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| Heritage Homes
Ground Breaking
Delayed by Threatened Protest by Gerry L. Galvan Discovery of a local labor union plan to picket the long-awaited Oct. 29 Heritage Homes ground breaking alarmed and caused both Mercy Charities Housing (MCH), California and the Geneva Valley Development Corporation (GVDC) to postpone the event. The event was canceled shortly after MCH executives had learned that Local 250 of the Service International Union planned to picket the celebration. Now rescheduled for a later date, the original ground-breaking had been scheduled for 11 a.m. at the levelled piece of property bounded by Sunnydale and Garrison Avenues where the twin-structure Geneva Towers once stood. San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown was part of a long list of city and state officials expected to come to the affair. His absence was noticeable even before word on the event's postponement was announced. "We are confused and shocked about this turn of events. This construction project is a $20 million job that will be built by 100 percent union labor," said MCH President Jane Graf in a press statement. "We've been working with the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust for the past two and a half years and we are a very pro union organization." Union organizers were planning to picket the Heritage Homes event to protest a labor situation at the Catholic Healthcare West. Healthcare West is sponsored by religious orders which also sponsor MCH. "It is nothing but a mistaken identity case where local 250 mistook Mercy Charities Housing for Catholic Healthcare West," added Graf, who emphasized that MCH is completely separate from Catholic Healthcare West. She expressed hope that the union will eventually understand how the organization is structured. "An unfortunate misunderstanding pushes back Visitacion Valley residents' celebration," said MCH associate Dara Kovel, who was indignant over the labor union's picket threat. GVDC President Brenda Lopez, presiding over an impromptu neighborhood meeting and press conference at the 333 Schwerin Street Village headquarters, said a revived ground breaking would be subsequently announced. "We are very disappointed that this misunderstanding could bring a dark cloud over what could have been a happy occasion," she said. "But the residents of Visitacion Valley have been overcoming great obstacles for years. This is a speed bump that can't slow down the progress of a community determined to control its destiny." And ground breaking ceremony or not, construction of the 153 unit Heritage Homes is scheduled to commence in three weeks. With HUD funding available and a readied architectural plan, Heritage Homes is now scheduled for occupancy in 2000. The Rev. Dr. L.P. Lewis, who at one time chaired GVDC and now serves as a consultant, compared the current situation to the Christian faith. He said that there's the bumpy way to get to a goal, and that one should be prepared to overcome all odds to enjoy the glorious fruits of the journey. Donation of Computers to Valley Elementary School As part of President Clinton's commitment to closing the technology gap among America's schools, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Janice Lachance presented Principal Vincent Chao of Visitacion Valley Elementary School with 44 computers on Oct. 16 donated by the U.S. Department of Education. OPM is the human resources agency of the federal government. "Schools just like Visitacion Valley Elementary School, with 50 percent or more minority students, lag behind other schools in having access to the Information Superhighway," said Lachance. "Today we are here to make a difference. To help close the technology gap among schools by providing teachers with the tools that are necessary to prepare our children for the 21st Century." Principal Chao called the donation "the missing link" in the process of increasing the educational uses of technology at his school. The 44 computers will be placed in all 20 classrooms and will be part of the school curriculum for children in all grades. "We have completed networking our building and we used funding from a grant to provide technology training to all teachers," explained Chao. "The only missing components were the computers, which we are grateful to receive today." During her visit, Lachance spoke with elementary school students about the importance about the importance o mastering reading, writing and mathematics. "We all agree that technology has become increasingly important to succeed in the future. But to master technology, we must first learn the basics." Forty percent of 4th grades in the United States do not read at the basic level, and 8th graders score below the international average in math. "I am confident that the President's America Goes Back to School initiative, which involves partnerships among more than 4,000 businesses, community, religious and education organizations, will tremendously improve education across America for all our children," said Lachance. President Clinton's education priorities include: *All students will read independently and well by the end of 3rd grade. *All students will master challenging mathematics, including the foundations of algebra and geometry, by the end of 8th grade. *By 18 years of age, all students will be prepared for and able to afford college. *All states and schools will have challenging and clear standards of achievement and accountability for all children, and effective strategies for reaching those standards. *There will be a talented, dedicated and well-prepared teacher in every classroom. *Every classroom will be connected to the Internet by the year 2000, and all students will be technologically literate. *Every school will be strong, safe, drug-free and disciplined. City Names General Store at VVES a Model Program Both the Mayor's Office of Community Development and the Redevelopment Agency recently selected a General Store operated by 4th and 5th graders at Visitacion Valley Elementary School (VVES), a component of the Visitacion Valley Leadership Club, as a model program. Filmed while doing business, the video will be part of a city proposal to the federal government for the next round of designation as an Empowerment Zone. If selected, San Francisco could receive $10 million per year for the next 10 years. "We at Visitacion Valley Elementary School are very proud of this business venture," said VVES Principal Vincent Chao. The General Store serves many purposes by: *Selling school supplies below market price in a neighborhood where there are no such stores within walking distance. *Teaching students good work habits such as showing up to work punctually and developing social skills. *Introducing these young people to the job application and interview process. *Exposing them to the concept of business: how to advertise, buy and sell, make a profit, and keep an inventory; and *Helping them improve their basic math skills. Funded by a grant from the federal Enterprise Community program, the Leadership Club has two other components besides the general store: an after-school tutorial program at VVES and a greeting card business at El Dorado Elementary School. Profits from the successful VVES General Store, after reinvestment in new inventory, help pay for supplies of the school's tutorial program now serving about 85 students. Key Player in Visitacion Valley Business Community by Gerry L. Galvan In an attempt to solidify ranks and "promote community harmony and healing," the Visitacion Valley Task Force (VVTF) finally ratified its Election Committee's recommendation on Oct. 15 to accept 32 individuals earlier nominated for membership. An outstanding feature of the list was the inclusion of Bank of America Branch Manager Colleen San Diego, who has been deeply involved in organizing the local business community into a united force, working towards efficiency, peace and order, and healthy competition in the area. San Diego was first elected president of the local Merchants Association on July 13. She served notice that her term would be characterized as "starting from scratch," and not being distracted by any prior Merchants Association activity. Such business and professional posture gained for San Diego the respect and admiration of her peers. Her name soon became a dominant factor within the VVTF. When members of the fractured and ailing Task Force mulled over the forthcoming membership nomination, San Diego topped the list of candidates. VVTF will be five years old in February 1999. In its existence, the organization has gone through its ups and downs. A large spectrum of philosophical, social, educational, ethnic, political and economic backgrounds have been represented at Task Force meetings. Dozens have come and gone. Some came in enthusiastically and left in frustration. Others came in for the ride and supported the status quo feeling. Still many more have remained members for the simple reason of just being members. By the same token, a considerable number of VVTF members are persons of high caliber whose vision and effort have produced a marked improvement in Visitacion Valley. Candidates Speak at Community Center Candidates for local political offices and representatives for state and local propositions participated in a community forum Oct. 10 at the Visitacion Valley Community Center. Although the audience was small, it was the first open forum sponsored by the Pacific Islanders Democratic Club and the Visitacion Valley Community. Candidates attending and sharing their policies and visions included: S.F. Supervisor: Tom Ammiano, Amos Brown, Donna Casey, Denise D'Anne, Victor Marquez, Lucrecia Bermudez, Len Pettigrew, Carlos Petroni, and Rose Tsai. S.F. Board of Education: Eddie Chin,
Frank Chong, and Dan Kelly.
Daly City Council: Mayor Mike Guingona, and Carol Klatt. U.S. Funding for Visitacion Valley Included in VA-HUD Appropriations Bill A Congressional conference committee has included $700,000 in a bill for expanding community revitalization efforts in Visitacion Valley. "These vital funds will be used for tenant improvements for four new child care centers and a senior center, part of new housing developments to be built to replace housing lost when HUD closed the Geneva Towers project," said Representative Nancy Pelosi. In addition, the bill includes $215 million for the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program. An average of 10 to 13 new communities in the U.S. become eligible for HOPWA funding every year. Removed from the bill was the Riggs Amendment which threatened San Francisco with loss of federal funds because of implementation of the Domestic Partners law. Cab Driver Found Shot in Valley Police called to investigate an incident near the intersection of Sunnydale Avenue and Sawyer Street early morning on Oct. 29 found a taxi with its motor running, headlights off, and the driver draped over the steering wheel with a fatal bullet hole in his head. Gennady Penskoy, 46, who worked for United Cab, was found after 1 a.m. with his wallet and more than $400 in cash still on his body, causing investigators to question the motive of the murder. Valley Woman Found Dead in Flaming Home A Visitacion Valley resident died during an Oct. 17 fire at her home at 893 Colby St. The 60-year-old woman was found by firemen shortly before 8 a.m. GASA Celebrates Anniversary Girls After School Academy (GASA), an institution creating economic, educational and social avenues for African American female youth in the Sunnydale housing development, celebrated its fifth anniversary honoring five ardent supporters with an afternoon celebration Oct. 25 at Delancy Street. Both GASA participants and Executive Director Jumoke Hinton had selected honorees Anne E. Klutz, Martha Kyer, Sharnae Springfield, Ellen Stewart and Tatiana Stewart. GASA, rich in wonderful African traditions centering on cherishing ancestors, community, elders and youth was featured Oct. 18 on a segment of the 10 o'Clock News on KTVU, Channel 2. VISITACION
VALLEY TASK FORCE
Present:
Absent:
1. Welcome. Joel Tate called the Task Force to order at 10:35 a.m. 2. Agenda. The agenda was approved. 3. Chinese for Affirmative Action. Ann Williams introduced the members of CAA and welcomed them most heartedly to our community. Diane Chin and Christine Mei-Yue Wong spoke about the services that CAA offers, which include multi-racial advocacy for civil rights issues, job development in conjunction with VVJET at The Village, and help with naturalization and immigration for immigrants. Their long term goal is to make extensive outreach to the Asian community. CAA in turn expressed their delight in becoming part of the Valley community. 4. Community Updates Playgrounds and parks. Ann Seeman reported that their community celebration on September 16 went very well. Moreover, the Greenway Project in general is doing well and Rec and Park is doing their part. There was some discussion around lighting at Herz Playground that will be looked into. Leland Avenue. Gloria Woo reported that MOCD must take a less pivotal and more supportive role with the Merchants Association. At present, the merchants are still discussing the issue around the previously EC-funded Merchants Organizing Program and a Merchants meeting will be called shortly. Gloria urged the Task Force to give the Merchants Association its full support. 5. Task Force Committee Reports Safety Committee. Esther Blanchard reported that the Safety staff has met several times with Captain Bruce to discuss short and long term issues in the Valley, as well as two new Police Resource Centers in Sunnydale and Leland Avenue. The meetings have been informative and mark a new beginning in police and community relations. There was a motion made by Robert and seconded by Marlene to approve the Safety Committee recommendation to hire Sara Magel to replace Frank Mok. There was discussion around Sara not being bilingual. The final vote of hiring of Sara was 7 ayes, 3 nos and no abstentions; the motion carried. Sara's resume will be faxed to all Task Force members. Election Committee made the following recommendation concerning elections of the Task Force: "In the name of community harmony and healing, the Election Committee recommends acceptance of all 32 nominated members, including Gerry Galvan, as the new Task Force. Any unresolved issues will be referred back to the Election and Bylaw Committees for further recommendations." (Unresolved issues included specific bylaw issues, e.g. only 28 slots--although there is a question if the 32 people nominated are willing to serve on the Task Force; nominees do not fit into categories of membership.) 6. Task Force Elections. After much heated discussion about the Election Committee recommendations and its relationship to the bylaws, Robert made the motion to accept the Election Committee recommendations for election of new Task Force members. John seconded it, there were 5 ayes, 3 against and 2 abstentions; the motion carried. 7. Announcements. There were none. 8. Adjournment. John made a motion to adjourn the public portion of the task Force meeting to go into closed session to nominate Task Force Officers, Vincent seconded; motion unanimously carried. 9. Closed Session to Nominate Task Force Officers. In addition to the four offices sanctioned by the bylaws, which are President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and Parliamentarian, the Task Force decided to add a Communication Officer position as well. The following people were nominated are will be voted on by the Task Force at the November monthly meeting. Voting will be by secret ballot: President: Joel Tate; Vice President: Al Thomas, Marlene Tran, John Flores, Vincent Chao; Secretary/Treasurer: John King; Parliamentarian: Vincent Chao, John King, John Flores; Communication Officer: Ann Williams. Compiled by Judith Sandoval Volunteer Orientations at S.F. SPCA Help the animals by volunteering for one of the many important jobs available at the S.F. SPCA. Volunteers are needed on an ongoing basis as cat socializers, dog walkers and adoption counselors. Volunteer orientations are held Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 5-7 p.m., and Saturdays, Nov. 14 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. All orientations are held at the SF/SPCA Learning Center at 243 Alabama St. (around the corner from the main entrance at 2500 16th St.) For more information, call 554-3087. Holiday Faire at Temple Church A huge rummage sale featuring attic treasures, quilts, books, toys, crafts, lunch and desserts will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Temple United Methodist Church, 65 Beverly St. at Shields. Heirs to the Throne Event in Richmond An Heirs to the Throne "Live Recording" will be featured at the First Baptist Church, 770 Sonoma St. in Richmond. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Call (510) 242-3069 for more information. S.F. City Chorus at Trinity Episcopal San Francisco City Chorus will perform on Friday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, Bush and Gough Streets. Tickets are $15 general admission, and $10 for seniors and students. Call 765-7664 for more information. Arrests Announced for Telephone Fraud Scam District Attorney Terence Hallinan announced Oct. 21 the arrests of three individuals involved in pirating calls from unsuspecting San Francisco companies. Fraudulent calls were billed to businesses throughout the Bay Area, but Pacific Bell ultimately absorbed the losses, which had totaled as much as $40,000 per weekend. The complex scheme, in which pirated long distance calls are illegally sold to other users at reduced rates, cost Pacific Bell more than $1 million over the past two years. "That's a lot of dimes," said District Attorney Terence Hallinan. "Scams like this affect everyone through increased rates. I want the word to go out that others who are engaging in this fraud will meet the same fate as these three defendants." The operation is performed by individuals who break into a switching box, which enables the perpetrators to tap into the phone line of a company that is closed for the weekend. The suspects have targeted as many as three switch boxes at once. On Oct. 17, six DA investigators, cooperating with investigators from Pacific Bell conducted surveillance operations, observing three suspects cross-wiring victim telephone numbers from Pacific Bell terminal boxes to coin telephone numbers. The calls are then sold for flat fees, usually $20 each. On Oct. 17, the calls were sold from Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Dallas. Calls are typically transferred to a foreign country, most often Mexico or Central America. Booked as a result of the weekend operation was Armando Montoya, arrested on Folsom and 10th Street after he entered the terminal box to cross wire a telephone line. Montoya, 23, of San Francisco, had been observed tampering with a pay phone at 11th and Harrison earlier Oct. 17. He had been observed undertaking similar actions on several prior occasions. Booked for another incident was Cecilia Acoajuca, 27 of San Francisco, and Alberto Avila, 35, of Los Angeles. Both were observed working a coin telephone on Mission Street at Russia Avenue as the telephone had been cross-wired from a terminal box one block away at the intersection of France Avenue and Mission Street. More than 25,000 minutes of international calls were placed through the pay telephone at Mission and Russia on Oct. 17, valued at over $25,000. Those calls were billed to local businesses. Both Acoajuca and Avila were observed on four prior occasions engaging in the same activity. All three defendants were arraigned on several counts of grand theft and tampering with a telephone. The three pleaded not guilty and are being held on $50,000 bail. DA investigators involved in the operation are Duane Hadley, Rod Chin, Elicia Phillips, Joe Veronese, Ken Poehlman and Malcom Vaughan. Assistant Attorney Laura Meyers will prosecute the case. Choosing the Right School for Your Child It's that time of year again, when parents of San Francisco 5th and 8th graders are carefully scouting out the middle school or high school that will best meet their child's needs and interests. For the next two months, the San Francisco Unified School District will be accepting applications for student enrollment in the 1999-2000 school year during the District's Optional Enrollment Request (OER) period. In order to help families learn more about the next step in their child's education and to provide information on the variety of educational options available to them, the SFUSD Middle School and High School Divisions are holding information fairs for students and families. All sessions will explain the OER process and have presentations on all the schools and programs. A High School Fair will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m-12 noon at Marina Middle School, 3500 Fillmore St. A Middle School Fair will be held Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 7-9:30 p.m. at Everett Middle School, 450 Church St. The OER period ends on Jan. 8, 1999. Signatures Acquired to Repeal Stadium and Mall Measures by Doug Comstock The Voting Integrity Project and the Committee to Stop the Giveaway obtained more than 15,000 signatures, far more than the necessary 10,510 required to qualify an initiative to Repeal D & F, the Stadium and Mall measures. The 180 days allowed for collecting the signatures expired Oct. 25. The petitions will qualify an ordinance for the next general election, or an election which may be ordered by the court to rectify an injustice due to judicial error. Qualified petitions were submitted at the Department of Elections, 633 Folsom St. A stay is in effect in the lower court order regarding the petitions, by the petitioners' appeal. We anticipate that a higher court will overrule Judge Williamson's decision, which interfered with the peoples reserved power to petition. The ruling by the lower court that the
petition contained "false statements" and was therefore void is a ridiculous
and unprecedented attempt to abridge free speech and the power to petition.
Subsequent publicity about the burgeoning costs of building the stadium
and the Grand Jury's criticism of the Elections Department's procedures
provide further evidence that the concerns stated in the petition were
The petitioners are proud of the effort which has resulted in the successful signature drive especially on this, the City of San Francisco's 100th anniversary (Initiative and Referendum in California, 1939, University of California Press, Cambridge University Press) of the adoption of the petition power. The power of the people to make law by the process of petition ("Direct Legislation") has never been more flagrantly attacked. The initiative power was the centerpiece of the Progressive movement in the last century. It is altogether appropriate that we strongly challenge the injustice that is reflected in this decision by one lower court judge and a battery of well-heeled lawyers representing a corporation seeking an outrageous public welfare package. We will continue to oppose this absurd attempt to undermine our state mandated constitutional power which must continue to be reserved to the people. Schultz Variety Show on Ice in Santa Rosa Refreshing for its diversity, thrilling for its quality and touching for its intimacy, 'Tis the Season, featuring six full-scale production numbers in a colorful two-hour celebration of song and spirited fun, continues a 13-year North Bay tradition from December 4-29 at the Redwood Empire Ice Arena, 1667 W. Steele Lane in Santa Rosa. Enjoyable for all ages, the show stars Snoopy and a cast of more than two dozen champion skaters, splendid in original costumes designed for the medley of numbers. Tickets range from $10 to $40 and are available at all BASS Locations or by calling Snoopy's Gallery at (707) 546-3385. National Bible Week Encourages Reading the Scriptures Encouraging people to read the world's best seller--the Bible-- is the focus of National Bible Week which will be celebrated Nov. 22 through 29. The Bible has had an enormous influence on our nation's art, music, literature, laws and even our sense of charity. The purpose of National Bible Week is to foster reading and study of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, and to reaffirm the founding principles of our nation. An interfaith observance, National Bible Week enjoys the cooperation of civic and fraternal groups, religious organizations, public libraries and individuals who recognize and value the influence of the Bible in American life and culture. In addition to Bible reading marathons, biblical storytelling and other local celebrations in cities and towns across the country, National Bible Week is observed on U.S. Armed Forces bases around the world. Nonsectarian biblical materials have been supplied to civic groups, businesses, houses of worship, libraries, bookstores, schools, and both Armed Forces and prison chaplains. The first National Bible Week was organized by the National Bible Association in 1941 to remind all Americans of the importance of the Bible as a spiritual and moral guide, as well as a source of comfort, in the dark days just prior to America's entrance into World War II. Breast Cancer Study Several community organizations including Stanford University are seeking volunteers with breast cancer to find out how support groups might help them cope with their illness and stress. All participants receive four months of free support groups and $40 for four completed assessments over a year. Support groups will be held at the San Francisco Support Community and the Wellness Community in San Francisco and the East Bay. For more information, call 1-877-4GRPHLP. Historic San Francisco Photos at Randall Museum Historian and archivist Greg Gaar will present newly discovered photographs, dating from around 1903, of Glen Canyon, Twin Peaks, Laguna Honda, Ocean Beach, Pine Lake, Golden Gate Park and more at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3 at the Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted. World Community Day Celebration The San Francisco Unit of Church Women United will hold a World Community Day Celebration at Geneva Avenue United Methodist Church, 1261 Geneva Ave., on Saturday, Nov. 7. "The World Within Our Neighborhoods," title of the service, deals with ideas of modern women theologians and the faith experiences of us all. Each person is invited to share an item which symbolizes part of their faith, and all are invited. Registration will start at 9:30 a.m. with the Celebration beginning at 10 a.m., followed by a luncheon served by the women of the church. A $6 donation is asked. What Do the Elections Mean to Our Kids? Join Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth and public opinion analyst/pollster David Binder for the first of Coleman's new, bi-monthly lecture series on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 459 Vienna St. in the Excelsior. The initial program will be looking at the results of the local school board race and what they say about San Francisco's commitment to children. Please RSVP to Ken at 1-800-4-A-YOUTH (1-800-429-6884). Card-carrying Coleman members and youth under 19 get in free. Adult non-members pay $10. Food and child care will be provided. |