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.

After Arrest in United Kingdom, Zhang Li Admits Role in Scheme to Bribe Mohammed Nuru; Zhang’s U.S.-based Real Estate Development Company also Charged

October 16, 2023 – SAN FRANCISCO – Zhang Li, founder and chief executive officer of a Chinese real estate development company appeared last night in U.S. District Court on charges that he bribed former head of the San Francisco Department of Public Works Mohammed Nuru, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Robbins, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. A U.S. company that Zhang controls, Z&L Properties, Inc., was also charged with honest services wire fraud for providing bribes and gifts to Nuru in exchange for favorable city treatment of Z&L Properties’ mixed-use project at 555 Fulton Street in San Francisco, Calif. As part of a negotiated disposition both Zhang and Z&L Properties will waive the right to indictment and admit that they engaged in certain conduct.

Zhang, 70, of Guangzhou, China, has been charged by Information with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. According to the Information, Zhang bribed Nuru by providing him with food, drinks, luxury lodging, and transportation during a trip Nuru took to China in 2018. The Information alleges the purpose of the bribe was to influence Nuru so that he would provide favorable treatment on decisions and city approvals needed during the construction and development of a mixed-use property at 555 Fulton Street in San Francisco being developed by Zhang and a company Zhang controlled.

Z&L Properties Inc., a U.S. company formerly based in Fremont, Calif., and controlled by Zhang, was also charged in a separate Information with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and honest services wire fraud for its participation in the bribery scheme. Z&L Properties managed the development of the 555 Fulton Street project and the company facilitated the payment of bribes to Nuru in exchange for favorable treatment regarding the 555 Fulton project, according to the allegations in the criminal Information.

“Zhang Li and Z&L Properties have admitted that they bribed a top San Francisco public official. The criminal charges and resolutions announced today send a clear message that this office will not tolerate the corruption of public officials in the District by anyone, including individuals acting from outside of the United States,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins. “To those who seek to corrupt public officials in the United States, wherever they are, we will use the powers at our disposal to bring them to justice and hold them accountable to the rule of law.”

“Zhang Li, who earned his profits through bribery of a San Francisco public official, is yet another individual charged in connection to our ongoing public corruption case,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “Public corruption erodes public confidence and strikes at the very foundation of our government. The citizens of San Francisco deserve better, and we stand firmly committed to investigating both corrupt officials and private citizens who attempt to bribe them, no matter where they reside.”

“IRS-Criminal Investigation’s priority is to ensure a fair and level playing field for all taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian of the Oakland Field Office. “Mr. Li’s conduct shows that greed and financial crimes have no borders, and we will continue to pursue those who take advantage of our system and taxpayers by following the money worldwide. We are proud to have worked alongside our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing this case a step closer to closure.”

Zhang originally was charged by criminal complaint in May of 2021. At the request of the United States, Zhang was arrested when he arrived in the United Kingdom in December 2022 and the United States pursued extradition. After approximately six months, Zhang consented to extradition and was subsequently surrendered to U.S. authorities. The charges against Zhang now are set forth in an Information filed by the government.

Zhang appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse in the Northern District of California. Magistrate Judge Tse released Zhang on a bond pending further proceedings.

According to the documents filed in Zhang’s case, the defendant and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have entered a deferred prosecution agreement. Under that agreement filed today, Zhang admitted to the conduct that forms the basis of the charge in the Information, and, if Zhang abides by the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement, the charge will be dismissed in three years.

According to filed documents, Z&L Properties also will plead guilty to charges set out in the Information filed against it; Z&L also will agree to a comprehensive compliance and remediation program designed to prevent bribery and corruption in connection with Z&L Properties’ real estate development work. Z&L Properties has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, will pay a fine of $1,000,000, and will enter into a corporate compliance program acceptable to the Office of the U.S. Attorney. Z&L Properties appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse today, and the court set a further hearing before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick, on August 10, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.

The charges against Zhang and Z&L Properties arose from an investigation into bribery and public corruption in San Francisco city government led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and IRS-CI. To date, more than 14 individuals and entities have been charged in connection that larger set of investigations, including Mohammed Nuru, former director of the San Francisco Public Works department; Harlan Kelly, the former general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; and multiple city contractors and other facilitators of bribes and corruption.

Nuru was charged in January 2020, pleaded guilty in January 2022, and on August 25, 2022, Nuru was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison. A separate defendant charged in the investigation, Walter Wong, was charged in June 2020 with conspiracy to defraud the public of its right to honest services and with conspiracy to engage in money laundering, both involving Nuru. Wong entered a guilty plea and agreed to cooperate with the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

An Information merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant Zhang faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. Z&L Properties faces a maximum fine of $500,000 per count, plus restitution if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ward and Robert Leach are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). First Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and United Kingdom authorities for their assistance in the extradition.

Source: DOJ Release

Related:

Property Developer Z&L Properties Fined $1 Million After Pleading Guilty To Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy

Company Admitted Its Chairman Bribed Former San Francisco Department of Public Works Head Mohammed Nuru with Meals, Hotel Stay During China Trip

October 16, 2023 – SAN FRANCISCO – Z&L Properties Inc., a Foster City, California-based subsidiary of a Chinese property development company, was ordered to pay a $1 million fine as part of its sentence for bribing a San Francisco official in exchange for favorable treatment on a construction project, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Francisco Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Orrick, United States District Judge.

According to the plea agreement, Z&L Properties’ executives approved or paid bribes to former San Francisco Department of Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, including providing him and another individual with food, drinks, lodging, and transportation during a trip to China in 2018. The purpose of the payments was to influence Nuru to act favorably on Z&L Properties’ requests for city approvals needed to complete construction of a mixed-use property owned by Z&L Properties at 555 Fulton Street in San Francisco.

Z&L Properties was charged by Information on July 18, 2023, with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud. Z&L Properties pleaded guilty to the criminal scheme on August 17, 2023. In addition to the $1 million fine, Judge Orrick ordered Z&L Properties to implement a three-year anti-corruption corporate compliance program.

Also charged in the scheme was Zhang Li, 70, of Guangzhou, China. Zhang was the owner and controlling member of Z&L Properties as well as the chairman, co-founder, and chief executive officer of R&F Properties Co. Ltd., a real estate holdings and development company based in Guangzhou, China. R&F Properties does business in the United States through Z&L Properties Ltd. Zhang was charged by Criminal Complaint for his role in bribing Nuru. Zhang was arrested in London in November 2022 on an arrest warrant issued in the Northern District of California. He was required to post a £15 million ($19.1 million) bond and remained under house arrest in London for seven months before being extradited to the United States. Zhang waived extradition in June, returned to the United States, and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States.

This case is part of a larger federal investigation targeting public corruption in the City and County of San Francisco. Nuru was charged in January 2020 with a long-running honest services fraud scheme. Nuru pleaded guilty to several charges on January 6, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison on August 25, 2022. Another defendant, Wing Lok “Walter” Wong was charged in June 2020 with conspiracy to defraud the public of its right to honest services and with conspiracy to engage in money laundering, both involving Nuru and others. Wong entered a guilty plea and agreed to cooperate with the government’s corruption investigations. Judge Orrick has scheduled Wong’s sentencing hearing for January 18, 2024.

Assistant United States Attorney David Ward is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Source: DOJ Release

The post Chinese language Nationwide Actual Property Developer Seems in Court docket to Face Expenses of Bribing a Distinguished San Francisco Public Official appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO – Zhang Li, founder and chief executive officer of a Chinese real estate development company appeared last night in U.S. District Court on charges that he bribed former head of the San Francisco Department of Public Works Mohammed Nuru, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Robbins, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. A U.S. company that Zhang controls, Z&L Properties, Inc., was also charged with honest services wire fraud for providing bribes and gifts to Nuru in exchange for favorable city treatment of Z&L Properties’ mixed-use project at 555 Fulton Street in San Francisco, Calif. As part of a negotiated disposition both Zhang and Z&L Properties will waive the right to indictment and admit that they engaged in certain conduct.

Zhang, 70, of Guangzhou, China, has been charged by Information with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. According to the Information, Zhang bribed Nuru by providing him with food, drinks, luxury lodging, and transportation during a trip Nuru took to China in 2018. The Information alleges the purpose of the bribe was to influence Nuru so that he would provide favorable treatment on decisions and city approvals needed during the construction and development of a mixed-use property at 555 Fulton Street in San Francisco being developed by Zhang and a company Zhang controlled.

Z&L Properties Inc., a U.S. company formerly based in Fremont, Calif., and controlled by Zhang, was also charged in a separate Information with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and honest services wire fraud for its participation in the bribery scheme. Z&L Properties managed the development of the 555 Fulton Street project and the company facilitated the payment of bribes to Nuru in exchange for favorable treatment regarding the 555 Fulton project, according to the allegations in the criminal Information.

“Zhang Li and Z&L Properties have admitted that they bribed a top San Francisco public official. The criminal charges and resolutions announced today send a clear message that this office will not tolerate the corruption of public officials in the District by anyone, including individuals acting from outside of the United States,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins. “To those who seek to corrupt public officials in the United States, wherever they are, we will use the powers at our disposal to bring them to justice and hold them accountable to the rule of law.”

“Zhang Li, who earned his profits through bribery of a San Francisco public official, is yet another individual charged in connection to our ongoing public corruption case,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “Public corruption erodes public confidence and strikes at the very foundation of our government. The citizens of San Francisco deserve better, and we stand firmly committed to investigating both corrupt officials and private citizens who attempt to bribe them, no matter where they reside.”

“IRS-Criminal Investigation’s priority is to ensure a fair and level playing field for all taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian of the Oakland Field Office. “Mr. Li’s conduct shows that greed and financial crimes have no borders, and we will continue to pursue those who take advantage of our system and taxpayers by following the money worldwide. We are proud to have worked alongside our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing this case a step closer to closure.”

Zhang originally was charged by criminal complaint in May of 2021. At the request of the United States, Zhang was arrested when he arrived in the United Kingdom in December 2022 and the United States pursued extradition. After approximately six months, Zhang consented to extradition and was subsequently surrendered to U.S. authorities. The charges against Zhang now are set forth in an Information filed by the government.

Zhang appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse in the Northern District of California. Magistrate Judge Tse released Zhang on a bond pending further proceedings.

According to the documents filed in Zhang’s case, the defendant and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have entered a deferred prosecution agreement. Under that agreement filed today, Zhang admitted to the conduct that forms the basis of the charge in the Information, and, if Zhang abides by the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement, the charge will be dismissed in three years.

According to filed documents, Z&L Properties also will plead guilty to charges set out in the Information filed against it; Z&L also will agree to a comprehensive compliance and remediation program designed to prevent bribery and corruption in connection with Z&L Properties’ real estate development work. Z&L Properties has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, will pay a fine of $1,000,000, and will enter into a corporate compliance program acceptable to the Office of the U.S. Attorney. Z&L Properties appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse today, and the court set a further hearing before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick, on August 10, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.

The charges against Zhang and Z&L Properties arose from an investigation into bribery and public corruption in San Francisco city government led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and IRS-CI. To date, more than 14 individuals and entities have been charged in connection that larger set of investigations, including Mohammed Nuru, former director of the San Francisco Public Works department; Harlan Kelly, the former general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; and multiple city contractors and other facilitators of bribes and corruption.

Nuru was charged in January 2020, pleaded guilty in January 2022, and on August 25, 2022, Nuru was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison. A separate defendant charged in the investigation, Walter Wong, was charged in June 2020 with conspiracy to defraud the public of its right to honest services and with conspiracy to engage in money laundering, both involving Nuru. Wong entered a guilty plea and agreed to cooperate with the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

An Information merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant Zhang faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. Z&L Properties faces a maximum fine of $500,000 per count, plus restitution if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ward and Robert Leach are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). First Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and United Kingdom authorities for their assistance in the extradition.

The post Northern District of California | Chinese language Nationwide Actual Property Developer Seems In Court docket To Face Fees Of Bribing A Distinguished San Francisco Public Official appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

PTI

Washington, October 12

After JFK airport in New York, San Francisco has emerged as the number two gateway for Indians in the US which is mainly driven by the expansion and new non-stop flights of Air India, according to officials who were in Mumbai this week to explore avenues to tap the huge Indian market.

“Our market measurement shows there are about 1,100 passengers per day each way between San Francisco, the Bay Area and India,” Kevin Bumen, Chief Financial & Commercial Officer at San Francisco International Airport told PTI in an interview after concluding his two-day visit to Mumbai.

Air India, he said, has been a real bright spot during the pandemic with a carrier that grew and really made the most of a difficult market and made some big moves with their expansion in San Francisco.

“Today San Francisco is the number two gateway in the US behind John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). We’re 17 flights a week. JFK has 21 flights a week. And if United Airlines were operating their full schedule, we (San Francisco) would be the number one airport in the US for India service. That would add an additional 14 flights a week if United was operating at full capacity,” he said.

Air India now has nonstop flights from San Francisco to New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

“It’s an exciting story,” said Bumen, who led a delegation of officials from San Francisco this week. The Indian travellers to San Francisco are now approaching the pre-pandemic level, said Hubertus Funke, executive vice president and chief tourism officer of the San Francisco Travel Association.

From a visitor volume perspective, San Francisco Airport had about 210,000 visitors in 2019.

“Now we are just getting to about 211,000 visitors this year,” he told PTI.

“That’s a really good increase from last year and we’re expecting double-digit growth out of India for the next couple of years as well. So, we’re seeing a lot of potential out of the Indian market. We know that it was a very strong market before and we kind of want to continue the trend and see what we can do to really leverage these opportunities moving forward,” he said.

A primary focus of this visit was to underscore India’s significance as one of the fastest-growing overseas visitor markets for San Francisco. The delegates are dedicated to creating immersive travel experiences and strengthening cultural ties for Indian tourists visiting San Francisco.

India, one of the fastest-growing overseas visitor markets for San Francisco, has emerged as a key focus area for SFO and SFTA. In 2022,           

India ranked among San Francisco’s top five visitor markets, with 150,000 visitors welcomed. Visitor volume from India is set to grow by 34 per cent in 2023, a testament to the strong ties between the two regions, a media release said.

During their stay in Mumbai from October 9th to 10th, the delegates held meetings with key stakeholders. These interactions involved exploring avenues for fostering mutual understanding, cooperation and potential collaborations in the future.

“The cultural richness and economic vibrancy of India resonate deeply with San Francisco’s spirit. We are committed to fostering stronger ties and enhancing mutual understanding between our two regions. India’s exponential growth as a visitor market fuels our enthusiasm to create compelling travel experiences for Indian tourists in San Francisco,” Funke said.

Bumen said India holds immense potential for San Francisco.

“San Francisco International Airport is proud to be the premier international gateway to the West Coast, ensuring seamless travel experiences for Indian travellers. Our aim is to further strengthen this connection, making SFO the preferred choice for travellers from India,” he said.

Funke said in addition to the number of Indians travelling to the US through San Francisco, there has been a significant growth in the number of visitors spending out of India.

“For 2023, we’re expecting that number to be almost USD 440 million and then for 2024, we’re expecting another 63 per cent in spend from Indian visitors,” he said in response to a question.

“The potential that we’re seeing is very important and that is obviously manifested by the demand in airlift as well and especially the expansion that Air India has given to SFO. We are seeing really good potential for the next few years also from a visitor standpoint,” he said.

#Air India
#Mumbai
#New York
#United States of America USA
#Washington

The post India is likely one of the fastest-growing abroad customer markets for San Francisco, says official : The Tribune India appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

More than a year before the November 2024 election, the race for who will represent Downtown San Francisco on the Board of Supervisors is heating up.

Sharon Lai, a former transportation official, announced Friday morning that she will run to represent District 3, which covers the northeast covers of the city, including the Financial District, Chinatown, North Beach, Nob Hill and Russian Hill.

Lai, a Chinese American immigrant, is hardly new to city politics. She worked for the Planning Department earlier in her career and served on the board of directors of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency from 2020 to 2022. She later resigned from the board position to pursue a master’s degree at Harvard University. Upon graduating in May 2023, she moved back to the city and currently works for the World Economic Forum, an international lobbying nonprofit.

“We’re tired of the dysfunction that we have experienced in the city,” Lai said Friday at a Chinatown rally. “It’s time for us to start leading.”

As a victim of sexual harassment on public transit, Lai said her focus will be on public safety, as well as homelessness and economic recovery. She was an outspoken advocate of transit safety for Asian Americans during her term as a transit commissioner. 

San Francisco’s politics are frequently divided into progressive and moderate camps, and while Lai acknowledges that some of her political ideology is more progressive-leaning, she said she has “always worked across the aisle.”

Lai may be able to appeal to Chinatown’s large voting bloc because of her Chinese immigrant identity and fluency in Cantonese and Mandarin. She has also garnered strong support from the city’s progressive Chinese American leadership, including current and former supervisors Norman Yee, Sandra Lee Fewer and Connie Chan.

Two other candidates, Deputy City Attorney Moe Jamil and Democratic County Central Committee Vice-Chair Peter Gallotta, have announced runs for the seat, too. Former North Beach Neighbors president Danny Sauter, who challenged Peskin in 2020 and is expected to run again, told The Standard that he will have more to share soon.

Asked about running for office in a district into which she had only recently moved, Lai told The Standard she had spent a lot of time there because it’s close to her kids’ school and it’s where she shops. She also emphasized that during her career as a city planner and transit official, she focused on the Downtown and Chinatown areas.

“I feel strongly that this is the heart of San Francisco,” Lai said. “I would feel so honored to be able to fight for this community.”

Current District 3 Supervisor and Board President Aaron Peskin is terming out after two decades in city politics. Neither Peskin nor Mayor London Breed, who appointed Lai to the transit board, were present at the campaign kickoff.

“We need to focus on issues, not political teams,” Lai said by way of addressing their absence. “If I have to pick a side, I’m on the side of San Francisco.”

The post Former Transit Official Runs for San Francisco Supervisor appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Twitter still needs to do more to comply with the European Union’s tough new digital rules, a senior EU official said after overseeing a “stress test” of the company’s systems in Silicon Valley.

EU Commissioner Thierry Breton said late Thursday he had taken note of Twitter’s “strong commitment to compliance” with the Digital Services Act, which sets new standards that all of the world’s largest online platforms will have to comply with in just two months.

However, “work must go on,” he said in a statement after discussing the results of the voluntary test with owner Elon Musk and new CEO Linda Yaccarino at Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters.

Breton, who oversees digital policy, also meets with other tech bosses in California. He is the EU’s point of contact working to prepare Big Tech for the new rules that will force companies to crack down on hate speech, disinformation and other harmful and illegal material on their websites. The law comes into effect on August 25 for the largest platforms.

The Digital Services Act, along with proposed new data and artificial intelligence regulations, have put Brussels at the forefront of the growing global movement to fight tech giants.

The practice exercise tested Twitter’s readiness to comply with the requirements of the DSA, including protecting children online and detecting and mitigating risks such as disinformation, in both normal and extreme situations.

“Twitter takes the exercise seriously and has identified the key areas it needs to focus on to comply with the DSA,” Breton said, without giving further details. “Two months before the new EU regulation comes into force, work must continue so that the systems are in place and working effectively and quickly.”

Twitter’s Global Government Affairs team tweeted that the company was “on track to be ready when the DSA goes into effect.” Yaccarino tweeted, “Europe is very important to Twitter and we are focused on our continued partnership. “

Musk agreed in December to let the EU run the stress test the union offers to all tech companies before the rules come into effect. Breton said other online platforms would conduct their own stress tests in the coming weeks, but did not name them.

Despite Musk’s claims to the contrary, independent researchers have found that since the company was acquired by billionaire Tesla CEO last year, misinformation and hate speech has been circulating on Twitter. Musk has reinstated notorious election deniers, overhauled Twitter’s verification system and fired much of the staff responsible for moderating posts.

Last month, Breton warned Twitter that it “must not hide from its commitments” after the social media site abandoned the block’s voluntary “code of conduct” on online disinformation, which other social media platforms pledge to support have.

Combating disinformation is legally mandated by the Digital Services Act.

“When laws are passed, Twitter will abide by the laws,” Musk told France 2 TV this week when asked about the DSA.

Breton’s agenda on Friday includes discussions of the EU’s digital rules and upcoming artificial intelligence regulations with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, whose company makes the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT. But a briefing for journalists was canceled.

The DSA is part of a major overhaul of the EU’s digital rulebook designed to force tech companies to clean up their platforms and better protect users online.

European users of major technology platforms will find it easier to report illegal content, such as hate speech, and receive more information about why certain content has been recommended to them.

Violators face fines of up to 6% of annual global sales – which amounts to billions of dollars for some tech giants – or even an operating ban in the EU of 450 million consumers.

Breton also meets with Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, the dominant supplier of semiconductors for AI systems, to discuss the EU chips law to boost the continent’s chip manufacturing industry.

The EU, meanwhile, is putting the finishing touches on its AI law, the world’s first comprehensive set of rules for the new technology, which has sparked both fascination and fears that it could invade privacy, destroy jobs, violate copyright law and more.

Final approval is expected by the end of the year, but will not come into effect until two years later. Breton has proposed a voluntary “AI Pact” to help companies prepare for adoption.

The post Is Twitter prepared for Europe’s new Massive Tech guidelines? EU official says it has work to do appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The suspect, accused of using a metal pipe to attack a former San Francisco fire officer, was released from custody on Thursday and is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing at the end of May.

Former San Francisco Fire Department Commissioner Don Carmignani suffered serious injuries after he was attacked with a metal pipe by a suspect outside his mother’s San Francisco home in early April, according to prosecutors. According to the prosecutor, Carmignani was therefore unable to testify in the preliminary hearing on Thursday.

The judge on the case granted the prosecution’s request to postpone the hearing to May 23 and released suspect Garret Doty, whom San Francisco police had charged with assault with a deadly weapon, from prison.

Kleigh Hathaway, Doty’s public defender, claims her client was not the attacker in the incident but rather protected himself from the former firefighter, who she says attacked several homeless people with bear spray, including Doty.

Hathaway also released surveillance video, which she says showed Carmignani attacking Doty with bear spray minutes before Carmignani was attacked with the metal pipe.

On April 5, Carmignani called 911 to report three homeless people at a camp outside his mother’s home in the affluent Marina neighborhood, he said in a statement to CNN.

“That evening I arrived at my mother’s house and told these individuals to leave,” Carmignani said in the statement. “The incident culminated in one of the people pulling out a piece of metal pipe and hitting me on the head several times.”

Carmignani was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery, his statement said.

Carmignani’s attorney, Samuel Ray, said in a statement that the San Francisco Police Department did not respond to the morning call about people camping outside his client’s home and that “no one from the SFPD or the DA’s office ever conducted an interview or attempted to conduct an interview.” Don on his version of events.”

CNN questioned SFPD about Ray’s allegation. The District Attorney says the SFPD has requested an interview on multiple occasions.

Other homeless victims, says the public defender

Video from outside a gas station shared by Camignani’s lawyer appears to show the former firefighter trying to defend himself while being hit by a man with a metal pole. The video does not show the moments before the altercation.

A separate video, also provided by Carmignani’s lawyer and apparently taken from a nearby building, shows the former city official running down the street with Doty at his heels, swinging his rod at Carmignani’s head as he flees .

Doty’s public defender told reporters Wednesday the case was a self-defense case, in part because she says there appears to be a repeating pattern of someone matching Carmignani’s description allegedly walking within a four-block area between November 2021 and his attacked homeless people with bear spray and January 2023, based on police reports provided to her by prosecutors and police.

“In all of them the victims are not housed, the victims are either sleeping in their tents, sitting on a bench and minding their own business,” Hathaway said, citing police reports of eight separate attacks on homeless people included in discovery evidence that she has received. “Luckily, one of them was caught on video.”

CNN has requested the police reports but has not yet received them.

Carmignani has denied being the person in the videos of the bear spray attacks and says he did not commit any of the attacks.

A copy of the video provided by the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office shows an apparently homeless man sleeping outside on a sidewalk. According to Hathaway, the video was recorded in November 2021 on the same street as Carmignani’s residence.

“He goes and sprays a giant can of bear spray – the same gun that was used in the Doty incident – he sprays this bear spray on the homeless. Don’t just walk by, focus on the victim’s face for at least a few seconds and then walk away,” she says.

“This man is described as 5’10”, 6’1″, 280, 300 pounds, gray hair, brown hair. Very similar and apt to what Mr. Carmignani looks like,” she said.

“I am confident that my client was aware of his (Carmignani’s) past violence,” Hathaway said, captioning an April 5 video that appears to show the first confrontation between Carmignani and her client. In that video, Hathaway says Doty can be seen running away, and the “first thing he does” is crouch down and cover his head with this coat, “implying that he’s experiencing the violence of the bear spray.” knows and has been exposed to this violence in previous incidents.”

When asked why Carmignani wasn’t charged in connection with the homeless attack, San Francisco District Attorney Brooks Jenkins told reporters Wednesday, “Nothing has been submitted to our office by the police requesting that they do anything for their purpose.” the indictment.”

Jenkins stated that she viewed a video, but that “it’s just an allegation at the moment as to who it is” and that further investigation is needed.

Jenkins added that prosecutors will continue to focus on the April 5 incident. “I am concerned about the incident that brings us to court today,” she said. “So this specific incident and what was happening at that point in time is what is primarily relevant at this point.”

According to Jenkins, Carmignani has not yet given an interview to the San Francisco Police Department, although he did do a sit-down interview with CNN affiliate KPIX.

The CNN Wire
& © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery company. All rights reserved.

The post Former San Francisco metropolis official attacked homeless individual with bear spray minutes previous to steel pipe assault, public defender says appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Es war eine haarsträubende Wahl, ein Wettbewerb mit hauchdünner Siegesmarge, Wahlverhütung an der Basis und mindestens einem Vorwurf der Hinterlist – und er endete mit einer großen Überraschung.

Die Kandidaten? Seelöwen und wilde Papageien.

Das Rennen? In einer Umfrage des San Francisco Chronicle zum inoffiziellen Stadttier von San Francisco ernannt zu werden.

Die grüngefiederten, rothaarigen Papageien, die wild in der Stadt leben. Ausgelassen und voller Persönlichkeit sind sie Eindringlinge, die San Francisco ab Ende der 1980er Jahre zu ihrer Heimat gemacht haben, als einige davon aus einer Tierhandlung geflohen sein sollen.

Sie sind seit langem ikonische Bewohner von SF, aber diese Woche erzielten die Vögel einen Überraschungssieg, der sie für immer als Symbol der weltberühmten Stadt verankern könnte. Obwohl die Umfrage der Zeitung nur zum Spaß war, haben die städtischen Aufsichtsbehörden Gesetze erlassen, um die Ergebnisse offiziell zu machen.

Der Sieg der wilden Papageien ist eine Underdog-Geschichte, komplett mit Nuancen politischer Intrigen und Kulturgeschichte – aber die Geschichte spricht auch von der Suche der Menschen nach Leichtsinn in der Zeit nach der Pandemie.

Mehr als 27.000 Menschen gaben ihre Stimme in den vier Runden der Chronicle-Umfrage ab, wobei mehr als 8.000 an der Endrunde teilnahmen. Die berühmten Seelöwen der Stadt – die in der Bucht beheimatet sind und Millionen von Touristen anziehen, wenn sie sich auf dem Dock am Pier 39 sonnen – waren die Favoriten auf den Sieg.

Die Papageien kreischten jedoch mit nur 227 Stimmen mehr als die Seelöwen und gewannen mit 51 Prozent, berichtete der Kulturkritiker des Chronicle, Peter Hartlaub, am Montag.

„Die wilden Papageien sind wirklich die perfekte Metapher für die San Franciscos“, sagte Hartlaub der Washington Post. „Ich denke darüber wie einige unserer größten San Franciscos, das heißt [their] Geschichte auch. Robin Williams war ein wilder Papagei, Harvey Milk war ein wilder Papagei.“

Hartlaub und Chronicle-Kolumnistin Heather Knight, die gemeinsam einen Podcast moderieren, starteten das Projekt als von March Madness inspirierten Wettbewerb, nachdem sie feststellten, dass die Stadt kein offizielles Tier hatte.

Die beiden zielen manchmal darauf ab, Geschichten zu behandeln, die als Erinnerung an die Wunder von San Francisco dienen, und Hartlaub, der oft Geschichtskolumnen schreibt, bemerkte, dass die Stadt eine Tradition hat, selbst in schwierigen Zeiten Freude zu finden. Sie waren sich nicht sicher, ob die Umfrage bei den Lesern ankommen würde, aber sie dachten, es würde Spaß machen, über Tiere zu schreiben.

„Die Menschen in San Francisco sind im Moment im Allgemeinen so niedergeschlagen, mit so vielen Krisen – Obdachlosigkeit und die Fentanyl-Epidemie und Erschwinglichkeitsprobleme – und kämpfen immer noch damit, die Innenstadt wieder aufzubauen“, sagte Knight, der viele dieser Probleme behandelt. „Die Leute sind irgendwie begierig auf lustige, fröhliche Geschichten, um sich daran zu erinnern, warum es sich lohnt, in San Francisco zu leben.“

Trotzdem waren die Reporter schockiert, sagten sie der Post am Dienstag, als sich herumsprach, offizielle Gruppen begannen, Partei zu ergreifen und Tausende von Stimmen eingingen. Die Ergebnisse waren auch überraschend – zum Beispiel wurden Möwen früh eliminiert – ebenso wie der Vorstand die rasche Gesetzgebung der Aufsichtsbehörden als Reaktion. Nächste Woche sollen sie abstimmen.

Der Ruhm der Vögel stieg nach dem Dokumentarfilm „The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill“ aus dem Jahr 2003, in dem die Filmemacherin Judy Irving die Geschichte der Beziehung der Vögel zu Mark Bittner erzählte, einem ehemals obdachlosen Musiker, der 1993 begann, die Papageien zu bemerken Es gibt Legenden darüber, wie sie in die Stadt gelangten. Es wird als wahrscheinlich angesehen, dass der Schwarm mit Vögeln begann, die aus einer Tierhandlung entkommen waren. Heute findet man sie in der ganzen Stadt, sagte Irving in einem Interview.

„Das ist eine Art große Anerkennung für die Papageien, dass die Stadt sie als die farbenfrohen, lebendigen Einwanderer akzeptiert hat, die sie sind“, sagte Sarah Lemarié, CEO von Mickaboo, einer gemeinnützigen Vogelrettungsorganisation, die mit der Papageienherde arbeitet.

Einige San Franciscaner haben noch nie einen gesehen, hörte Lemarié während des Abstimmungsprozesses – aber „sie sind leicht zu finden. Gehen Sie einfach jeden Morgen in den Park beim Fährgebäude, und sie werden dort sein.“

“Ein klassischer politischer Kampf”

Das Matchup zwischen Vögeln und Säugetieren fand statt, nachdem die Wähler einen nicht hundertjährigen Lungenfisch, eine gefährdete Schlange, einen einheimischen blauen Schmetterling und andere Kandidaten eliminiert hatten. Krabben, die in der San Francisco Bay weit verbreitet sind, und ein Albino-Alligator namens Claude, der an der California Academy of Sciences lebt, waren unter den letzten vier.

Der Papageienschwarm besteht aus etwa 220 in San Francisco geborenen Vögeln, Generationen nachdem der erste Rotmaskensittich, wie der Vogel ornithologisch genannt wird, gegen Ende der 1980er Jahre auftauchte. Die Vögel, die auch als Kirschkopfsittiche bekannt sind, haben sich mit einer anderen Art, dem Gehrungssittich, gepaart, was die Herde einzigartig in San Francisco macht, sagte Lemarié.

Die Stadt verbietet es den Menschen, Papageien zu füttern, und Befürworter wollen nicht, dass San Francisco sie als Haustiere mit nach Hause nimmt. Die Papageien sind nicht bei allen beliebt, räumte Irving ein, einschließlich derjenigen, die die einheimische Fauna bevorzugen.

Seelöwen waren in drei Abstimmungsrunden der klare Spitzenreiter, Papageien belegten einen entfernten zweiten Platz, sagte Hartlaub. Die Meeressäuger hatten einen solchen Vorsprung, dass Hartlaub einmal überprüfte, ob die Online-Wahlurnen nicht geradezu vollgestopft waren.

Seelöwen leben entlang der Westküste; Männchen ziehen im Frühjahr und Herbst in die Bucht von San Francisco. Sie kamen nach dem Erdbeben von Loma Prieta 1989 zum ersten Mal zum Pier 39 und ließen sich auf einem neu fertiggestellten Dock nieder, das nicht von Booten besetzt war, sagte Adam Ratner, stellvertretender Direktor für Naturschutzausbildung beim Marine Mammal Center.

Viele fanden die wilden Papageien symbolisch für San Franciscos Geist und verwandt mit den vielen Menschen, die in die Stadt ziehen. Seelöwen hingegen sind die Wächter der Stadt, die am Wasser stationiert sind, und ihr Botschafter, der mit ihrem freundlichen Bellen Besucher in den Jachthafen lockt.

„Jeder von ihnen symbolisierte San Francisco auf seine eigene Weise, also wurden sie irgendwie zu den perfekten letzten beiden“, sagte Knight. „Seelöwen sind Ureinwohner, und einheimische San Franziskaner sind wirklich stolz darauf, einheimische San Franziskaner zu sein. … [The parrots] sind die Neuankömmlinge in San Francisco, die nicht gebürtig sind, aber sehr lustig und bunt und laut sind.“

Pier 39 und andere Gruppen drängten auf Seelöwen, während Mickaboo, Filmemacher Irving und andere die Papageien förderten.

Im Chronicle beobachteten Knight und Hartlaub letzte Woche an vier spannenden Tagen, wie die endgültigen Abstimmungen eingingen, und sahen, wie die Führung vier- oder fünfmal hin und her schwankte. Nachdem andere Tiere eliminiert worden waren, schlossen sich Menschen, die gegen Seelöwen waren, hinter den wilden Papageien an, theoretisierten die Reporter.

Die Papageien-Anhänger begannen hart zu arbeiten, um Stimmen zu gewinnen, sagte Irving und nannte es einen harten Kampf. Sie waren letzte Woche „rasend“, das Rennen „schaukelte“.

„Es war auch eine Art klassischer politischer Kampf, weil wir das Gefühl hatten, dass wir die mutigen Unabhängigen gegen die, vielleicht könnte man es die Tourismuslobby der Unternehmen nennen“, sagte Irving. “Es hat Spaß gemacht.”

Mickaboo, das Papageien aus der Herde rettet, wenn sie krank oder verletzt sind, hatte letzte Woche einen Freiwilligen, der mit einem Kakadu durch die Straßen der Stadt ging und fast 100 Stimmen errang, sagte Lemarié.

„Wir wussten, dass die Seelöwen starke Unterstützung hatten, und wir wussten, dass die Abstimmungen nur noch wenige Tage vor dem Ende sehr knapp waren“, sagte Lemarié. „Wir sind begeistert, dass wir es geschafft haben, den Sieg zu kratzen.“

Ein dramatischer Moment kam, als der offizielle Twitter-Account der Stadt San Francisco Seelöwen zu unterstützen schien, indem er einen Pier 39-Post retweetete, in dem er um die Stimmen der Menschen bat und hinzufügte: „Ich muss unsere @sfgov Sea Lions lieben.“

Die Stimmen für Seelöwen schossen in die Höhe, aber nachdem Papageien-Anhänger „Fleisch geweint“ hatten, wie Hartlaub auf Twitter schrieb – Stadtaufseher Aaron Peskin sagte der Post, er habe gegen die „Schwindel“ der Stadt bei der möglichen Beeinflussung von Stimmen protestiert – löschte die Stadt den Tweet.

Dennoch war sich Hartlaub irgendwann so sicher, dass die Seelöwen gewinnen würden, dass er seinen Artikel entwarf, in dem er sie als Sieger krönte. Am nächsten Morgen, als die Papageien die Führung übernahmen, musste er die Geschichte umschreiben.

„Das war eine große Überraschung“, sagte Hartlaub. „Und ich hatte die Seelöwen-Geschichte geschrieben, also war es ein ‚Dewey besiegt Truman‘-Moment mit geliebten Tieren aus San Francisco.“

Auf der anderen Seite war sich die Stadtaufseherin Myrna Melgar so sicher, dass die Vögel gewinnen würden, dass die Mitarbeiter die Resolution im Voraus entwarfen, sagte sie dem Chronicle. Melgar, deren Familie vor dem Bürgerkrieg in El Salvador geflohen ist, sagte Knight, sie habe am Freitag Kerzen angezündet, in der Hoffnung auf den Sieg der Papageien, und gesagt, die Vögel seien „tropische Wesen wie ich, die in San Francisco Zuflucht und Freiheit gefunden haben“.

„Ähnlich wie jene Einwanderer, die sich in San Francisco niederließen und dort Familien gründeten, haben Herden von Wildpapageien, die nach San Francisco importiert wurden, seitdem neue Generationen von Herden aus San Francisco gezüchtet“, heißt es in der Resolution. „Die Wild Parrots of San Francisco sind zu einem Symbol für die Vielfalt, Geselligkeit und Widerstandsfähigkeit der Stadt geworden.“

Wenn der Beschluss vom Aufsichtsrat der Stadt angenommen wird, bedarf es der Zustimmung des Bürgermeisters, bevor die Vögel in die Liste der offiziellen Maskottchen der Stadt aufgenommen werden – eine Blume, ein Weihnachtsbaum, eine Musikkapelle und mehr.

Am Dienstag veröffentlichte Salty the Sea Lion, das Maskottchen von Pier 39, eine Konzessionsrede auf Twitter: „Im Namen meiner Seelöwenfreunde hier im K-Dock geben wir den wilden Papageien von Telegraph Hill nach“, sagt der Seelöwe in einem animiertes Video.

„Obwohl dies im Moment eine schwierige Fischgräte zu schlucken ist … halten wir unsere Flossen hoch.“

Obwohl alle Seiten anerkannten, dass der Wettbewerb viel Spaß gemacht hatte, hatte der Sieg Bedeutung für diejenigen, die eng mit den wilden Papageien zu tun hatten. Als Irving mit der Produktion von „The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill“ begann, erinnerte sie sich, hoffte Bittner, die Papageien so populär zu machen, dass die Herde niemals aus der Stadt entfernt werden konnte.

„Ich habe das Gefühl, dass wir 20 Jahre später den Deal über die Popularität der Papageien wirklich besiegelt haben“, sagte Irving, der gerade dabei ist, den Film für den Vertrieb an Streaming-Dienste zu remastern. „Wir haben es im Grunde so gemacht, dass Marks ursprünglicher Wunsch jetzt in Erfüllung geht.“

Es war auch in anderer Hinsicht ein Moment, in dem sich der Kreis schloss: Nach dem Dreh des Dokumentarfilms heirateten Irving und Bittner. Ihre Hochzeit wurde von Peskin zelebriert – der jetzt der Präsident des Aufsichtsrats der Stadt ist. Am Dienstag unterstützte er Melgars Beschluss, Papageien zum offiziellen Tier der Stadt zu machen.

Peskin lebt seit Jahrzehnten auf Telegraph Hill, wo er die Papageien von seinem Haus aus beobachtet. Obwohl er Seelöwen lobte, gab er zu, dass er bei dem Wettbewerb Partei ergriffen hatte: „Letztendlich habe ich mich für die Papageien entschieden“, sagte der Aufseher, der bei seiner Kandidatur ein „Papageien für Peskin“-Plakat hatte.

„Wenn Sie sehen, wie diese Vögel gemeinsam fliegen oder sich kopfüber in einem Baum versammeln“, sagte Peskin der Post, „ist es nur ein kleiner Moment, der Ihren Tag verändert und Sie daran erinnert, dass Sie in einer wunderschönen Welt leben.“

Sowohl Seelöwen- als auch Wildpapageienliebhaber sagten, der Wettbewerb habe dazu beigetragen, das Bewusstsein für die Kreaturen zu schärfen. Seelöwen können durch Plastikverschmutzung und alles andere, was die Ozeane schädigt, bedroht werden, während eine bestimmte Anzahl wilder Papageien jedes Jahr durch Rattengift krank wird, das von Anwohnern verwendet wird.

Mickaboo, das jedes Jahr Tausende für die Rettung der Vögel ausgibt, bittet die Bewohner, Rattengift nicht freizügig zu verstreuen, insbesondere nicht auf Dächern.

Im Marine Mammal Center, das das weltweit größte Krankenhaus für solche Tiere hat, forderte Ratner die Menschen, die sich für den Wettbewerb begeistern, auf, andere Schutzmaßnahmen zu unterstützen. „Wir werden Team Sea Lion bleiben, aber … ob es die Papageien sind, ob es das Meer ist Löwen, es gibt so viel, was wir tun können, um diese Tiere zu unterstützen.“

Obwohl Salty einräumte und Ratner sagte, sein Kontingent habe keine Pläne, den Aufsichtsrat zu einer erneuten Entscheidung zu bewegen, ist es nicht vorbei, bis es vorbei ist: Im Chronicle werden Knight und Hartlaub nächste Woche über die Abstimmung des Aufsichtsrats berichten.

„Politik in San Francisco kann wirklich animiert sein, wäre eine nette Art, es auszudrücken“, sagte Knight. „Ich wäre also nicht überrascht, wenn etwas Verrücktes passiert.“

The post Parrots edge sea lions to grow to be San Francisco’s official mascot appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco politicians have made many mistakes over the decades, but this really is one for the birds.

We are a city named after St. Francis, the patron saint of animals. We’re a city that notoriously has more dogs than kids. We’re a city full of cool native species and fancy transplants. Yet City Hall has never declared an official animal of San Francisco.

Considering that the people of the city aren’t exactly doing a terrific job these days, the Chronicle’s cultural critic Peter Hartlaub and I think it’s time to turn our attention to our more majestic, less talkative counterparts.

Every Friday in March, our Total SF podcast will feature a different local animal, starting with Claude, the famous albino alligator at the California Academy of Sciences. We’re also hosting a March Madness-style animal-themed tournament so Chronicle readers and podcast listeners can scour a field of 16 creatures and choose their ultimate favorite. Visit sfchronicle.com/animalmonth next week for the full reveal of the 16 controversial animals and the first round of voting.

When voting is complete, we’ll try to nominate your favorite—the albino alligator, the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill, the bison in Golden Gate Park, or another beautiful animal—as San Francisco’s official animal. Of course, there are far bigger fish to fry for our leaders, but this city has always made room for the offbeat and whimsical. And we could use a little distraction these days.

Plus, San Francisco has wisely never shied away from celebrating what makes it great.

We have an official bird: the California quail, which doesn’t even live in San Francisco anymore. We have an official flower: the dahlia. We have an official Christmas tree: the Monterey Cypress in front of McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park. We have official colors: black and gold. We have an official band: The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band (which everyone considered the city’s official band for years before Mayor London Breed signed legislation declaring it so in 2018).

We even have two official songs: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and just “San Francisco”. But no official animal? I’ve researched the topic tenaciously to make sure.

Claude the albino alligator swims around his tank after being fed at the California Academy of Sciences, where he welcomes visitors from his swamp.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

I checked with Ellen Schumer, the City Hall historian and fourth-generation San Franciscan who knows everything there is to know about our city.

“I’ve never heard anyone refer to an official San Francisco animal,” she said, noting that the phoenix is ​​on our city flag, but it’s a mythological creature, not a real one. So what’s your choice?

“If you say dog, the cat people will get upset,” she mused. “I happen to love zebras.”

I also checked with Katherine Ets-Hokin, an archivist at the San Francisco Public Library’s History Center.

“I haven’t found any evidence or mention of an official animal,” she explained in an email. “I have consulted with my colleagues and searched our records but have found nothing… I have not found a single document codifying this information.”

That seemed good enough to me, but she asked if I had any more questions. I only had one thing: What do you think the official animal of the city should be? “Gulls,” she replied.

Library spokeswoman Kate Patterson, who was copied on our exchange, shot back: “Ewww gross! I say the majestic and enigmatic coyote.”

Whatever the readers choose – gross seagulls, enigmatic coyotes, or something else – it would have to be approved by the board of directors and the mayor to be made official. Supervisor Myrna Melgar said the idea sounds purring to her, and she’s ready to take the matter under her wing and enact legislation to make The Chronicle’s choice San Francisco’s official animal.

“Absolutely!” She said to me.

But first, she had a few questions: “Did John Arntz approve of this method?” she teased, referring to the city’s election chief, which requires a lot more diligence than an online poll. “And does that give my nomination more weight?” Um, no. Her choice is the dog in honor of Frankie, 5-year-old Lhasa Apso whom she rescued from Animal Care and Control when he was six months old.

“He’s kind of a terror, but I love him so much,” she said. A bit like San Francisco itself.

Melgar’s District 7Seven includes the California Academy of Sciences, making Claude the albino alligator its constituent. Hartlaub and I recently visited the 27-year-old, 278-pound behemoth to make sure he was doing well as the pandemic eased.

Biologists Jessica Witherly (left) and Emma Kocina feed Claude the albino alligator at the California Academy of Sciences.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

It’s hard to tell at times as he doesn’t move much and has spawned an academy of conspiracy theories. Biologists say they regularly hear that it’s actually a robotic alligator. But rest assured, he’s very much alive, and we’ve seen him grabbing rats and trout heads for breakfast. Claude was hatched on an alligator ranch in Louisiana and raised on St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida. Albino alligators, which lack pigment and vision, typically cannot survive long in the wild, but can live up to 80 years under human care.

The Academy of Sciences acquired him in 2008, and an exotic zookeeper drove him to San Francisco in a truck. Claude has since become so famous that he is the subject of a popular children’s book and receives fan mail from children across the country, sometimes addressed simply to “Claude”.

So well known is it, in fact, that The Chronicle’s esteemed science editor, the late David Perlman, wrote a series of stories about it when his swamp mate Bonnie bit his right toe in a 2009 scramble over their shared heated rock the liquor. (The academy vet amputated Claude’s toe, and Bonnie suffered an even worse fate: she was sent back to Florida.)

Now Claude lives peacefully with three turtles: Donatello, Rafael and, no, not Michelangelo or Leonardo, the remaining Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The third turtle is Morla, apparently named after a giant turtle in The Neverending Story.

Emma Kocina, a biologist who cares for Claude and leads the Academy’s swamp team, argued that Claude should be made the city’s official animal.

“He has his own Wikipedia page,” she said. “You can buy a four foot stuffed animal from him. That’s pretty iconic. And he’s on t-shirts too.”

In short, Claude is a very, very big deal. But is he the biggest deal in San Francisco’s rich animal kingdom? He has many rivals for the title and we need your help to find the top dog.

Reach Heather Knight: hknight@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @hknightsf

The post San Francisco has no official animal. We’d like your assist to call one appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco’s former public works director, who pleaded guilty to steering public contracts and taking pricey gifts, was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison in a corruption case that ensnared several City Hall officials and insiders.

Mohammed Nuru in January pleaded guilty to what federal prosecutors described as “a staggering amount of public corruption” during his time leading the city’s Department of Public Works. Federal prosecutors said that over a 12-year period, Nuru accepted more than $1 million in money, international trips, jewelry, restaurant meals and other goods and services from city contractors and developers in exchange for preferential treatment and confidential information about city business.

“This is a tale of greed as old as time,” federal prosecutors said in a court filing requesting that Nuru, who they described as the “quintessential grifter,” serve at least nine years in prison, get three years probation upon his release and pay $35,000 in fines to deter other officials from doing the same. Nuru’s attorneys had asked for a three-year sentence, which Judge William Orrick said didn’t “come close to recognizing the gravity of this case.”

Orrick agreed with prosecutors saying it was important for the sentence to “make clear that public corruption cannot be tolerated in a democratic society. When it’s discovered, it should come at a high cost for its practitioners.”

Orrick said he considered the good things Nuru has done in life when issuing his seven-year sentence in a packed courtroom. He also sentenced Nuru to three years of probation and ordered him to pay $35,000 in fines.

Authorities said that much of the bribe money paid to Nuru went to fund his ranch in Colusa County where he planned to retire. As part of a plea agreement, Nuru forfeited the ranch that federal prosecutors called “a monument to his grifting.”

The mortgage on the sprawling property “was partly paid by laundered bribes from city contractors, with a large home custom-built and furnished by city contractors, on grounds maintained with the help of equipment and soil provided by city contractors,” federal prosecutors said.

In exchange for his guilty plea on the fraud charge, prosecutors agreed to drop additional charges, including lying to the FBI and money laundering.

The sweeping City Hall corruption probe topped prominent leaders, including Harlan Kelly, the former general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, who is accused of receiving thousands of dollars in travel expenses, meals, jewelry and repair work on his house.

Mayor London Breed, who dated Nuru more than 20 years ago, was not charged with any crimes but admitted to receiving $5,528 for car repairs and a rental car in 2019 from him.

More than 100 family members, friends, and former colleagues sent letters of support for Nuru, who was known as Mr. Clean because of his efforts to clean San Francisco’s dirty streets, praising his dedication to his five children, who he raised as a single father, and his work for the residents of San Francisco, and describing him as kind and hard-working.

Public Works Deputy Director for Operations DiJaida Durden wrote to the judge asking for leniency for her former boss, explaining that she worked for Nuru for 19 years starting as a cement mason.

“He wanted us to take pride in how our city looks,” she wrote. “Mr. Clean certainly fit his style of working because not only did he encourage staff to take care of the city, he did it himself.”

In a four-page letter to the judge before sentencing, Nuru apologized for violating the trust of the people of San Francisco, saying his behavior left him in constant anxiety but still, he did not stop. He highlighted his health problems and asked for leniency and a second chance.

“I accept full responsibility for violating the public trust,” he wrote. “I hope and pray that the sentence will allow me to demonstrate afterwards that I have learned my lesson.”

Nuru, 59, was among the first of 12 people and three corporate entities to face federal charges due to the Department of Justice’s probe into public corruption in the city and county of San Francisco. After he was arrested in January 2020, he agreed to cooperate with the investigation and not disclose his arrest but shortly after told multiple people being investigated about the probe. He then lied to the FBI about his disclosure.

Last year, a recycling plant owner was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after stating in a plea agreement that she plied Nuru with gifts that included a $36,500 gold Rolex watch. Florence Kong, who owned SFR Recovery Inc., was the first person to be sentenced as part of a federal probe into citywide corruption. Contractor Alan Varela, who along with two fellow businessmen gave Nuru a $40,000 tractor and accessories to do work on his ranch, was sentenced to two years in prison.

The post Ex-San Francisco official sentenced to 7 years in jail appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.