT showing a screenshot of some text messages in which he tells Zuckerberg they should fight this Monday at Zuckerberg’s home in Palo Alto”.

Zuckerberg later posted on Threads that “I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on”. 

“I offered a real date. Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity. Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead,” said the Meta Founder. 

“If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously,” Zuckerberg added.

Meta Founder and CEO earlier said he was “not holding his breath” for Musk to agree to a fight date.

Musk had said he has been in contact with the Italian prime minister and minister of culture about hosting the event.

However, Zuckerberg said no date has been agreed.

Zuckerberg, 39, holds a blue belt in jiu-jitsu and recently won gold and silver medals in a tournament.

This post was last modified on August 13, 2023 11:09 pm

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As Water Reuse Expands, Proponents Battle the ‘Yuck’ Factor

Published 8:30 am Sunday, August 6, 2023

Woman washing hands in sink

Jim Robbins

August 4, 2023

When Janet Cruz lost an April election for a Tampa City Council seat, she became a political casualty of an increasingly high-stakes debate over recycled water.

During her time in the Florida Legislature, Cruz had supported a new law allowing the use of treated wastewater in local water systems. But many Tampa residents were staunchly opposed to a plan by their water utility to do just that, and Cruz was forced to backtrack, with her spokesperson asserting she had never favored the type of complete water reuse known as “toilet to tap.” She lost anyway, and the water plan has been canceled.

Tampa’s showdown may be a harbinger of things to come as climate change and drought cause water shortages in many parts of the country. With few alternatives for expanding supply, cities and states are rapidly adding recycled water to their portfolios and expanding the ways in which it can be used. Researchers say it’s safe — and that it’s essential to move past the 20th century notion that wastewater must stay flushed.

“There is no reason to only use water once,” said Peter Fiske, director of the National Alliance for Water Innovation at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. “We’ve got to be more clever with the water we’ve got.”

But proponents are still fighting an uphill battle to overcome the “yuck” factor. A recent study found that reused water is not only safe but that it’s actually cleaner than conventionally sourced water — yet acceptance is “hindered by perceptions of poor water quality and potential health threats.”

Several projects were canceled in California in the 1990s because of such worries. In San Gabriel, Miller Brewing Company opposed a water reclamation project when people started joking about “beer aged in porcelain.”

“You have to have a lot of education in a community to say why [recycled water] is needed” and what experts are doing to ensure the safety of the water, said Noelle George, the Texas managing director for the trade association WateReuse.

Many forms of water reuse have long been routine. Water from yard sprinklers, for example, soaks into the groundwater. Or, if it is processed in a treatment plant, it goes into a river or lake, where it’s used again. Municipalities and others often treat a form of wastewater known as gray water to use for irrigation.

But in the world of water reuse, the gold standard is known as direct potable reuse — cleaning wastewater, including sewage, to drinking water standards.

With DPR systems, the water from showers, sinks, and toilets first goes to a conventional treatment plant, where it is disinfected with chemicals and aeration. Then it gets a second scrubbing in a multistage process that first uses a bioreactor to break down nitrogen compounds, then employs microfiltration to clean out particles and reverse osmosis to remove viruses, bacteria, and salts. Finally, hydrogen peroxide is added and the water goes through an ultraviolet light processing, which is supposed to kill any contaminants that are left.

Experts say the water that emerges at the end of this process is so clean it has no taste, and that minerals must be added to give the water flavor. It’s also free of a little-known health hazard; chlorine, often used to disinfect conventional water, can react with organic material in the water to create chloroform, exposure to which can cause negative health effects.

Big Spring, Texas, is the only place in the country with a DPR municipal water system, in which all wastewater is treated and sent back to the tap. Another notable DPR system is the Changi Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore, which cleans 237 million gallons each day.

In Tampa, intense opposition focused on the high cost of the water treatment and the possible presence of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and so-called forever chemicals, known as PFAS.

“We have never thought that it was necessary to drink wastewater,” said Gary Gibbons, the vice chair of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club, in September 2022. He said the project, which the city referred to by the acronym PURE, would result in contaminants in the drinking water and the groundwater aquifer.

Experts reject these concerns as uninformed and say properly treated wastewater is safer than a lot of conventional drinking water sources.

“I would almost rather have an advanced treatment plant of the type used for potable water recycling than water that comes from a river that has several cities and farms and industries upstream that are discharging into it,” said David L. Sedlak, an expert on potable reuse at the University of California-Berkeley.

With higher temperatures and long-term pressure on water sources including aquifers and mountain snowpacks, a lot more water reuse is coming.

In Texas, the state permits DPR plants on a case-by-case basis, and the city of El Paso is building one that’s slated to be online by 2026. Colorado last year began allowing DPR. In California, regulations spelling out the approach to DPR should be ready by the end of this year, with some cities setting goals of recycling all water by 2035. Florida and Arizona are also moving to expand direct potable reuse.

There’s also a lot of activity around what’s known as indirect potable reuse. Orange County, California, has the world’s largest IPR facility, which cleans 130 million gallons of water a day to irrigation standards, passes it through advanced purification, and finally injects it into groundwater, which serves as an environmental buffer. The water is then piped to all municipal users.

San Francisco is pioneering another approach. Since 2015, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which operates the dams, reservoirs, and aqueducts that deliver water from the Sierra Nevada to the city, has required all buildings over 100,000 square feet be equipped for recycling gray water. The downtown Salesforce Tower has its own recycling plant: Sinks, laundry machines, and showers drain into the basement recycling system, and the water is then reused for flushing toilets and irrigation, saving about 30,000 gallons a day.

“We don’t need to flush toilets with drinking water,” said Fiske, noting that toilets make up about 30% of all water use.

San Francisco water officials are studying the feasibility and safety of cleaning all wastewater to potable standards at the building level. The headquarters of the water utility has a blackwater system called the Living Machine that uses engineered wetlands in the sidewalks around the building to treat wastewater, cutting water use by two-thirds. (Blackwater systems recycle water from toilets; gray water systems reuse water from all other drains.)

Some experts see a day when buildings will not have to be hooked up to external sewer and water systems at all, with advanced recycling systems augmented by rainwater. For the moment, though, educational campaigns are still needed to bring recycled water into the mainstream.

Epic Cleantec, which created a recycling system for a new San Francisco apartment tower, thought beer might help. The company last year teamed up with a local brewery to produce beer from recycled water. The Epic OneWater Brew by Devil’s Canyon Brewing isn’t sold; rather, it’s a demonstration product, given away and served at events.

While people might not want to drink recycled water, they will usually try the beer.

“We made beer out of recycled water, because we’re trying to change the conversation,” said Aaron Tartakovsky, CEO of Epic Cleantec. “We’re fundamentally trying to help people rethink how our communities handle water.”

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

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SAN FRANCISCO — Two people were in custody Monday after a gun battle erupted along the San Francisco Embarcadero waterfront early Sunday night that shot two people near Pier 39 and wounded four others.

Aaron Peskin, head of San Francisco’s District 3, which represents the Waterfront, North Beach and Chinatown areas, told KPIX that police told him that after the incident, which involved gunfire between moving cars, one person arrested and a second person arrested.

The first shooting was reported at around 6:48 p.m. on Beach and Stockton streets across from Pier 39. The second shooting occurred moments later on Embarcadero and Howard streets.

Officers found two people with apparent gunshot wounds who were taken to the hospital. Her current condition is currently unknown, SFPD said.

Raw video: Police are investigating related shootings on the San Francisco waterfront

Officials believe two vehicles may have been involved in the shooting.

A bullet-riddled black SUV with Nevada plates that crashed further south on the Embarcadero at Howard St. was the focus of the police investigation.

Investigating the SF Embarcadero shooting

KPIX

A witness shared a video with KPIX showing a young girl on the ground and officers at the scene tending to her. She said she saw a fierce firefight between two cars and erratic driving before the SUV collided. A video of the scene showed how airbags were deployed in the crashed vehicle.

The police initially did not say how many people were injured in the second shooting. At least one person was injured by broken glass in the arm.

During a late night news briefing, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott gave the update, saying three people were injured by “mistaken shots” from broken glass at the second crime scene in Embarcadero and Howard. These injuries were not life-threatening.

Also, two young girls were hit by one of the cars during the chase and firefight. One of them, a 10-year-old, was taken to hospital but her injuries were not life-threatening. The second, a 16-year-old girl, was unharmed.

Scott also confirmed that one of the two shooting victims who were injured in the first exchange of fire suffered non-life-threatening injuries and the second was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police reached the first scene within four minutes of receiving reports of gunfire. Scott said the shooting was a deliberate incident and not an accident.

Authorities are asking anyone with information or cellphone video of the shooting to contact police while the investigation continues.

Continue reading

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It’s not easy building things in San Francisco.

Noe Valley’s neighbors are at odds with a developer over the fate of two so-called Quake Shacks — built as the town coped with a massive homelessness crisis after the 1906 earthquake. reported the San Francisco Chronicle.

Developer John Shrader has backed out of an original plan that called for the cottages at 369 Valley Street to be demolished to make way for a large mansion on the property. Instead, he’s attempting to incorporate the two structures into the design of a more modest 2,700-square-foot home, the outlet reported. Part of the plan calls for the cabins to be moved onto the property.

“I understand that Quake Shacks is historical in nature and we’ve changed our plans half a dozen times, but there are still people who oppose this project,” he told the Chronicle. “I do not know what it is. If it feels like it – do you know San Francisco is just anti-development? Maybe that’s what’s going on here.”

Critics, meanwhile, say the quake shelters – thousands of which were hastily built to house the poor and working class made homeless by the devastating earthquake – should be left alone.

“History is what this is about,” John Blackburn, a historian at Quake Shack, told the Chronicle. “They helped the working class get their first homes back then, they represent the resilience of San Francisco, and today very few of them remain. …

“[T]Hey are really important. We must preserve them.”

Shrader, who has been trying to build a home on the property for nine years, will have his plan reviewed at a hearing before the city’s zoning administrator sometime this month, the outlet said.

Regardless of who prevails, the outcome will almost certainly be contested, with neighborhood and historical groups lining up to keep the shacks unscathed.

“In our view, the huts may not survive a move, and even if they do, they may not be recognizable as earthquake huts,” Marc Norton, who lives across the lot, told the Chronicle. “That is not acceptable.”

– Ted Shiner

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Ace Hardware Corp. won its first court battle with a San Antonio handyman who had sued the retail chain for trademark infringement.

State District Judge Karen Pozza ruled Friday that Ace Hardware may use the Ace Hardware Handyman Services name to advertise its startup repair, maintenance and improvement services company in Bexar and the surrounding counties.

San Antonio handyman John Allen, who owns Ace Handyman Services Inc., rejected the name on the grounds that it was too similar to his company name.

“I think Ace Hardware Handyman Services is fine,” Pozza said of granting the request. She did not elaborate on her decision.

On ExpressNews.com: Ace Hardware gets in trouble with a San Antonio handyman

Last summer, Illinois-based Ace Hardware completed the acquisition of Handyman Matters, a home improvement franchisor. This month, Ace Hardware rebranded the “Ace Handyman Services” franchise across the country.

However, shortly before the transition, San Antonio’s Ace Handyman Services sued Ace Hardware and obtained an injunction preventing the chain from using the name “Ace Handyman Services or a confusingly similar trademark” in Bexar and the seven adjacent counties.

As a result, the two San Antonio-area franchisees in Ace Hardware’s Ace Handyman Services network are not identified on a website that lists 57 other franchisees in 29 states.

Allen, 50, who founded his company in 2015, was visibly disappointed by Pozza’s verdict. His attorney, Nick Guinn, declined to comment after the hearing and did not respond to an email Monday.

“Trademark infringement depends heavily on whether there is likelihood of confusion,” Guinn told the judge. “In this particular case, we have identical brands. Not just similar brands, but identical brands. Ace Handyman Services, Ace Handyman Services. The services are identical.”

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A restraining order hearing was scheduled for Friday to consider whether the restraining order should remain in effect substantially pending the outcome of a trial.

However, prior to Friday’s court hearing, Ace Hardware filed a motion to have the restraining order dismissed and the restraining order hearing postponed to a later date.

The TRO remains in effect and the restraining order has been reset for April 17.

Arthur Gollwitzer III, an Austin attorney representing Ace Hardware and its two local Handyman franchisees, argued that there is no evidence of confusion with Allen’s Ace Handyman Services because the local franchisees used the Ace Handyman Services name, the Ace Hardware used in other areas have not adopted.

It is clear, however, that Ace Hardware ultimately wants to use the name Ace Handyman Services here.

“Every day this case goes on … (the defendants) suffer various types of harm,” Gollwitzer said in court. “The local (franchisees) are small businesses, just like the plaintiff. You will be excluded from receiving endorsements from the Ace Hardware website. You are barred from using any online appointment service and business management services.

“We are locked out of Bexar County pending resolution of this matter,” he added. “To move forward with a strategy in the rest of the country but not here also comes at a cost.”

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based editor specializing in banking and civil courts. Read it on our free website, mySA.com, and on our subscriber website, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD

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