Willie Mays, the baseball legend who played center fielder for the New York and San Francisco Giants, has died. He was 93 years old.

The San Francisco Giants shared the news on their official X account (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday: “He leaves us with a lasting memory: to work hard and find joy in this great game and this extraordinary life. Say hey, Willie Mays. The best there ever was.”

More from Variety

“My father died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones,” his son Michael Mays told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the unwavering love you showed him over the years. You were his lifeblood.”

Mays, known as “Say Hey Kid,” played 22 seasons in the major leagues from 1951 until his retirement in 1973. He made his MLB debut with the Giants in New York and moved with the team to San Francisco in 1958. He finished his career with the New York Mets in 1973.

Mays, who posted a career batting average of .301, finished the season with 660 home runs, 3,293 hits, 1,909 runs batted in and 2,068 runs batted in. He was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star and 12-time Gold Glove Award winner. (He was the oldest living Hall of Famer in baseball.)

There’s more to come…

The best of diversity

Subscribe to Variety's newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The post Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants Legend and MLB Corridor of Famer, Dies at 93 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Marc Benioff, chief executive officer of Salesforce Inc., said he pushed San Francisco officials to clean up the city before his company's annual conference began in his hometown this week and was pleased with the results.

“We put a lot of pressure on the city this year,” Benioff said during a press event Wednesday. “This looks great. It's very safe at the moment. We're moving in the right direction.”

Benioff caused a stir last month when he said that Dreamforce, San Francisco's largest convention, could leave the city if the event's attendees experienced homelessness and drug use.

“Nobody liked that — I didn’t like saying it,” Benioff said of his threat during a separate event Wednesday on stage with California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“We're coming after you, we want to keep you here,” Newsom said after Benioff noted that the city this week was the cleanest he'd ever seen.

About 43,000 people are expected to participate in Dreamforce, which will generate nearly $90 million for the city, a Salesforce spokesperson said, citing data from the San Francisco Travel Association. The conference is scheduled to end on Thursday.

Moving Salesforce's flagship annual meeting out of the city would be another blow to the region's tourism economy after major events hosted by Oracle Corp. and Google's cloud division were relocated from Alphabet Inc. According to the San Francisco Travel Association, conference spending remains well below pandemic levels — falling to $587 million in 2022 after generating nearly $2 billion in 2019.

The association estimates that convention-related hotel room nights will decline 34% in 2024 compared to this year. Overall visitor spending recovered faster and is expected to reach 88% of pre-pandemic levels this year.

Although Benioff was pleased with how this year went, he did not respond to a press question about whether Dreamforce would be back in San Francisco in 2024, saying city officials still had more work to do. “Homelessness remains a major problem in our city,” Benioff said, adding that more housing is needed and more police officers should be hired.

“It is an ongoing effort to increase the visibility of police and community ambassadors in key tourist areas,” said a spokesperson for Mayor London Breed’s office. “San Francisco is committed to making Dreamforce a world-class event, as we do year after year.”

Salesforce officials said there had been no reports of security incidents related to homelessness or drug use among conference attendees as of Wednesday afternoon. A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department said there were no such incidents at last year's Dreamforce event.

Subscribe to the CFO Daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the trends, topics and leaders shaping corporate finance. Sign up for free.

The post Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says San Francisco cleaned up its troubled downtown after he pressured Metropolis Corridor appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Nearly six-and-a-half years since Whole Foods called dibs on the vacated Best Buy space in City Center plaza at Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue, the SF Planning Commission finally authorized the Amazon-owned grocery chain to move into the space Thursday.

There was plenty of excitement when a Whole Foods opened on mid-Market in March 2022, bringing an upscale spark into a long-beleaguered part of town. But that Whole Foods lasted barely a year, partially because of drug use and terrible street conditions, though employees also said that “Sales weren’t too great” at the location.

Though now it looks like there’s another Whole Foods coming, albeit at Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue.

The Anza Vista Best Buy store at City Center plaza closed way back in September 2017, and the 50,000 square-foot location has sat totally empty there since. And then Amazon-owned Whole Foods announced their plans to open a store in that vacated spot within a month of the closure, but Whole Foods has experienced a long obstacle course of very San Francisco hurdles since.

First, the Target store in that plaza (which also sells groceries) tried to block the Whole Foods in a big-box store pissing match. That eventually got resolved, but then the SF Board of Supervisors approved an appeal against the Whole Foods brought by a local grocery workers’ union. That appeal forced Whole Foods to submit their yet-again revised plans for the location in January 2023, this time mitigating concerns over “air quality impacts” over their refrigeration equipment, cooling towers, and HVAC units.  

That revised plan came back before the SF Planning Commission on Thursday. And in a unanimous 7-0 vote, the commission approved a new Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for that Whole Foods, and authorized its permit for use as a grocery store.  

“This is a big opportunity site, very big intersection, very big formula retail shopping center,” commissioner Joel Koppel said before the vote.

This will be the eighth Whole Foods store in San Francisco. And it was approved unanimously with surprisingly little discussion, despite all the previous controversy. This may be a sign that attitudes toward formula retail are changing as SF struggles with commercial vacancies. Or maybe it’s just that people are sick of seeing this City Center plaza feel like a graveyard after departures of Best Buy, Sears, Mervyn’s, and Toys ‘R’ Us.

Related: Whole Foods Moves In Again On Long-Vacant Former Best Buy Location at Geary and Masonic [SFist]

Image: Alvin J. via Yelp

The post SF Metropolis Corridor OKs Complete Meals Shifting Into the Lengthy-Empty Former Greatest Purchase at Geary and Masonic appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

At Llangoed Hall I slept like a Queen — and ended up smelling and shod like one too.

The definite luxury British country house hotel in the Wye River valley amongst the Black Mountains in the mid-Wales countryside near Brecon has hosted the Clintons and the Clooneys and Prince Charles. There is a thank you letter from him hanging in the Grand Hall, alongside one from former British Prime Minister John Major.

Entrance to Llangoed Hall

The eminent are never far away. They are around every corner. I spent a lot of time in the shower with a famous Cornishman. When I was out of it I was surrounded, in the oak panelled library and along the pillared gallery of the classic Jacobean-style manor, by “true modern dandies and bold women who knew how to go their own way”.

Although they were oblivious to it.

Every step around Llangoed Hall (Holy Meeting Place) is a step into history.

Step inside the shower or your bath and you meet William Penhaligon, the Cornish court barber of Queen Victoria, who in 1902 invented ‘Blenheim Bouquet’ for the Duke of Marlborough and was rewarded with becoming ‘The manufacturer of toilet requisites’ by Royal Appointment.
The royal family has issued over 850 royal warrants. There is a royal chimney sweep and even a royally endorsed maker of “corsetry, lingerie and intimates”.

Lounge area that depicts Laura Ashley’s famed fabric

When you go for a walk by the river at Llangoed, you choose your by ‘Her Majesty’s Appointment’ footwear from a selection of ‘Hunter Monarch’ boots. The bedding in the hotel is the same as used on the Crown Estates. The pillowcases are filled with the feathers from ducks resident at Sandringham, the baths and toilet cisterns are by ‘Chadder and Co’, the china tea-sets by ‘Caverswall’, the bathrobes by ‘Mitre’, the retro radios by ‘Robinson’s’, the carpets by ‘Brintons’ and the stationery only by the very best –‘Smythsons’.

The hotel is an art gallery. It boasts – discreetly — a collection of nineteen ‘Whistler’ lithographs (1888-1902), as well as works by Andrew Melville, Wiliam Sickert, John Duncan Ferguson, Albert Lynch and Tenby’s Augustus John.

The hotel is a popular weddings and honeymoon venue. Honeymooners return frequently. The couples are transported in a Rolls Royce given to the Queen Mother on the birth of Elizabeth, Princess of York (the Queen). The whisky decanter is appropriately empty. Also available for functions is a Bentley once owned by the Duke of York.

Says G.M. Calum Milne, a relative of A.A., the creator of ‘Winnie the Pooh’, “What’s good enough for the Queen should be good enough for anyone!”

The new owners have invested in re-furbishing what its former owner Sir Bernard Ashley wanted to be ‘A country home from home’. Janet in the dining room tells a story about how Sir Bernard (who died in 2009) asked his butler to bring his shotgun. He promptly shot the TV when Arthur Scargill appeared. Calum says, “We won’t see his like again.”

An engineer and pilot (model trains are on window ledges and ‘Airfix’ Spitfires hang from ceilings), the former Fusilier and Gurkha army officer married Laura Mountney (nee Ashley) in 1949, having met her in a London youth club. Ashley was born in Dowlas, Merthyr Tydfil, the daughter of a civil servant.

While a Royal Navy Wren she started doodling designs for headscarves, napkins, table mats and tea towels. The couple set up a printing press and the ultimate cottage industry – Laura Ashley fabrics – was born in 1953.

Llangoed Hall is a veritable art gallery too

2015 is the 90th anniversary of Laura Ashley’s birth and the 30th of her death.The Ashley family moved to Wales in 1961. Originally located in the social club in Carno, Montgomeryshire (where they are both buried), the factory moved to the village’s railway station.

In 1966, Laura produced her first dress. In 1974, she opened shops in Paris and San Francisco. At the time of her death the company had 220 shops in 12 countries. Her first shop at 35 Maengwyn Road in Machynlleth in west Wales is still open for business.

The suites in the 23-room, 17-acre Powys hotel are named after the Ashley family homes, in Machynlleth, Rhydoldog, Paultons, their house in Brussels, Treveraux, the family chateau in Picardy and Lyford in the Bahamas.

In a simple frame along the corridor from the ‘Paultons’ master deluxe suite at Llangoed is the first item Laura Ashley designed – a striped apron (1950). Room 7 is a tribute to her flock.

Over the fireplace in the hotel’s drawing room is a motto of former owners, the Christy clan, ‘Sic Viresco’ – ‘To Flourish’.

The Hall was probably the seat of the first Welsh parliament, going back to 560AD. It was an episcopal grange. It was owned by a prominent hatter and once, in the days of the ‘Regency Hellfire Club’, lost in a game of cards.

In 1912 it was redesigned by Clough Williams-Ellis before he created the quirky Italianate village of Portmeiron in north Wales. Work on Llangoed’s “majestic chimneyed outlines” was completed in 1919. Sir Bernard Ashley bought it in 1987 and turned it into a hotel in 1990.

Llangoed is ideally and idyllically placed to visit the Brecon Beacons National Park and Elan Valley where Barnes Wallis tested his bouncing bombs before the 1943 ‘Dambusters’ raid. As well as Llandrindod Wells (August sees the town’s Victorian Festival and exhibitions of “things old time”), Hay on Wye (its Literary Festival is held in May), Brecon (August jazz festival) and the Royal Welsh Show grounds at Builth Wells where you can watch the pony sales and bid at auctions for your very own speckled faced breeding ewe. Wales’s only distillery, ‘Penderyn’ isn’t far away either.

But Llangoed is the place to stay.

Under chandeliers you enjoy petit fours with infusions, beetroot macaroon canapes, artisanal cheeses with quince paste, homemade scones, ‘Bra Brith’ (Welsh speckled or mottled currant bread), elderflower champagne, Llangoed hen truffled eggs and Miss Milligan’s signature and very bespoke egg and water cress finger sandwiches.

All that chintz, all that high life and sophistication, the four poster beds and classy valences, the crystalware, the complimentary sherry in a decanter in your room, the Frambuie in your porridge, the Camden Town group and Slade School on the walls, the gouache and gum arabic, the thin wash, the aquatints on wove paper, the renowned bohemians, Scottish colourists, the masters of ‘blottesque’ and the Glasgow Boys.
And all the royal warrants.

And the Laura Ashley connection.

Llangoed Hall, the AA’s Best Hotel of the Year in United Kingdom and Ireland 2014, is enough to drive a sane person Paisley.
And monarchist.
To boot.

The post Llangoed Corridor: Moving into luxurious and British historical past appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO – Alan Varela and William Gilmartin III appeared in federal court today and each pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair.  Gilmartin further agreed in his plea agreement to cooperate with federal investigators in the San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation. 

“Contractors with San Francisco like Alan Varela, William Gilmartin, and their ilk are not off the radar of our San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation just because they are not public officials,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds.  “If you bribe a public official and our investigation uncovers it, you will face justice.  Involved individuals who come to the FBI with what they know about bribes and kickbacks will be treated differently than those who don’t and get caught.”

“The investigation into San Francisco city government continues and we believe there are even more city employees and contractors who may have pertinent first-hand knowledge of the insidious corruption plaguing San Francisco,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair. “Instead of waiting for the FBI to knock on your door, we encourage others who have knowledge of this corruption to reach out to us and cooperate with our investigation.”

Today’s developments follow the September 17, 2020, federal complaint charging Varela, 59, of Orinda, and Gilmartin, 60, of San Mateo, with bribery of a public official.  According to that complaint affidavit, Varela and Gilmartin, the president and vice-president of a Bay Area civil engineering and construction firm, respectively, provided gifts and benefits to Mohammed Nuru, then Director of San Francisco’s Department of Public Works (DPW), in exchange for inside information about an upcoming lucrative San Francisco public contract.  Varela and Gilmartin were the seventh and eighth defendants charged in the federal San Francisco City Hall graft probe that has to this date charged a dozen defendants.

Varela’s plea agreement expounds on those complaint allegations.  Varela admitted in his plea agreement that from 2013 until January 28, 2020 (the day of Nuru’s arrest), he conspired with his co-defendant Gilmartin, Balmore Hernandez – a construction company CEO who earlier pled guilty and is cooperating with the FBI – and others to pay bribes and kickbacks to Nuru.  Nuru’s position as DPW Director provided him great influence over San Francisco public contracts, permits, and construction projects as well as other City departments and private companies requiring contracts from DPW.  The bribes and kickbacks to Nuru were intended to influence his conduct in official actions.  The items of value Varela and his co-conspirators provided to Nuru included cash, equipment for Nuru’s ranch, free meals and entertainment, and the prospect of portions of the proceeds from the expected awards of City contracts.

Varela further admitted that he and his co-conspirators focused on winning a DPW contract and a related Port of San Francisco lease to operate an asphalt recycling plant and a concrete plant on the Port of San Francisco’s land.  According to Varela’s plea agreement, Nuru agreed in exchange for cash and other valuables to use his official position to get Varela and his co-conspirators’ bid selected.  Nuru began sending early drafts of San Francisco’s Request for Proposals for the asphalt recycling plant project as well as other inside information to Varela and his co-conspirators to better position them to have their bid selected.  Nuru also regularly met with Gilmartin and Hernandez to discuss the plans over expensive restaurant dinners, always paid for by Gilmartin. 

According to Varela’s plea agreement, Gilmartin arranged to compensate Nuru by asking an unnamed company to award a $100,000 contract to Balmore Hernandez.  The proceeds of that contract were intended to pay Nuru, and Hernandez used the proceeds to benefit Nuru.  Once the co-conspirators’ bid was selected in September 2015, Nuru continued to meet with Varela and the co-conspirators and supply additional inside information, all over meals paid for by Gilmartin that ultimately totaled approximately $20,000.  At one point during discussions, Nuru requested a tractor for his ranch.  Varela admitted that in February 2019 he coordinated with Gilmartin and Hernandez to deliver the tractor to Nuru. 

In January 2020, while the asphalt recycling plant agreements with DPW and the Port of San Francisco were still being finalized, Nuru was arrested.

Gilmartin also pleaded guilty today to the charge of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.  The terms of his plea agreement require Gilmartin to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and surrender assets acquired as a result of his illegal conduct.  The criminal conduct Gilmartin admits was submitted to the Court in a separate “Exhibit A” that is filed under seal and thus unavailable to the public at this time.  

Varela and Gilmartin both entered their guilty pleas before United States District Judge William H. Orrick. Judge Orrick set Varela’s sentencing hearing for September 16, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.  Gilmartin’s next hearing date is a status conference set for December 2, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.

Varela and Gilmartin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1346 and 1349.  The charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or not more than the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss.  However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. 

The prosecution is being handled by the Corporate Fraud Strike Force in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California and is the result of an investigation by the FBI. 

The post Northern District of California | Two Metropolis Contractors Plead Responsible To Cost Of Seven Yr Conspiracy To Bribe San Francisco Metropolis Corridor Official appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mourners streamed into San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday to pay their respects to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, honoring her as fearless, smart and the glue who kept the city together after two political assassinations that catapulted her into the mayor’s office and the national spotlight.

“She wasn’t afraid to do a man’s job. She wasn’t afraid to be a senator. She wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted,” said Lawanda Carter, 48, of San Francisco. “And that’s encouragement for us women now to have courage.”

Carter was among the scores of everyday San Franciscans and political leaders alike who brought flowers, bowed their heads or clasped their hands in prayer as they stood before Feinstein’s casket, which was draped in an American flag and on display behind velvet ropes. Many said they had never met Feinstein, but wanted to honor an indefatigable public servant who fought to level the playing field for women, members of the LGBTQ community and racial minorities.

Feinstein died early Friday in her Washington, D.C., home of natural causes, said Adam Russell, a spokesperson for her office. She was 90.

She was San Francisco’s first female mayor and one of California’s first two women U.S. senators, a job she first won alongside Barbara Boxer in 1992, dubbed the “ Year of the Woman.” Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also of San Francisco, and Mayor London Breed were among the officials who paid their respects.

Feinstein spent much of her career in the U.S. Senate but will be known as the forever mayor of San Francisco, a role she inherited in tragedy. She was president of the Board of Supervisors in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall.

Feinstein, who found Milk’s body, became acting mayor and won election twice to serve as mayor until 1988.

Georgia Otterson, 76, a health care administrator, said Feinstein wasn’t as politically liberal as she would have liked, but the late mayor earned her respect with how she kept the heartbroken city together.

“We were all mourning together, holding candles. If memory serves me, Joan Baez sang,” Otterson said of an impromptu march that night from the historically gay Castro District to City Hall. “And she held us up.”

As a centrist Democrat, she was criticized by some more liberal voters, including for her longtime support for the death penalty, and as the country became more polarized, for her collegial relationship with Republicans. But the straight, white woman largely earned the gratitude of a city that celebrates its racial and sexual diversity.

She steered San Francisco through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.

Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.

Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when she was a Black kid growing up in public housing and playing the French horn in a middle school band that performed regularly at mayoral events.

“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after Feinstein’s death.

Mourners Wednesday expressed their pride in Feinstein.

“She kept moving on up. I was proud of her, very proud of her,” said Dorothy Hudson, 81, a retired federal government employee. “She was very kind, very smart. She opened doors up to let people know, ‘You can do it.’”

San Francisco native Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of red and pink lilies and daisies on the floor before the casket. She lingered, crying quietly over a woman she never knew but who was so important to her life.

“She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said. “I’m so grateful. And I really just wanted her family to know how much she meant to me.”

The social worker said she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger. “She was a lioness.”

While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Gov. Gavin Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.

John Konstin Sr., owner of John’s Grill, a favorite downtown tourist destination and watering hole for city politicians, recalled Feinstein ordering potholes filled, trees trimmed and ugly scaffolding brought down before San Francisco hosted the 1984 Democratic convention.

“She asked, ‘How long has this scaffolding been up?’ And my dad said ‘Maybe 10 years,’ and the next day it came down,” said Konstin, 59. “It was half a block of scaffolding.”

The restaurant, which is celebrating its 115th anniversary Wednesday, honored Feinstein with flowers beneath a portrait of her that hangs on a wall.

Feinstein’s body will remained in City Hall through the evening and a memorial service is scheduled Thursday outside the building.

Speakers will include Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Feinstein’s granddaughter Eileen Mariano. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by recorded video.

Among the first to say goodbye Wednesday were Jose Romero Cooper and Mark Cooper. The married couple waited in line before doors opened to the public.

“What I’m gonna say is: ‘Thank you for everything, for being strong,’” said Romero Cooper, 61, a scarf of the American flag draped around his neck.

He stood before the casket, genuflected and crossed himself, then walked away with tears streaming down his face.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Feinstein died Friday, not Thursday.

——

AP researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.

The post Tearful mourners line up at San Francisco Metropolis Corridor to thank, pay final respects to Dianne Feinstein appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Mourners streamed into San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday to pay their respects to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, honoring her as fearless, smart and the glue who kept the city together after two political assassinations that catapulted her into the mayor’s office and the national spotlight.“She wasn’t afraid to do a man’s job. She wasn’t afraid to be a senator. She wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted,” said Lawanda Carter, 48, of San Francisco. “And that’s encouragement for us women now to have courage.”Carter was among the scores of everyday San Franciscans and political leaders alike who brought flowers, bowed their heads or clasped their hands in prayer as they stood before Feinstein’s casket, which was draped in an American flag and on display behind velvet ropes. Many said they had never met Feinstein, but wanted to honor an indefatigable public servant who fought to level the playing field for women, members of the LGBTQ community and racial minorities.Feinstein died early Friday in her Washington, D.C., home of natural causes, said Adam Russell, a spokesperson for her office. She was 90.She was San Francisco’s first female mayor and one of California’s first two women U.S. senators, a job she first won alongside Barbara Boxer in 1992, dubbed the “ Year of the Woman.” Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also of San Francisco, and Mayor London Breed were among the officials who paid their respects.Feinstein spent much of her career in the U.S. Senate but will be known as the forever mayor of San Francisco, a role she inherited in tragedy. She was president of the Board of Supervisors in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall.Feinstein, who found Milk’s body, became acting mayor and won election twice to serve as mayor until 1988.Georgia Otterson, 76, a health care administrator, said Feinstein wasn’t as politically liberal as she would have liked, but the late mayor earned her respect with how she kept the heartbroken city together.“We were all mourning together, holding candles. If memory serves me, Joan Baez sang,” Otterson said of an impromptu march that night from the historically gay Castro District to City Hall. “And she held us up.”| VIDEO BELOW | Dianne Feinstein’s body arrives in San Francisco as mourners prepare to say goodbyeAs a centrist Democrat, she was criticized by some more liberal voters, including for her longtime support for the death penalty, and as the country became more polarized, for her collegial relationship with Republicans. But the straight, white woman largely earned the gratitude of a city that celebrates its racial and sexual diversity.She steered San Francisco through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when she was a Black kid growing up in public housing and playing the French horn in a middle school band that performed regularly at mayoral events.“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after Feinstein’s death.Mourners Wednesday expressed their pride in Feinstein.“She kept moving on up. I was proud of her, very proud of her,” said Dorothy Hudson, 81, a retired federal government employee. “She was very kind, very smart. She opened doors up to let people know, ‘You can do it.’”San Francisco native Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of red and pink lilies and daisies on the floor before the casket. She lingered, crying quietly over a woman she never knew but who was so important to her life.“She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said. “I’m so grateful. And I really just wanted her family to know how much she meant to me.”The social worker said she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger. “She was a lioness.”While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Gov. Gavin Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.John Konstin Sr., owner of John’s Grill, a favorite downtown tourist destination and watering hole for city politicians, recalled Feinstein ordering potholes filled, trees trimmed and ugly scaffolding brought down before San Francisco hosted the 1984 Democratic convention.“She asked, ‘How long has this scaffolding been up?’ And my dad said ‘Maybe 10 years,’ and the next day it came down,” said Konstin, 59. “It was half a block of scaffolding.”The restaurant, which is celebrating its 115th anniversary Wednesday, honored Feinstein with flowers beneath a portrait of her that hangs on a wall.Feinstein’s body will remained in City Hall through the evening and a memorial service is scheduled Thursday outside the building.Speakers will include Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Feinstein’s granddaughter Eileen Mariano. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by recorded video.Among the first to say goodbye Wednesday were Jose Romero Cooper and Mark Cooper. The married couple waited in line before doors opened to the public.“What I’m gonna say is: ‘Thank you for everything, for being strong,’” said Romero Cooper, 61, a scarf of the American flag draped around his neck.He stood before the casket, genuflected and crossed himself, then walked away with tears streaming down his face.The service will no longer be open to the public, citing increased security, according to a release from Feinstein’s office. Only invited guests will be allowed.You can still watch the service online here.| VIDEO BELOW | Sen. Laphonza Butler: ‘Honor of a lifetime’ to fill Dianne Feinstein’s seat__ Associated Press journalist Haven Daley in San Francisco and researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.

SAN FRANCISCO —

Mourners streamed into San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday to pay their respects to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, honoring her as fearless, smart and the glue who kept the city together after two political assassinations that catapulted her into the mayor’s office and the national spotlight.

“She wasn’t afraid to do a man’s job. She wasn’t afraid to be a senator. She wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted,” said Lawanda Carter, 48, of San Francisco. “And that’s encouragement for us women now to have courage.”

Carter was among the scores of everyday San Franciscans and political leaders alike who brought flowers, bowed their heads or clasped their hands in prayer as they stood before Feinstein’s casket, which was draped in an American flag and on display behind velvet ropes. Many said they had never met Feinstein, but wanted to honor an indefatigable public servant who fought to level the playing field for women, members of the LGBTQ community and racial minorities.

Feinstein died early Friday in her Washington, D.C., home of natural causes, said Adam Russell, a spokesperson for her office. She was 90.

She was San Francisco’s first female mayor and one of California’s first two women U.S. senators, a job she first won alongside Barbara Boxer in 1992, dubbed the “ Year of the Woman.” Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also of San Francisco, and Mayor London Breed were among the officials who paid their respects.

Feinstein spent much of her career in the U.S. Senate but will be known as the forever mayor of San Francisco, a role she inherited in tragedy. She was president of the Board of Supervisors in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall.

Feinstein, who found Milk’s body, became acting mayor and won election twice to serve as mayor until 1988.

Georgia Otterson, 76, a health care administrator, said Feinstein wasn’t as politically liberal as she would have liked, but the late mayor earned her respect with how she kept the heartbroken city together.

“We were all mourning together, holding candles. If memory serves me, Joan Baez sang,” Otterson said of an impromptu march that night from the historically gay Castro District to City Hall. “And she held us up.”

| VIDEO BELOW | Dianne Feinstein’s body arrives in San Francisco as mourners prepare to say goodbye

As a centrist Democrat, she was criticized by some more liberal voters, including for her longtime support for the death penalty, and as the country became more polarized, for her collegial relationship with Republicans. But the straight, white woman largely earned the gratitude of a city that celebrates its racial and sexual diversity.

She steered San Francisco through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.

Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.

Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when she was a Black kid growing up in public housing and playing the French horn in a middle school band that performed regularly at mayoral events.

“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after Feinstein’s death.

Mourners Wednesday expressed their pride in Feinstein.

“She kept moving on up. I was proud of her, very proud of her,” said Dorothy Hudson, 81, a retired federal government employee. “She was very kind, very smart. She opened doors up to let people know, ‘You can do it.’”

San Francisco native Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of red and pink lilies and daisies on the floor before the casket. She lingered, crying quietly over a woman she never knew but who was so important to her life.

“She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said. “I’m so grateful. And I really just wanted her family to know how much she meant to me.”

The social worker said she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger. “She was a lioness.”

While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Gov. Gavin Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.

John Konstin Sr., owner of John’s Grill, a favorite downtown tourist destination and watering hole for city politicians, recalled Feinstein ordering potholes filled, trees trimmed and ugly scaffolding brought down before San Francisco hosted the 1984 Democratic convention.

“She asked, ‘How long has this scaffolding been up?’ And my dad said ‘Maybe 10 years,’ and the next day it came down,” said Konstin, 59. “It was half a block of scaffolding.”

The restaurant, which is celebrating its 115th anniversary Wednesday, honored Feinstein with flowers beneath a portrait of her that hangs on a wall.

Feinstein’s body will remained in City Hall through the evening and a memorial service is scheduled Thursday outside the building.

Speakers will include Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Feinstein’s granddaughter Eileen Mariano. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by recorded video.

Among the first to say goodbye Wednesday were Jose Romero Cooper and Mark Cooper. The married couple waited in line before doors opened to the public.

“What I’m gonna say is: ‘Thank you for everything, for being strong,’” said Romero Cooper, 61, a scarf of the American flag draped around his neck.

He stood before the casket, genuflected and crossed himself, then walked away with tears streaming down his face.

The service will no longer be open to the public, citing increased security, according to a release from Feinstein’s office. Only invited guests will be allowed.

You can still watch the service online here.

| VIDEO BELOW | Sen. Laphonza Butler: ‘Honor of a lifetime’ to fill Dianne Feinstein’s seat

__

Associated Press journalist Haven Daley in San Francisco and researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.

The post Dianne Feinstein’s physique lies in state at San Francisco Metropolis Corridor appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Mourners bearing bouquets and cards paid their respects Wednesday to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in San Francisco City Hall, where she launched her groundbreaking political career and spent a decade as the city’s first female mayor.Musicians played the violin and other string instruments as a steady line of people snaked into the City Hall rotunda, where her casket was on display behind velvet ropes. People brought flowers that were later whisked away by staff, stood for a few seconds in contemplation or squeezed back tears before moving on to a side room to sign condolence books.Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also of San Francisco, was among the officials in attendance. Feinstein died Thursday at her Washington, D.C., home after a series of illnesses.Jose Romero Cooper, 61, and 73-year-old Mark Cooper were among the first to say goodbye, waiting in line before doors were open to the public. The married couple said they had followed Feinstein’s career with pride as she went from mayor of the politically liberal city to the U.S. Senate.“What I’m gonna say is: ‘Thank you for everything, for being strong,’” said Jose Romero Cooper, a scarf of the American flag draped around his neck.He stood before the casket, genuflected and crossed himself, then walked away with tears streaming down his face.Feinstein was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and was board president in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall. Feinstein became acting mayor, and she went on to serve as mayor until 1988.| VIDEO BELOW | Dianne Feinstein’s body arrives in San Francisco as mourners prepare to say goodbyeSan Francisco would not be San Francisco without her. She steered the city through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.Beyond serving as San Francisco’s first female mayor, she joined Barbara Boxer as the first women to represent California in the U.S. Senate. They both won election in 1992, dubbed the “ Year of the Woman. ”Feinstein inspired countless girls and women, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who is the first Black woman and only the second woman to lead the city. Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when Feinstein was mayor and Breed played the French horn in the middle school band that played regularly at mayoral events.“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after the senator’s death.Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of lilies and daisies in red and pink before the casket.“I’m a San Francisco native. And I remember her being such a big public figure on my life. She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said, adding that she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger.“She was a powerhouse,” she said. “She was a lioness.”While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Gov. Gavin Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.John Konstin Sr., owner of John’s Grill, a favorite downtown tourist destination and watering hole for city politicians, recalled Feinstein ordering potholes filled, trees trimmed and ugly scaffolding brought down before San Francisco hosted the 1984 Democratic convention.“She asked, ‘How long has this scaffolding been up?’ And my dad said maybe 10 years, and the next day it came down,” said Konstin, 59. “It was half a block of scaffolding.”Feinstein’s favorite dish was the Petrale sole, he said. The restaurant, which was celebrating its 115th anniversary Wednesday with a free lunch and appearances by Breed and other politicians, will have flowers by Feinstein’s portrait.Mourners can pay their respects at City Hall until 7 p.m.A memorial service will be held Thursday outside City Hall. Speakers will include Pelosi, Breed, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by recorded video.The service will no longer be open to the public, citing increased security, according to a release from Feinstein’s office. Only invited guests will be allowed.You can still watch the service online here.| VIDEO BELOW | Sen. Laphonza Butler: ‘Honor of a lifetime’ to fill Dianne Feinstein’s seat__ Associated Press journalist Haven Daley in San Francisco and researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.

SAN FRANCISCO —

Mourners bearing bouquets and cards paid their respects Wednesday to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in San Francisco City Hall, where she launched her groundbreaking political career and spent a decade as the city’s first female mayor.

Musicians played the violin and other string instruments as a steady line of people snaked into the City Hall rotunda, where her casket was on display behind velvet ropes. People brought flowers that were later whisked away by staff, stood for a few seconds in contemplation or squeezed back tears before moving on to a side room to sign condolence books.

Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also of San Francisco, was among the officials in attendance. Feinstein died Thursday at her Washington, D.C., home after a series of illnesses.

Jose Romero Cooper, 61, and 73-year-old Mark Cooper were among the first to say goodbye, waiting in line before doors were open to the public. The married couple said they had followed Feinstein’s career with pride as she went from mayor of the politically liberal city to the U.S. Senate.

“What I’m gonna say is: ‘Thank you for everything, for being strong,’” said Jose Romero Cooper, a scarf of the American flag draped around his neck.

He stood before the casket, genuflected and crossed himself, then walked away with tears streaming down his face.

Feinstein was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and was board president in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall. Feinstein became acting mayor, and she went on to serve as mayor until 1988.

| VIDEO BELOW | Dianne Feinstein’s body arrives in San Francisco as mourners prepare to say goodbye

San Francisco would not be San Francisco without her. She steered the city through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.

Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.

Beyond serving as San Francisco’s first female mayor, she joined Barbara Boxer as the first women to represent California in the U.S. Senate. They both won election in 1992, dubbed the “ Year of the Woman. ”

Feinstein inspired countless girls and women, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who is the first Black woman and only the second woman to lead the city. Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when Feinstein was mayor and Breed played the French horn in the middle school band that played regularly at mayoral events.

“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after the senator’s death.

Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of lilies and daisies in red and pink before the casket.

“I’m a San Francisco native. And I remember her being such a big public figure on my life. She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said, adding that she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger.

“She was a powerhouse,” she said. “She was a lioness.”

While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Gov. Gavin Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.

John Konstin Sr., owner of John’s Grill, a favorite downtown tourist destination and watering hole for city politicians, recalled Feinstein ordering potholes filled, trees trimmed and ugly scaffolding brought down before San Francisco hosted the 1984 Democratic convention.

“She asked, ‘How long has this scaffolding been up?’ And my dad said maybe 10 years, and the next day it came down,” said Konstin, 59. “It was half a block of scaffolding.”

Feinstein’s favorite dish was the Petrale sole, he said. The restaurant, which was celebrating its 115th anniversary Wednesday with a free lunch and appearances by Breed and other politicians, will have flowers by Feinstein’s portrait.

Mourners can pay their respects at City Hall until 7 p.m.

A memorial service will be held Thursday outside City Hall. Speakers will include Pelosi, Breed, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by recorded video.

The service will no longer be open to the public, citing increased security, according to a release from Feinstein’s office. Only invited guests will be allowed.

You can still watch the service online here.

| VIDEO BELOW | Sen. Laphonza Butler: ‘Honor of a lifetime’ to fill Dianne Feinstein’s seat

__

Associated Press journalist Haven Daley in San Francisco and researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.

The post Dianne Feinstein’s physique lies in state at San Francisco Metropolis Corridor appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The casket of Senator Dianne Feinstein inside City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in San Francisco, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

Under the gilded dome of San Francisco City Hall, Bay Area residents paid their respects Wednesday to Dianne Feinstein, the longest-tenured female U.S. Senator and a towering figure in the city’s politics, having served as mayor through one of its most turbulent decades.

Feinstein, who died last week at the age of 90, lay in state as hundreds of mourners lined up throughout the day to view the closed casket draped in an American flag. A public funeral service is set for Thursday at City Hall and is expected to be attended by Feinstein’s close friend and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer.

At Wednesday’s viewing, longtime San Francisco resident Florence Bryant remembered Feinstein as a steadying presence as San Francisco’s first female mayor. She credited Feinstein with helping the city heal after fellow Supervisor and gay rights icon Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were gunned down at City Hall almost 45 years ago.

“She was tough,” Bryant said. “In those days, there weren’t many women in office.”

Bryant said she also admired the San Francisco native, credited with guiding the city through the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, for championing LGBTQ causes.

“When you would see her on TV, she always seemed genuine,” Bryant said. “And I’ve always liked what she stood for.”

During her time as senator representing California, Feinstein continued to push for LGBTQ rights, including casting one of the few votes against the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

“She represented a very smart, powerful example of leadership in the United States government,” said Cooper Dawson, 32. “And especially for me, I’m married, and she’s one of the reasons why I can be married to my husband now.”

A visitor takes a photograph at the casket of Senator Dianne Feinstein inside City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in San Francisco, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) 

On Wednesday, officials, including Pelosi and State Sen. Scott Weiner, also came to pay their respects. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who worked closely with Feinstein during the AIDS crisis, made a brief appearance accompanied by Mayor London Breed, as the sound of solemn classical music filled the hall.

San Francisco resident Shu Lee Ong made the trip with her 23-year-old daughter Olivia, together writing down their memories of Feinstein in a funeral guest book adorned with bouquets of lilies and red roses.

“I was moving, and I came across the country to San Francisco to visit a friend,” Ong said. “It was two weeks after Harvey Milk and George Moscone had been killed, and the city was just in mourning and shock, and she just stepped forward. I’ve now lived here for 30 years, and just to see how much she has contributed and what she gave — she was unshakable. I just love her to pieces.”

Ong said she was hopeful that Feinstein’s replacement, Laphonza Butler, the nation’s third Black female senator, whom Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed this week, might be able to add a modicum of stability to Congress, which has been mired in political infighting in recent days over a deal to keep the federal government funded. On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to oust Kevin McCarthy from Speaker after a handful of Republican lawmakers revolted over the deal.

Ong’s daughter, meanwhile, said that while she doesn’t follow politics all that closely, she greatly admired Feinstein’s career of public service.

“Her position as a woman is very inspirational for any young woman or girl growing up and wanting to pursue anything in politics,” she said, “and not to be afraid to take on a role that’s predominantly male-oriented.”

Thursday’s public funeral service is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on the steps of City Hall.

Harris, Schumer and Pelosi are scheduled to speak, and President Joe Biden plans to deliver a recorded message. Newsom and Butler, along with fellow California Sen. Alex Padilla, are also expected to attend.

The post Sen. Dianne Feinstein lies in state at San Francisco Metropolis Corridor appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The body of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is placed at City Hall where it will lie in state, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in San Francisco. Feinstein, who died Sept. 29, served as San Francisco’s mayor. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mourners bearing bouquets and cards paid their respects Wednesday to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in San Francisco City Hall, where she launched her groundbreaking political career and spent a decade as the city’s first female mayor.

Musicians played the violin and other string instruments as a steady line of people snaked into the City Hall rotunda, where her casket was on display behind velvet ropes. People brought flowers that were later whisked away by staff, stood for a few seconds in contemplation or squeezed back tears before moving on to a side room to sign condolence books.

Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also of San Francisco, was among the officials in attendance. Feinstein died Thursday at her Washington, D.C., home after a series of illnesses.

Jose Romero Cooper, 61, and 73-year-old Mark Cooper were among the first to say goodbye, waiting in line before doors were open to the public. The married couple said they had followed Feinstein’s career with pride as she went from mayor of the politically liberal city to the U.S. Senate.

“What I’m gonna say is: ‘Thank you for everything, for being strong,’” said Jose Romero Cooper, a scarf of the American flag draped around his neck.

He stood before the casket, genuflected and crossed himself, then walked away with tears streaming down his face.

Feinstein was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and was board president in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall. Feinstein became acting mayor, and she went on to serve as mayor until 1988.

San Francisco would not be San Francisco without her. She steered the city through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.

Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.

Beyond serving as San Francisco’s first female mayor, she joined Barbara Boxer as the first women to represent California in the U.S. Senate. They both won election in 1992, dubbed the “ Year of the Woman. ”

Feinstein inspired countless girls and women, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who is the first Black woman and only the second woman to lead the city. Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when Feinstein was mayor and Breed played the French horn in the middle school band that played regularly at mayoral events.

“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after the senator’s death.

Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of lilies and daisies in red and pink before the casket.

“I’m a San Francisco native. And I remember her being such a big public figure on my life. She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said, adding that she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger.

“She was a powerhouse,” she said. “She was a lioness.”

While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Gov. Gavin Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.

John Konstin Sr., owner of John’s Grill, a favorite downtown tourist destination and watering hole for city politicians, recalled Feinstein ordering potholes filled, trees trimmed and ugly scaffolding brought down before San Francisco hosted the 1984 Democratic convention.

“She asked, ‘How long has this scaffolding been up?’ And my dad said maybe 10 years, and the next day it came down,” said Konstin, 59. “It was half a block of scaffolding.”

Feinstein’s favorite dish was the Petrale sole, he said. The restaurant, which was celebrating its 115th anniversary Wednesday with a free lunch and appearances by Breed and other politicians, will have flowers by Feinstein’s portrait.

Mourners can pay their respects at City Hall until 7 p.m.

A memorial service will be held Thursday outside City Hall. Speakers will include Pelosi, Breed, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by recorded video.

___

Associated Press journalist Haven Daley in San Francisco and researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.

The post Tearful mourners pay their respects to Dianne Feinstein in San Francisco’s Metropolis Corridor appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.