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SF Dispatch 9/26/25

Welcome to the SF Dispatch, a daily newsletter round-up to save you some time catching up on the latest headlines from billionaire funded to independent news.

'Longtime political observer Tim Redmond called it part of “an overall move to rely on voluntary gifts from the very rich instead of taxes and democratic budgeting by elected officials.” Local naturalist Jake Sigg said city parks “have always been free and open — our public dollars maintain these spaces and they should remain accessible to everyone. Fencing them off for private use undermines their purpose and our shared public life.”' - The Phoenix Project

Privatizing Public Spaces - The Phoenix Project
The Phoenix Review offers news and commentary on the proposed right-wing takeover of San Francisco. Learn more about the billionaire agenda in short takes from the city’s savviest political observers.
The Phoenix Project
Popularly Reported SF Nonprofit Is, in Fact, Not a Nonprofit at All
Launched in 2023, Civic Joy Fund is described as a non-profit organization, but has yet to file the necessary tax forms.
Underscore_SFMatt Charnock

Ironically, Civic Joy Fund’s informal designation as a nonprofit greatly benefited Yekutiel this week. Verified sources close to Underscore shared that Yektuiel used an email address from Civic Joy Fund to send an announcement about his campaign for District 8 supervisor; this was delivered in tandem with a campaign newsletter sent from an email address affiliated with his business, Manny’s. 

Exclusive: Top city official suspended amid $10M bid-rigging probe
San Francisco’s chief assistant treasurer allegedly let personal relationships influence a contract to help manage $2.6 billion in business taxes.
The San Francisco Standard[email protected]

In an email to staff this month, Shah wrote that she had been enlisted by Mayor Daniel Lurie to help handle contracting with OpenGov, a software company that was recently given a sole-​source contract to overhaul San Francisco’s labyrinthian permit system.

The first Starbucks in SF to unionize has closed
The 18th Street location in the Castro is known as “Bearbucks” because of the number of LGBTQ+ customers.
The San Francisco Standard[email protected]
Healthcare Workers Look For Better Guidelines On How To Handle Immigration Encounters | KQED
Many feel better training can help them protect patients and themselves.
KQEDKeith Mizuguchi

📰 Local Headlines

City Hall

Lurie adds fifth policy chief to his cabinet
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Daniel Lurie hires new adviser to push S.F.’s huge bureaucracy to deliver results
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Exclusive: Top official suspended after Standard investigation into alleged bid-rigging
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Permitting process stymies San Francisco couple seeking to open coffee shop
via www.cbsnews.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Prologis’ mega project in Bayview gets thumbs up from city planners
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Politics

To win on Prop 50 and beyond, California Democrats need these two groups
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Gubernatorial Candidate Katie Porter on Kimmel, ICE and Prop. 50
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Political Notes: SF leaders press for passage of CA redistricting measure
via www.ebar.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

California officials refused to give up sensitive voter data. Now the DOJ is suing for it
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Criminal Justice

Former Oakland Nonprofit Head Must Repay Embezzled $500K, Serve at Least 2 Years, Judge Says
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Public Safety

Thursday Morning What's Up: Parking Cop Finder App Gets Shut Down
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

25-Person Mob-Style Robbery of Jewelry Store In San Ramon Part of Larger Pattern
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Passengers evacuated from SFMTA train
via www.nbcbayarea.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

‘Everyone was screaming’: Muni train passenger thrown to floor, concussed on wild N Judah ride
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Leaked Subpoenas Shed Light on Shadowy Sonoma County Sheriff Whistleblower Case
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Immigration

Healthcare Workers Look For Better Guidelines On How To Handle Immigration Encounters
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Detained immigrants protest over conditions inside newly opened California City ICE facility
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

As Trump toughens citizenship exam, residents scramble to naturalize
via missionlocal.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Bay Area attorneys are helping free asylum-seekers using a centuries-old legal doctrine
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Trump administration touts shrinking immigration backlog while critics cite due process concerns
via www.nbcbayarea.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Labor

‘Highly sensationalized’: De Young director downplays SF Standard investigation
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

SF’s first unionized Starbucks has shuttered abruptly
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Business

Popularly Reported SF Nonprofit Is, in Fact, Not a Nonprofit at All
via underscoresf.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Amazon Prime lawsuit settlement: $1.5 billion in refunds over ‘deceptive’ sign ups
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Uniqlo Reportedly In Talks to Open a Downtown SF Store Again, Maybe in the Vacant Old Navy Space
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Exclusive: Uniqlo considers a return to downtown S.F. four years after closing flagship store
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Baggu celebrates new Mission store with BART merch. This was news to BART
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Neighborhood finds it’s hard to fight AT&T
via 48hills.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

San Francisco Centre mall, 95% empty, loses more restaurants
via www.ktvu.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Empty and ‘haunted’ Union Square hotel sells at auction
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

2 years and $83K in aid later, 77-year-old Inner Sunset hardware store won’t reopen
via missionlocal.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Culture

This quiet corner of S.F. was just ranked among the world’s ‘coolest neighborhoods’
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

House of Nanking Cookbook Arrives Next Week, Written by the Restaurant's Own Fang Family
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Photos: Inside the ‘Thieves Market’ at 16th and Mission
via missionlocal.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Mega-influencer IShowSpeed goes on an SF booster tour
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

The reel life of Jim Cassedy
via sf.gazetteer.co | Push to Kindle | Source Link

‘The Bay is lit': Online streamer IShowSpeed in San Francisco during US tour
via www.nbcbayarea.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

How a Chronicle photographer captured a surreal viral photo shared by Obama
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Housing

SF’s Once-Biggest Landlord Veritas Defaulting on Another $652 Million in Loans, 66 Buildings May Be Up for Grabs
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Environment

Video: Lightning storm lights up San Francisco sky
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Weekend Idea: Volunteer Outdoors in Sight of the Golden Gate Bridge
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Sonoma County Plastics Recycler Resynergi Says It’s Leaving California
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Opinion

Do Not Be Quiet in This Moment
via sfbaytimes.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

The FCC and Me
via sfbaytimes.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Arts and Events

Party Radar: Quick ‘n dirty guide to Folsom Street Fair fiestas
via 48hills.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Quick 'n dirty guide to the hottest Folsom parties
via newsletters.48hills.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Voss Gallery in Mission closes, but will continue virtually and ‘nomadically’ 
via missionlocal.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Screen Grabs: ‘One Battle After Another’ tests our moment’s wild waters
via 48hills.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

‘The Art of Manga’ Exhibition Dazzles at the de Young Museum
via richmondsunsetnews.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

De Young Museum to Host America’s First Ever Manga Museum Exhibition, Starting This Saturday
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Good Taste: Supergroup of chefs launch Indian Restaurant Week
via 48hills.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

‘Radical Happiness’ Will Be Evident at 51st Castro Street Fair on October 5
via sfbaytimes.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

iShowSpeed draws massive crowd in San Francisco tour stop
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Keeping it Weird, Al Yankovic Dazzles at Sonoma State
via www.coyotemedia.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

YouTuber IShowSpeed visits Bay Area on national tour, greeted by massive crowds
via www.cbsnews.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Viral streamer IShowSpeed checks out Oakland's Hyphy Burger, sideshow
via www.ktvu.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Sports

Day Around the Bay: Only Netflix Subscribers Will Be Able to Watch the Giants’ Opening Day Next Season
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Why Girls’ Flag Football Could Be the Next Big Sport
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

49ers vs. Jaguars: The Standard’s 5 fast predictions
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Trump suggests moving 2026 World Cup games out of U.S. cities he deems unsafe
via www.nbcbayarea.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Miscellaneous

Thousands without power in San Francisco after PG&E outage
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

The Che Fico team joins the Mission Rock movement — now with fine dining
via sfstandard.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Via Aurelia, the Huge New Tuscan-Focused Restaurant From the Che Fico Team, Arrives In Mission Bay Next Week
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Squirrels Gone Wild: Marin County ‘Attack Squirrel’ Sends at Least 3 to the ER
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Sarah Jane Moore, the Unassuming Radical Who Took a Shot at the President In SF, Dies at 95
via sfist.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

Sara Jane Moore, who tried to kill President Gerald Ford in San Francisco, dies at 95
via www.sfchronicle.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

BART Audit Flags Overtime Costs, Weak Controls as Agency Spends $96 Million
via ww2.kqed.org | Push to Kindle | Source Link

91-year-old San Francisco sports bar to reopen
via www.ktvu.com | Push to Kindle | Source Link

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