Matt - SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports

Saturday Links: The California High-Speed Rail Board Greenlights SF Bullet Trains

The high-speed rail project will officially connect to San Francisco, BART's board is set to vote on new fare gates, and the story of one man supporting a family of three on $65K in SF.

Arts & Entertainment

Exclusive: Avril Lavigne on Returning to Touring, Lyme Disease, and Nicki Minaj

Avril Lavigne, the punk-pop princess of the early 2000s who fanned the teenage angst of many with songs like “Sk8er Boi,” “Complicated,” “My Happy Ending,” and countless other tracks — will be taking the stage at Fox Theater tonight for the Bay Area leg of her 'Head Above Water' tour.

Arts & Entertainment

New Alamo Square Mural Revealed Honoring Drag Legend Juanita MORE!

J. Manuel Carmona's “Girls Call The Shots” mural featuring Juanita MORE! was officially unveiled Saturday afternoon, across Steiner Street from Alamo Square Park, the finishing touches of which were completed late Friday night.

Berkeley-Born Ex-NFL Player Terrell Roberts Fatally Shot in Grandmother's Richmond Home

Ex-NFL player Terrell Roberts, born in Berkeley and who once played two seasons as a defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals, was visiting his grandmother’s East Bay home this past week when a suspect barged into the home, and shot Roberts in the chest, leaving him fatally wounded.

Sunday Links: Morning Standoff On 101 Shuts Down Highway In Both Directions

The man killed in a fight in Oakland Saturday has been ID'd, a body was found by jet skiers in the East Bay, and Twitter has apologized for breaking city law with their sidewalk stenciling campaign.

Supervisor Haney Pushes for a 'Car-Free' Tenderloin To Make Pedestrians Safer

Any San Franciscan worth their salt knows the dangers of traversing the sidewalks in the Tenderloin. Now, however, certain streets in the historically troubled neighborhood could soon be free of any automobiles if a supervisor gets his way.

Saturday Links: Elton John Electrifies the Chase Center on his 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' Tour

Elton John lit-up the Chase Center in a thunderstorm of evergreen hits, the fight against a nutria invasion in the Bay Area, and more Saturday headlines to help kick-off your weekend on an informed foot.

The 'Gourmet Ghetto'? Owners of a New North Berkeley Cafe Push Back on the Famous Neighborhood Nickname

If you’ve ever dined or drunk in Berkeley's North Shattuck area, you’ve consumed calories in what’s known as the ‘Gourmet Ghetto.’ But new tenants Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters say the town needs to catch up and change the name.

Arts & Entertainment

Season 2 of Oakland-Based Web Series 'The North Pole' Spotlights Immigration

The North Pole — the low-budget web series centered around three best friends, all born-and-raised in Oakland — is officially back for season two. And this time around, the focus is all on immigration.

Attorney of Bay Area Teen Accused of Killing Italian Officer No Longer Seeks His Release

The lawyer of one of the two suspects, 19-year-old Tamalpais High graduate Finnegan Elder, has stopped pushing for his release from jail in Rome.

Sunday Links: 350 Flights Delayed Or Canceled Saturday at SFO

The tiny house movement is gaining traction in West Oakland, Antonio Brown joins the New England Patriots, and Day One of the runway construction project at SFO was a mess... expect many more.

Arts & Entertainment

An Ode to 30 Years of Pier 39's Sea Lions

In 1989, shortly after the Loma Prieta Earthquake, gaggles of sea lions began randomly showing up on the famous San Francisco pier in growing numbers. And they continue to return 30 years later.

With Two More Mountain Lion Sightings in SF, the Big Cats Look To Be On a Comeback

With two mountain lion sightings confirmed by SF's Recreation and Parks Department since August 21, it’s clear that America’s largest feline is making a fierce return to glory in Northern California.

Saturday Links: Burning Man Camp Under Investigation By Anti-Defamation League

Burning Man’s 20+-year-old "Barbie Death Camp and Bistro" is now reportedly investigated by the Anti-Defamation League, a Ghost Ship juror explains how the verdicts went down, and the Mission's art scene seems to be thriving.

Arts & Entertainment

Judy Collins, Fantastic Negrito, Petra Haden, and (Many) More Complete the 2019 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Lineup

With this year’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) festival now just a month away, the final acts have been announced—and the wait was well, well worth it.

One Dead and Multiple Sickened After 'Chemical Suicide' At Fairmont San Jose

The Fairmont Hotel in San Jose was the center of all manner of chaos yesterday morning: A woman took her own life in a “chemical suicide” with an unknown substance, sickening at least nine others in the process.

Sunday Links: Third Puppy in SF Animal Care Heist Recovered, Abandoned in East Oakland

The third puppy that was stolen from SF Animal Care was recovered Saturday, the Mission's poem-writing pigeon-lover John Ratliff is back on the streets, and District 5 supervisor candidate Dean Preston lost the Democratic nomination.

Yet Another High-Speed Chase In the North Bay Ends In Arrest of Allegedly Intoxicated Man

People keep leading law enforcement on high-speed chases along 101 in Sonoma County this summer. The latest was a guy who yelled out his window to Petaluma police that he had "nothing to lose."

Garcia-Zarate Has Gun Possession Conviction Overturned In the 2015 Shooting of Kate Steinle

Yesterday, a California state appeals court decidedly threw out the sole conviction against 46-year-old Jose Ines Garcia-Zarate, the immigrant who fatally shot a 32-year-old Kate Steinle back in 2015.

Saturday Links: Famous Twin Peaks Home, Designed by Richard Neutra, Won't Be Resurrected After All

The San Francisco Planning Commission has opted for a completely different rebuild of the 1935 Neutra-designed Twin Peaks home, deferring to the wishes of the property owner who tore it down.

Business & Tech

Now 15 Years Old, Yelp Is Gung-Ho on Letting Its Users Shape Their Search

Yelp — the crowd-sourced review forum virtually everyone visits before heading to a new eatery — is (finally) giving users the ability to personalize their profiles to appease certain dietary and lifestyle needs.

SFPD to Host LGBTQ 'Listening Session' Tonight at GLIDE on the 53rd Anniversary of the Compton's Cafeteria Riot

The SFPD will join Glide in hosting a "Reflection and Reconciliation Session" tonight. The first in a series of communal forums, these two-plus-hour conversations will offer the city’s police force the chance to hear from the LGBTQ+ folk they serve.

58-Unit Building Approved For Cesar Chavez Street Includes Low-Income Units

At Thursday’s Planning Commission Meeting, SF's seven commissioners gave the green light to a mixed use, multi-story building project perched at 3314 Cesar Chavez Street.

Sunday Links: First-Ever Michelin-Starred Ramen Restaurant Coming to SF This Fall

An SFPD officer and an auto-burglary suspect were both struck by an unmarked police car, someone just crossed the Pacific on a standup paddle board, and Tokyo amen spot Tsuta is opening at the Metreon.

SF Board of Supervisors Moves To Replace Words Like 'Felon' and 'Convict' With More Positive Terms

San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors believes that words matter — and they’re aiming to change the lexicon around how we stamp criminals and the illegal behavior they’ve engaged in.