• Bill Cosby was found liable by a jury in Santa Monica Monday for drugging and sexually assaulting Donna Motsinger in 1972, whom he met when she was working as a waitress at the Trident waterfront restaurant in Sausalito. She was awarded $59.25 million in damages, which includes punitive damages, as well as past and future damages tied to “mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, grief, anxiety, humiliation, and emotional distress.” [Chronicle]
• Shahin Gheblehshenas, 67, was convicted of felony child endangerment for criminal negligence Friday in the drowning of two toddlers at a San Jose daycare in 2023. Her daughter, Nina Fathizadeh, 43, who was the sole caregiver present at the time while her mother went to a different location, will stand trial in May. [KRON4]
• OpenAI has pledged $1 billion in grant funding utilizing AI to support life sciences and curing diseases, as well as jobs and economic impact, AI resilience, and community programs. [NBC Bay Area]

National:

• Delta is temporarily suspending specialty services for members of Congress, as staff are stretched thin during the government shutdown. These specialty services evidently include expedited screening, escorts to bypass security lines, and dedicated reservation desks allowing last-minute changes. [NBC News]
• More than 254,000 Ford Lincoln and Explorer vehicles were recalled due to a software issue involving the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance features. [CBS News]
• The FCC is banning the US sale of new foreign-made routers, citing vulnerabilities in network hardware that allow cyberattacks to compromise American telecom networks. [Boing Boing]

Video of the Day:

Local drag queen Angel Food Cakes performed a stunning tribute to beloved figure skater Alysa Liu at the “Rollin With the Homos” drag event in Oakland.

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist

SF’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development is rolling out $6.3 million in funding for its small business grant programs, including $50,000–$100,000 to fill vacant storefronts in select neighborhoods, and up to $10,000 for new equipment — with key deadlines May 29 and March 6.

As part of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s campaign to fill vacant storefronts, the city recently announced the investment of $6.3 million in new funding for programs designed to help overcome the barriers of opening and operating a brick-and-mortar space, which can be costly, as Mission Local recently reported. These programs include the Storefront Opportunity Grant and the SF Shines Equipment Grant.

The Storefront Opportunity Grant provides $50,000–$100,000 to a wide range of small businesses, including retail and personal services, food and café concepts, full-service restaurants and bars, and essential neighborhood amenities, like pharmacies, full-service grocery stores, and small business incubator kitchens.

While earlier grants strictly applied to existing businesses, new businesses may also apply for the new round of funding. Eligible existing businesses must be in operation for three or more years with a lease in the Tenderloin, Excelsior, or Visitacion Valley that was signed beginning October 1, 2025 or later. For new businesses, no lease is required, and eligible neighborhoods include Bayview, Chinatown, Downtown, Western Addition/Fillmore, Mid-Market, the Mission, and along the Port.

SFist recently highlighted Billy Alabsi, owner of Falafalland in the Tenderloin and a recent recipient of the Storefront Opportunity Grant. Alabsi was also featured on KGO in December.

The SF Shines Equipment Grant provides up to $10,000 for equipment purchases that are essential to operations. Eligibility is offered to businesses that need support at various stages, including the growth, maintenance, and compliance phases.

OEWD and the Office of Small Business also offer pro-bono business counseling, including permitting and leasing support. SF also has a new permitting tool. Additionally, the main library has a robust small business center, as SFist recently reported.

“Our office is committed to empowering our entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey,” said Anne Taupier, Executive Director, OEWD. “These new grants are strategic investments that stabilize businesses by covering essential operating costs, providing tools that support compliance and growth, and activate vacant spaces with new storefronts.”

“Together, these programs build confidence across our business community and among customers that local businesses are ready to serve, succeed, and energize our neighborhoods,” she said.  

District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder posted a reel spreading the word about the program, as the deadline for the current round of SF Shines grants is Friday, March 6. The Storefront Opportunity deadline is May 29.

Fielder notes that those in need of help with the applications can email eowd@sfgov.org.

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist

Related: Meet the First 17 Pop-Ups That the City Will Pay to Live Rent-Free Downtown In Revitalization Effort

Local leaders are launching the Stand Together Bay Area Fund, which will provide living expenses to families of local immigrants who’ve been deported or detained by ICE. Applicants can sign up through the SF-based Mission Asset Fund.

As the Chronicle reports, San Francisco Mayor Lurie, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and dozens of other Bay Area leaders announced the launch of the fund on Friday, which will be overseen by the nonprofit, San Francisco Foundation. Their goal is to raise $10 million — the foundation pledged $2 million, and the rest of the funds will be collected from private groups, such as corporations, individuals, and charities, as Bay City News reports. The foundation has raised an estimated half a million dollars so far, according to the foundation’s CEO, Fred Blackwell.

“The tactics being used in this country — arrests, raids and fear-based policies — are not just cruel, they are un-American,” Lurie said.

“This fund will help keep a roof over people’s heads,” he continued. “It will put food on the table. It will ease the burden for people who are being targeted, and it will send a clear message that San Francisco and the Bay Area will not turn our backs on our neighbors.”

Per the Chronicle, Alameda County supervisors Elisa Márquez and Nikki Fortunato Bas have pledged $50,000 each, once approved.

“When even one family member is detained, it’s not just a household that suffers; caregivers are lost, small businesses are disrupted, children miss school, and the ripple effects strain our entire local economy,” said Márquez.

All immigrants who qualify will be accepted, per the Chronicle.

Image: San Francisco Foundation/Facebook

• Over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike early Saturday, prompting the Canadian government to force the airline into arbitration. The shutdown of the airline, which operates about 700 flights a day, has left over 100,000 travelers stranded worldwide. [Associated Press]

• Mayor Lurie claimed his office secured $3.4 million in immigrant legal defense funding, which was actually awarded to the public defender’s office. Additionally, he neglected to renew $878,000 in grant funding that London Breed was awarded last year. [Mission Local]
• The Golden State Valkyries won their fourth game in a row Friday, scoring 90-59 against the Chicago Sky. [Bay Area News Group]
• The second bird in a month has been found to be infected with the West Nile virus — a crow from Walnut Creek tested positive on Friday. [KRON4]

• There have been 117 tiny earthquakes since Thursday’s 4.0-magnitude quake near the Geysers geothermal field in Mendicino, northeast of Healdsburg. [SFGate]

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist

A 21-year-old Columbia dropout built Cluely to help users “cheat on everything.” Now rebranded as a productivity tool, it’s facing scrutiny from critics, as well as competition from Truely, an app by another Columbia student that detects stealth AI.

As KRON4 reports, San Francisco-based AI startup Cluely has been raising eyebrows — as well as $15 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz — for marketing itself as a tool to “cheat on everything.” The company, founded by Roy Lee, the 21-year-old entrepreneur suspended from Columbia University for using Cluely's predecessor to cheat on an Amazon coding test, originally promoted itself through provocative, “rage-bait” marketing tactics.

In response, another Columbia student, Patrick Shen, launched Truely, a rival app that claims to detect tools like Cluely during virtual meetings.

Cluely’s current product is described as an “invisible desktop assistant” that listens through microphones (including real-time calls and hidden Bluetooth devices), transcribes speech, identifies speakers, and provides real-time summaries and contextual feedback. Though marketed as a productivity tool for meetings, tutoring, and note-taking, Cluely has also promoted its usefulness for cheating on exams, faking interviews, and monitoring private conversations — though the company now claims those use cases are “not endorsed but often discussed.”

As Hoodline reports, Lee previously developed Interview Coder, an app designed to secretly help users during coding interviews. Cluely builds on that model but aims to expand into mainstream enterprise and consumer markets. Despite criticism, Lee says the “invisibility” feature is just a “nifty add-on,” noting that most enterprise users disable it due to legal risks. “We don’t care if we’re able to be detected or not,” he told TechCrunch.

Cluely recently dropped its original tagline, “cheat on everything,” and now describes itself with the slightly softened pitch: “Everything you need. Before you ask. … This feels like cheating.” Lee says the company is already profitable, with under a dozen employees working six days a week in-office. He’s also targeting a billion social media views as part of an aggressive growth strategy.

Regarding Truely, the app that claims it can detect unauthorized apps like Cluely during online meetings, Lee responded on X (formerly Twitter) by praising the app and suggesting Cluely may prompt users to be more transparent about their use.

Though Cluely’s origins and tactics are controversial, investors like Bryan Kim of Andreessen Horowitz are still betting big. “We backed Roy early because he brings a rare mix of vision and fearlessness,” Kim told Business Insider.

Cluely’s rebrand hasn’t quieted concerns about surveillance, cheating, and AI misuse. It’s still unclear whether the startup will become a trusted productivity tool — or a warning about tech’s ethical limits.

Many Bay Area arts and nonprofit organizations are facing sudden federal funding cuts from the NEA and AmeriCorps, forcing urgent budget changes and putting key creative and community programs at risk.

Since early May 2025, over 80 Bay Area arts groups—including established institutions like Berkeley Repertory Theatre, SFJAZZ, American Conservatory Theater, and smaller organizations like The Lab and San Jose Taiko—have had grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) rescinded or drastically reduced. These grants, awarded under the Biden administration, ranged from $10,000 to $85,000 and totaled over $2.5 million for local groups.

As East Bay Times reports, the canceled grants reflect a dramatic shift in NEA priorities—now favoring projects tied to “American heritage” themes like the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, AI training, and support for veterans, churches, and Tribal communities. Many affected Bay Area groups say the cuts feel politically motivated, excluding projects highlighting diversity, equity, inclusion, and works by minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

For example, Opera San Jose lost a $25,000 grant for its bilingual production of Zorro, despite the NEA’s stated goal of supporting Hispanic-serving institutions. Similarly, Oakland’s Omnira Institute had a $10,000 grant withdrawn for its Black-Eyed Pea Festival celebrating Black music and art.

Smaller nonprofits are especially vulnerable. The Oakland Theater Project lost half of a $30,000 two-year grant that was intended to fund a world premiere stage adaptation of Moby-Dick, forcing the company to reconsider its production ambitions. San Jose Taiko’s $25,000 grant for educational videos was also rescinded, though the group plans to appeal.

In addition to the NEA cuts, AmeriCorps recently announced deep reductions in funding for service programs that many Bay Area nonprofits depend on, as reported by KQED. AmeriCorps supports community engagement initiatives, volunteer coordination, and educational outreach that often serve as lifelines for smaller cultural organizations. The cuts threaten to reduce staff capacity, limit programming, and hamper outreach efforts at a time when community connection is vital.

Local nonprofits that rely on AmeriCorps members to help with youth arts education, event staffing, and community workshops are bracing for the impact. Many groups warn that without this support, their ability to sustain ongoing projects and expand access to underserved audiences will be severely diminished.

San Francisco arts nonprofit Creativity Explored (CE) posted about the cuts on Instagram:⁠

Over the years, AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members have become part of the fabric of CE. Losing AmeriCorps means losing some of our capacity to take new risks and develop new programs that meet community needs. It also means losing a pipeline of passionate VISTAs who have often gone on to become supporters, partners, and even valued members of our staff. Design.⁠

At the same time, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), has quietly rescinded millions in grant funding to small and midsize arts organizations. ⁠NEA funding doesn’t just support the arts—it fuels jobs, mentorship, visibility, and voice. It provides vital support to organizations large and small, established and cutting-edge, including work by artists with disabilities, BIPOC creatives, and emerging artists.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Creativity Explored (@creativityexplored)

Oakland’s Creative Growth echoed CE’s statement, “Support from AmeriCorps and the NEA has helped orgs like us expand access, take creative risks, and build pathways for people.”

Arts leaders caution that while these organizations may survive, the combination of NEA and AmeriCorps funding cuts jeopardizes innovation, commissioning new works, and serving diverse communities—potentially reshaping the cultural landscape of the Bay Area for years to come.

Image via Creativity Explored's website

Calling all Doggie Diner adherents, defenders and fans: the historic dachshund triplets are in need of your help. Long a fixture of the Bay Area charity events, parades, and public happenings, and even longer a symbol of the now defunct Doggie Diner chain, these three bowtied canines have suffered corrosion, worn-down fiberglass, and a rickety trailer since they fell into the hands of John Law and his crew of artists and tradesmen, who rescued them from sure death at the dump after the 1950s-era food chain ceased operations.

To many living in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Doggie Diner heads are a much-loved relic of our living past, a local treasure, and part of our history. From the 1950’s through the 80’s San Francisco, Oakland, and Peninsula residents all patronized the Doggie Diner restaurants. Many from the mid-60’s on were captivated by the Mona Lisa like visage of the giant rotating dachshunds that hovered above many of the two dozen restaurants of the now extinct local chain.

Now, Law and friends are seeking $50,000 in Kickstarter funds to restore the doggies to their former glory, as well as to expand public knowledge of the dogs' local history (and add the capacity for the heads to rotate if they raise enough funds). To wit:

If you've ever caught a glimpse of these doggies around town and felt just a little bit better for it, consider sending some cash their way (there are stickers, art and even a visit from the dogs themselves in it for you, contribution depending). Viva los weiner dogs!

Previously: Somewhere, a Dachshund in a Hat Sheds a Tear, Noted Artist To Crochet Over Doggie Diner Heads

[h/t Laughing Squid]

Yesterday, a "renowned group of transportation and financial experts" warned lawmakers that funding the state's $99 billion high-speed train is an "immense financial risk." The biggest concern from the group was California's "plan to spend all available funding -- $6 billion -- on a small stretch of track in the Central Valley and hope for the rest of the money."

What's more, the bullet train faces a $25 - $30 billion shortfall during its first phase, with "no available funding sources that could fill that gap."

In part of an excellent piece on the high-speed rail warning, Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury News reports:

The report's release coincides with Wednesday's start of the Legislative session, which will end with a vote this June on whether to authorize $2.7 billion in state bond funds to match $3.3 billion in federal money.

"It is particularly compelling because this comes from a group with no political ax to grind, and undeniable experience and expertise on a global basis," state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who has helped lead the discussion on the project in Sacramento. "It adds to an accumulating pile of concern."

On the flip side, a super-duper fast train linking Northern California to Souther California would be, you know, way cool. Alas. But do we still need this miraculous train built during our horrific economic climate? Watch this ABC 7 report and decide for yourself.

If the mood should strike, you can read the California High-Speed Rail report in its entirety below:

While California looks for additional funding to cover the $43 billion price tag on our high-speed rail project, Florida Governor Rock Scott recently turned down $2.4 billion in federal dollars for a similar project in his state. We're going to go ahead and assume Florida's non-retired population is perfectly happy traveling by swamp boat or whatever it is they do. As for the snowbirds - well, they probably realized they won't be around long enough to see the project come to fruition anyway. No skin off our back though, Florida's funds will be divvied up amongst the 15 other states with HSR projects and $300 million of it will land in California's coffers.

The new funds bring the project up to $6.33 billion - more available funds than any other state according to the Examiner, but still a long way off of the $43 billion goal. Because these new funds were unexpected, the High-Speed Rail Authority has yet to decide what to put them towards - either extending the initial section of track in the Central Valley closer to the Bay Area or South past Bakersfield, but if all goes according to plan, the trains could be scooting you off to LA at 220mph as early as 2020.

[Chron]
[SFExaminer]

For your wonky pleasure, we have some highs and lows today regarding two mayoral candidates. First, according to Chris Roberts at SF Appeal, City Attorney Dennis Herrera could be in tepid water for allegedly questionable funding. Roberts notes: "Lobbying clients of local political consultant Alex Tourk -- who is under investigation for potentially illegally lobbying City Attorney Dennis Herrera, whose campaign for mayor Tourk is running -- also donated to Herrera's mayoral campaign, records show." Current city law, you see, restricts campaign consultants from contacting current or former clients. This law was authored by a former supervisor who, at the time, had a beef with the Newsom Administration.

In more joyous news, candidate Bevan Dufty promises to bring more tops to the Castro if elected. Tongue in cheekily, so to speak, Dufty told Queerty how it all went down. Ahem:

Well, you get unique experiences campaigning in every neighborhood in San Francisco, and certainly the Castro is no different. It was a softball Sunday, so to speak. It was after the games, and there were a lot of softball players at Moby Dick. And I was working through the crowd, and somebody stopped me and pointed a finger and said, “I am not voting for you for reelection unless you deliver more tops to the Castro.” Like most politicians, of course I closed the deal and said, “absolutely,” and moved on. And I would say for months and months Tony would give me a bad time and wag his finger at me when he would see me out and about on delivering his promise. But I can say, ultimately, obviously I did pretty well, because he’s in a very happy committed relationship. So I don’t know if I can take credit for it, but at least I have a happy voter.

So, yeah, there you have it. Read all about Dufty's dress-wearing days and more at Queerty.

Finally, don't miss tonight's mayoral forum at USF at 6 p.m, featuring Leland Yee, (California State Senator), Michela Alioto-Peier (former San Francisco County Supervisor
David Chiu (president of the Board of Supervisors), Bevan Dufty (former San Francisco County Supervisor), Tony Hall (former San Francisco County Supervisor), Dennis Herrera (San Francisco City Attorney), Joanna Rees (entrepreneur), Phil Ting (San Francisco County Assessor).

After the Governor tried to raid public transit funds and was stopped by the courts, he's after the money again, but with a different shell game. As pointed out by Damien Newton at Streestblog LA, the LA Times reports that "the governor would eliminate the sales tax on gas and, at the same time, impose a new per-gallon excise tax. Drivers would pay about 5 cents less per gallon at the pump. The excise tax would not be subject to voter-approved spending requirements for public transit." Ouch.

Today the Department of Energy announced a pretty big windfall of funding "for 37 ambitious research projects," ones that involve energy sources such as wind and solar, something crazily awesome about bacteria being used to to "produce automotive fuel from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide," and more. In total, the Golden State received $20.8 million in new funding to help improve the environment. Which, of course, is necessary.

NorCal green businesses benefiting from today's eco-splurge:

• Envia Systems (Hayward): "High energy density Lithium-ion batteries with 3x better energy density than current batteries. Based on novel nano silicon-carbon composite anodes and manganese composite cathodes discovered at Argonne National Laboratory. Could lower the cost and speed the adoption of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles." Piece of the pie: $4,000,000

• NanOasis Technologies, Inc. (Richmond) - "Carbon nanotubes for reverse osmosis membranes that require less energy and have many times higher flux. Could dramatically reduce the cost and energy required for desalination to supply fresh water for our crops and communities." Piece of the pie: $2,031,252

• PAX Streamline, Inc. (San Rafael) - "'Blown Wing'" technology for wind turbines. Creates a virtual airfoil by jetting compressed air along a wing. Can be dynamically adjusted to maximize power under a wide range of wind conditions. A new design that can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost." Piece of the pie: $3,000,000

• Porifera Inc. (Hayward) - "Carbon nanotubes integrated into polymer membranes to increase the flux of CO2 capture membranes by two orders of magnitude. Could enable much less expensive carbon." Piece of the pie: $1,077,992

• Stanford University: "Sensors, software, and controls to track and improve energy use patterns. Could lead to substantial reductions in building energy use by changing human behavior through timely information and usable controls." Piece of the pie: $4,992,651

Created to "develop nimble, creative and inventive approaches to transform the global energy landscape while advancing America’s technology leadership," the funds were awarded through the Department of Energy’s new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (“ARPA-E”).

Legislation introduced by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mate, which will spare domestic violence programs from budget cuts, is expected to be signed by Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday. SF Appeal/BCN reports that the legislation would "restore $16.3 million to shelters and centers across the state." In July, Schwarzenegger used a line-item veto to slice $20.4 million from the much-needed Domestic Violence Program.

"We're very excited that the governor has announced his intention to sign legislation to restore funding for domestic violence shelters," said Michele Lew, CEO and President of San Jose-based Asian Americans for Community Involvement. "It's great news especially because we're seeing a 30 percent increase in calls to our 24-hour hot line in the last year."

If you recall, last week Sen. Leland and musician Moby held a small but powerful rally on the steps of SF City Hall, demanding the Governor to restore the funding.

A former grant writer with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice was busted recently for violating civil-service laws -- an alleged conflict of interest that "could lead to fines and perjury charges against the ex-employee." According to the Examiner's Brent Begin, the unidentified one-time City Hall employee also consulted for Vanguard Public Foundation, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that helps fund other nonprofits focused on "social injustice." In the fiscal year 2008, the employee "was a paid consultant, Vanguard received $70,169 through an agreement with the Juvenile Probation Department." Begin goes on to report that "the year before, the nonprofit received $38,487 from The City, according to vendor payment summaries."

Oops.

Mayoral spokesman Nathan Ballard went on to say, "OMG, no way! We had no idea! This is totally not tolerated and stuff!?" Or something like that.

Vanguard had no comment.

Shifting focus, this Examiner article brings up an interesting point. People bitched about the Ex as a decent local rag, but did the Chron get this story? Nope.

It just goes to show that the Chron isn't (and shouldn't) be your only source for good, well-rounded local news stories. As SFist commenter Robbie Peeler put it, "The Ex routinely beats the Chronny on local news." While a few out there think the Chron closing down is akin to the rapture, this just isn't the case.