Today in useless law enforcement news: The City Attorney's office has reached a settlement with five smoke shops around town which it sued for selling illegal drug paraphernalia, namely crack pipes. An injunction begins today requiring these shops to stop selling crack pipes, and to keep 80% of their front windows clear so that passing police officers can see what they're selling inside. more ›

Mid-Market chronicler Bluoz makes a habit of showcasing local drug addicts in the area via his Crackhead of the Day feature. Today's selection was found on back door of the very new Marinello's School of Beauty. Bluoz fumes: "Just in case anybody thought bringing new business to mid Market will change anything. This IS on the rear doorstep of a brand new business in Mid Market, opened just 2 months ago at 1035 Market, Marinello's School of Beauty. They spent a ton of money to build floor to ceiling windows facing Stevenson. Now they have permanent shades on the windows so they can't see out anymore, so they can't see this just inches away from them you know, cause as long as people don't actually see it, it doesn't exist, right?" more ›

Just when you thought the Tenderloin was a drug free-for-all that law enforcement had given up on... Nine defendants ranging in age from 25 to 63 have been brought up on federal charges for selling crack, coke, and methamphetamine based on purchases made by undercover federal agents between December 2009 and August 2010. The indictments were issued over the last few months, and represent a collaborative undercover operation by the San Francisco Police Department, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Service Unit. The charges carry possible sentences of five to forty years. more ›

The folks at Uptown Almanac bring our attention to a video of a gentlemen taking candid pulls from his crack (presumably it's crack, since marijuana emits a stench that, by comparison, lingers in the air) pipe. Really, it's an astounding, not to mention ballsy, thing to do while riding a seemingly crowded N Judah train. Addiction will do remarkable things to a person, we guess. Alas. more ›

Workers worked all night on the San Mateo Bridge to fix a crack found in a steel beam, a repair job that affected westbound traffic. "One of three westbound lanes was closed and was expected to remain coned-off for 24-to-48 hours." [KTVU] more ›

Via D.P. in the Tenderloin: "I saw this written on a wall on my way home tonight, 'I will do whatever to whoever for however long for one hit of crack'." more ›

After an inspector discovered a crack in the eastern span of the Bay Bridge over the weekend, crews plan to hysterically work overnight in an effort to reopen the Bay Bridge on Tuesday morning during the early AM commute. According to CBS 5, "the damaged link — part of a network of eight similar pieces — is about 2 inches thick and was cracked halfway through." And, at a news conference on the Bay Bridge this morning, reports SF Appeal, California Department of Transportation spokesman Bart Ney said, "It is a monumental challenge to make it by 5 a.m." Which means Ney is saying that the bridge will be closed tomorrow, or he's positioning the workers to lauded as heroes if it opens at the scheduled 5 a.m. time. Either way, we'll let you know what the plans it when it's officially announced. But still, you should probably plan on finding another way across the bay for tomorrow morning. more ›

After this morning's FBI raids in San Francisco and Oakland, a total of five people were arrested. For what, you ask? Well, not human trafficking. Not treason. Not even hardcore gang activity. The five people (four men and one with-child lady) were hit with charges of selling or conspiring to sell crack cocaine. The charges against five retailers -- businesspeople, if you will, who are just trying to give you a lift -- carry mandatory minimum sentences of five or 10 years. Sorry to ruin your weekend plans. more ›

OK, not really. But while VP candidate Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla from 1996 to 2002, the area (specifically the Matanuska-Susitna area) won the title of Meth Capital of Alaska. (An aside: check out the SLOG today to see Palin get ripped to shreds, you know, if that's your thing.) We recommend you read this article out about the tweakiest city in Alaska during '02-'03, which features kids going hungry, the authorities doing very little, and one 13-year-old Wasilla boy bragging to the fuzz that his "mom cooked the best meth in the valley." Lucky bastard. (Juneau Empire) more ›

This ancient picture (1999!) of this contributor blasting a wallie off this sketchy bump-to-wall was taken on 15th Street, between Mission and South Van Ness. He was 20-years-old at the time. more ›

Yesterday we mentioned how we often see lots of crack being smoked in the boarded-up window across the street from our Tendernob window. But after thinking about it some, we realized we haven't seen any such riff-raff in quite some time. Does anyone know the deal? Did they do a sweep of all the dealers in the Tenderloin recently? Are they in jail or just in a different neighborhood now? When can we expect things to go back to (ab)normal? more ›

SFist James caught a crack smoking couple over on Stevenson Street (near Market) this morning. Aw. more ›

Gay men and uppers go together like peanut butter and chocolate. It's just the way God wanted it. But that hasn't stopped Joel Schumacher's "I Lost Me to Meth" campaign from saturating San Francisco, even though meth use is down as of last year, before the campaign began. more ›

And speaking of methamphetamines, this above always unleashes a big brouhaha in the bent community: to chastise or not to chastise zippy drug use. The most recent ad campaign--a four-month media blitz produced by the California Methamphetamine Initiative called "Me, Not Meth"--can been seen throughout the city, mainly in the Castro and SOMA arrondisments. And those ads you've seen on TV, featuring men sitting at their desks and talking into webcams? Part of the same ad and directed by Joel Schumacher. SF Aids Foundation has more info here. more ›

Better than a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow or a bowl brimming with Lucky Charms, crack retailers in Marietta, Ohio, dyed their cocaine rocks a festive green for St. Patrick's Day this year. OMG, fun! The Smoking Gun has the full report and mugshots galore, going on to say: more ›

"Architecture of Density" -- Fox Plaza Apartments more ›

-- At Long Last Love (1975): At last -- the fecal matter-fest that is Peter Bogdanovich's career-killing, Cole Porter-infused musical. Starring Cybill Shepherd, Burt Reynolds, and Madeline Kahn, how did it all go wrong? Find out for yourself tonight at 7:45 p.m. at the Castro Theatre; $6-9. (Psst: Best Little Whorehouse In Texas screens at 9:45 p..m.; Smokey & the Bandit at midnight -- it's a Burt Reynolds extravaganza!) more ›

Image: EFF more ›

It was with absolutely zero shock that we read yesterday's article in the Examiner about a police sting aimed at drivers who cruise through the crosswalk when people are trying to cross the street at Taraval and 21st. The sting continues, as

San Francisco police are conducting undercover pedestrian sting operations to cite drivers “blatantly violating the pedestrian right of way.” On Wednesday, officers at Taraval Street and 21st Avenue cited 45 drivers in just two and a half hours from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., according to police.

-- Ross Mirkarimi, sole supe against Clear Channel. [SFBG] more ›

Wondering why you can't get your dealer on the phone? Well, last week 103 (suspected) drug retailers were pinched in a good old-fashion crackdown in the TL and Mission/Market Street areas. more ›

"A deep and powerful earthquake beneath the Pacific in the Northern Mariana Islands" sent waves a rollin', reaching as far as Emeryville today with a total score of somewhere between 3.8 to 4.2. more ›

There's big legal news concerning the Barry, none of which involves Curt Schilling or Grand Juries. Oh no. Barry has just been slapped with a lawsuit by an inmate in a South Carolina prison, Jonathan Lee Riches (aka "the White Suge Knight), for fraud. No, not for breaking the record while on the juice, but for perpetuating a "Fraud Against Mankind," which Lee Riches calls "Batman and Identity Robbin." The Smoking Gun has the details, but from a quick perusal here are some of the claims made: more ›

Hiroshi Sugimoto's show of giant photos at the de Young leaves S.F. soon more ›

Well, that was fun. Last night out in the center-left bleachers, each time Barry Bonds came to bat, the crowd rose giddily to their feet. The stands brimmed with grins and shouts of encouragement and nervous energy. Mitts were pulled on. With each pitch thrown to him, photoflashes flared all about the stadium like Chinese New Year firecrackers. more ›

, the documentary we saw at the Roda Theatre in Berkeley on Sunday for the SF Jewish Film Festival, was billed as a "wry and hilarious" examination by filmmaker Duki Dror as he follows kids on their daily journeys to and from school. "Dror has the same wondrous gift of bittersweet nostalgia that cartoonists Charles M. Schulz and Lynda Barry have," said the catalog description. To that we say: are you smoking crack? more ›

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Last week's winner, the Bay Guardian! Oh, Tim Redmond, we're so sorry to hear about your dad. [Moment of silence.] Okay. The Guardian's with Daly on the budget. They got a letter from someone saying Ed Jew is innocent. More info on the layoffs at the Merc News. A man with psychiatric problems gets no help from the city. More people upset with Newsom's proposed budget. They're going to crack down on pot clubs -- watch out, Ed Jew! Do you want to help Annalee Newitz run her blog? Sonic Reducer on Harry and the Potters. Cover article: Looking for the next cult revival star. Cheryl Eddy on Sicko. And Ed Jew's (.pdf) horoscope!: "In order to make the little details worth your time, you've gotta make sure they pay off in the long run." more ›

There's a lot to love about the Tadich Grill, that venerable San Francisco institution. We've eaten there many times before, and there are some things some folks don't get about it that we appreciate. We're not crazy about the cost -- 1849 cuisine, and we're low on gold nuggets. But please indulge us as we share some of the finer points of the Tadich experience, which ultimately make an occasional visit well worth it. more ›

Thanks to SFist reader Captain Disco for investigating the truth about the Mike Gravel presidential campaign: the dangerous lunatic shot his horrifying commercials . more ›