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| Neighbors Saddened
by Fatal Fire
by Gerry L. Galvan Visitacion Valley neighbors were awakened
at 2:30 a.m. Christmas Day to find a blazing inferno in a home at 450 Sawyer
St.
Both Chan's wife Angela and her daughter Elizabeth, 5, were earlier able to escape the fire unharmed. Cause of the fire is still under investigation. Rogelio Tolentino, who lives adjacent to the location, expressed concern about the seemingly long time it took trucks and equipment to get to the Chan home. He said fire trucks arrived at the scene some 15 minutes after another resident had alerted him to the early morning blaze before he called 911. Closest to the fire is a station at Girard and Wilde Streets. A station at Schwerin Street and Geneva Avenue that was once a part of the Daly City Fire Department has been closed for about a year. HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT
ROBBERY AT VALLEY BANK
Branch Manager Colleen San Diego declined
to comment on the incident beyond stating that a robbery had occurred at
the bank.
"Day of Dialogue" for
Visitacion Valley
Visitacion Valley will have its own forum on Sunday, Jan. 18 at the Community Center gym when The National Days of Dialogue on Race Relations takes place across the country from Jan. 14-19. Community Boards is organizing the 1:30 p.m. event at 66 Raymond Ave. and scheduling Mayor Willie Brown as opening speaker. Valley resident Rita Adrian is one of the event's organizers who sees communication as a necessary building block of a well-functioning community. In describing the upcoming event, Community
Boards states: "Dialogues are not chit-chats nor ultimate solutions. Dialogues
are steps in understanding cultural differences and human commonalities.
Increased understanding can enhance individuals' lives and build a more
cohesive community."
King Housing Soon to Break Ground by Gerry L. Galvan Groundbreaking for work relating to
the new John King Senior Housing (JKSH) complex has now been moved to May.
Meanwhile, John King, on sick leave from his organization for nearly three months, is confident there shouldn't be any further delays. "We'll move on as scheduled in May 1998." Comprising 91 units of low-income senior housing with a new senior center just one block to the north of the current King Center, the forthcoming federally-funded project also includes a piece of San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) land currently leased to Early Years Academy, a day care facility with a lease scheduled to expire in 1999. In the past, a building on the lot on the 500 block of Raymond Avenue has been used by the SFUSD for both kindergarten and extension classes. During the past year, residents near the proposed project site complained the multi-unit complex would have an adverse effect on its immediate surroundings. One neighbor, James Cowan, wrote a letter to Mayor Brown protesting the proposed construction and distributed flyers listing negative aspects of the new housing to nearby residents. With a large number of applicants expected
to be applying for a limited number of units, a JKSH administrative staff
will soon be organized to meet an increased volume of work overseeing both
construction of the housing and management once the project is completed.
Meeting at Schlage
Lock Details S.F. PUC Plan
Members of the S.F. Public Utilities Commission (PUC) further detailed plans to improve Sunnydale's inadequate sewer system in a community meeting Dec. 11 at Schlage Lock. In a project scheduled to commence next year, the PUC is proposing a two-part project both east and west of Bayshore Boulevard that could be constructed concurrently. Phase 1 would employ a tunneling construction method utilized to install a 12-foot diameter pipe east of Bayshore to the Sunnydale Pump Station at Harney Way. Phase 2 would require open-cut construction along Sunnydale Avenue to install 6-to-8-foot diameter pipe. Underground connections would also be constructed and placed at key intersections to connect new and existing sewers. For the past 20 years, rainwater runoff from heavy rains has exceeded the capacity of existing neighborhood sewers causing flooding in both Visitacion Valley and Sunnydale. When completed, the new sewer system
will provide capacity to collect and transport storm water runoff combined
with local sewage from residents and businesses to the Southeast Water
pollution Control Plant.
Greater Community Involvement
San Francisco School Volunteers (SFSV) is launching an initiative to create and strengthen partnerships between Visitacion Valley and the neighborhood's public schools. In order to deepen and broaden the involvement of the community in the schools, SFSV is working in each of the neighborhoods to create greater community awareness of the schools in the area and what, specifically, community members can do to help their schools. For example, many students can benefit from the individual help of a volunteer working with students in the classroom to improve their reading, math or computer skills. Small businesses and merchants' associations can develop a partnership with a school in their community and speak to students about the importance of school in the job world. Religious fraternal organizations can help schools with tutoring programs and field trips. Stephen Kaplan, school/community coordinator
from SFSV, is the staff member responsible for making outreach and understanding
the resources in the Valley as a means of creating greater community involvement
in Visitacion Valley schools.
"We see that all schools are really receptive to the involvement of their communities," said Kaplan. "Schools are recognizing that merchants associations, civic associations, parents, religious organizations--the full gamut of community life--can be a real asset to improving public education." Over the next several months, Kaplan will be contacting organizations and community leaders in Visitacion Valley to find out how, and in what ways they want to become involved in their local public schools. He can be reached through SFSV at (415) 274-0250. "Community involvement in public education
in San Francisco is one of the keys to success," said Kaplan."I am looking
forward to working with the Visitacion Valley community to create good
schools for students."
New Tax Laws and Other
Services
Free assistance, easier filing and some new tax laws are in store for California taxpayers this year, according to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB). ELECTRONIC FILING
FREE TAX ASSISTANCE
Free tax help is also readily available through FAST (Fast Answers about State Taxes). The FAST telephone service answers the most commonly asked state tax questions, allows taxpayers to find out about the status of their refunds, and lets taxpayers order both state and federal tax forms. The FAST number is 1-800-338-0505. Taxpayers can refer to the back of their tax booklet for instructions. Also FTB extends its general toll-free information line hours starting today through Apr.15 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. The number is 1-800-852-5711. Another free service is offered through
the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VTTA) program. Trained volunteers
staff nearly 1,500 sites throughout California to provide free help to
low-income, senior, disabled and non-English speaking persons. Many military
AVOID THESE ERRORS
Taxpayers who had two or more employers during 1997 should remember to check to see if they are eligible for a refund of excess State Disability Insurance (SDI). To be eligible, an employee must have had at least two employers, received more than $31,767 in wages, and the total SDI (or Voluntary Plan Disability Insurance) withheld was more than $158,84. Be sure to include the excess on your California tax return. See the instructions located in the tax booklets. FAST REFUNDS
NEW LEGISLATION
*California conformed to the new homeowner capital gains provisions that exclude capital gains from home sales taking place after May 6, 1997, of up to $500,000 for married couples. *Non-working spouses can now deduct up to $2,000 a year for Individual Retirement Accounts. *California passed the Taxpayers Bill of Rights II. Following up on our 1989 enactment, provisions of the new law include:interest attributable to unreasonable errors by FTB may be canceled, FTB now assumes the burden of proof to justify its position when considering awarding appeal and litigation costs, and FTB must make a reasonable attempt to notify taxpayers when unable to locate their account within 60 days of the receipt of payment. *California has new tax credits for rice straw uses other than burning and for farmworker housing construction. LAW CHANGES
CAN'T PAY BY APRIL 15?
FTB reminds taxpayers that penalties
and interest still accrue on past due amounts even if a taxpayer is making
installment payments. There is no provision in the law that allows FTB
to forgive interest and penalties for an installment payment agreement.
New School Bus Law
to Improve Safety;
Beginning Jan. 1, California motorists are now required to halt their vehicles whenever a school bus is in the process of loading or unloading students. This change in existing law was prompted by state legislation passed in 1997 that now requires school bus drivers to flash red warning lights at every stop where children enter and exit the bus. "No longer will California be the exception when it comes to school bus safety," said Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R©Oceanside). He introduced Assembly Bill 1297 now mandating that a school bus' red warning light system be activated to halt oncoming traffic whenever it is stopped for the purpose of loading or unloading students regardless of whether these students must cross the street. Previous law only required that a bus' red lights flash at those stops where it was known that students had to cross the street. Requiring flashing warning lights at all school bus stops will significantly reduce the potential for auto accidents involving students, especially the younger ones, who are much more likely to inadvertently or unexpectedly cross the street. In fact, 49 other states, including New York, Florida and Texas, already provide this high level of protection for their children. Morrow introduced this new law on behalf
of two of his constituents, Tom and Barbara Lanni of Laguna Niguel, who
tragically lost their seven-year-old son three years ago in a
Their son, Tommy, was struck and killed in 1994 by a pickup truck as he attempted to cross a street after disembarking from a school bus he had been riding for the first time. Because the youngster was not expected to cross the street at this stop, the flashing warning lights of his bus were not activated, and thus, the passing motorist who hit him had no warning that a child might be crossing. This fatal accident may have been avoided had the driver beenrequired to flash the bus' red warning lights at all stops, as the new law provides. For this reason, the provisions of AB 1297 were named the Thomas Edward Lanni Schoolbus Safety Act of 1997. In addition to the flashing light requirement,
the new law will also allow school districts, in consultation with the
CHP, to exempt out certain stops from the flashing light requirement which
create a unique traffic hazard due to roadway design, or close proximity
to an intersection.
New Laws Crack Down
on Gun Use,
Californians now have a safer state thanks to a host of new laws passed during the 1997 legislative session. Additional tax cuts and new laws governing school hiring practices are also now in effect. Of the new laws: *"10-20-Life" (AB 4 Bordonaro) calls for stiffer sentences for gun violence. "10-20-Life" will increase sentences for crimes committed with guns. Ten years will automatically be added to the sentence of anyone who uses a gun to commit a crime. Twenty years will be added if the gun is fired, and a person who hurts or kills someone with a gun will be sentenced to 25 years to life. No plea bargaining, no time off for good behavior, no deals. *School Bus Safety (AB 1297 Morrow) makes it mandatory for school bus drivers to flash red warning lights every time children get on or off a school bus, regardless of whether they plan to cross the street. Cars in both directions are required to stop. *Sex Offender Registration (AB 290 Alby) requires convicted sex offenders to register with local law enforcement agencies upon discharge or parole and to update that registration annually. *Stalking Law (AB 350 Firestone) makes it easier to prosecute stalkers by allowing peace officers to issue an emergency protective order where they believe a person is guilty of stalking an individual. *Domestic Violence (AB 340 Alby) provides that restraining orders or protective orders issued in domestic violence cases take precedence over any conflicting civil orders. *Inmate Release Notification (AB 139 Poochigian) requires the state to notify victims or their families if a violent felon is released from state prison to a community within 1,000 miles of their home. (Past law only required notice if the felon was within 25 miles.) *Endangered Species Reform Act (AB 21
Olberg) eliminates red tape for parties that have obtained a federal permit
and exempts having parties from having to comply with the duplicative California
Endangered Species Act if they have already obtained
*Underground Storage Tanks (AB 1491 Cunneen) prohibits the depositing of petroleum into underground storage tanks that are not up to code. It requires a permit to be issued and kept current for all underground storage tanks. *Tax Cut Package (SB 1233 Lockyer/Pringle) includes nearly $1 billion in tax cuts for middle class Californians. It provides a tax benefit for families by increasing the state's Dependent Tax Credit by $50 this year and an additional increase in 1999. It also provides capital gains tax relief for homeowners. *Education: Life Sciences and Conservation Project (AB 624 Cuneen) creates the Life Science and Conservation Education Project of 1998 to provide students in grades six, seven and eight an opportunity to learn about biological conservation and public policy. *School Safety (AB 1612 Alby) prohibits school districts from hiring anyone that has been convicted of a violent or serious felony. *Body Piercing (AB 99 Runner) requires teenagers and minors to obtain parental permission to pierce most body parts. *School Immunizations (AB 381 Takasugi)
requires all students entering seventh grade after July 1, 1999 to be immunized
against hepatitis B.
Muni Introduces POP on New E Embarcadero Line San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) has announced a Proof of Payment (POP) fare program designed to make better use of existing vehicles and facilities, and to make the Muni Metro system more efficient. Starting Jan. 10, POP will be implemented
on the new E-Embarcadero line--also called the Metro Extension or
MMX--at the following station stops: Embarcadero Station; Folsom and The
Embarcadero; Brannan and The Embarcadero; and CalTrain/4th and
POP for Muni patrons requires that riders
purchase a ticket at a fare machine before entering a platform or have
a valid Muni pass, transfer or regional pass with a Muni sticker. To purchase
a ticket, patrons must first choose a fare type and then deposit
Fare types available are: Adult, $1.00; Discount/Senior and Youth, 35 cents. Tickets issued by fare machines are valid until the time indicated and may be used as transfers to other Muni lines. Transfers from other lines are good on POP vehicles and station platforms until the last time shown on the transfer. A rider's monthly Caltrain ticket with valid Peninsula Pass sticker is also good as proof of payment. POP trains will still have a Muni Metro operator, but the operator will no longer check passes or collect fares. With POP in place, passengers may exit or board from any train door. Passengers can still communicate with the operator by using the intercoms located on the wall at either end of the metro cars. This is not an honor system. This is
a proof-of-payment system where, initially, San Francisco police officers
will be performing random inspections to ensure that all passengers have
valid proof of payment. Passengers without proof of payment may
"Our goal is to make service more efficient," said Muni director Emilio Cruz. "With POP, Muni can expedite the loading and unloading of passengers, and ideally improve our service schedule. If we can get patrons to help by making sure riders exit before passengers board, we're that much closer to making the program work." POP has operated at two stations on the M-line--Stonestown and S.F. State--since 1995. Proof of payment programs are also widely used in Europe and Asia, as well as by other rail systems in the United States, among them San Diego, Sacramento and San Jose. The E-Embarcadero line will open Jan.
10, initially running as a shuttle between 4th and King (Caltrain) and
Embarcadero station in the Muni Metro subway. Existing peak-hour lines
80X, 81X and 82X bus routes and regular Muni lines (15, 30, 32, 42 and
45) will continue to operate in addition to the E-Embarcadero shuttle service.
San Francisco Medical Team Learns Lessons in Nicaragua San Francisco--Reflecting on six long, busy days in Nicaragua where the medical team he headed conducted orthopaedic surgeries, lectures and clinics for local surgeons, David Atkin, M.D., of St. Luke's Hospital said, "We learn more than we teach on these trips." Seventeen surgeons and support staff
from the San Francisco Bay Area, Florida and Texas returned to the United
States recently from a trip Atkin termed "an overwhelming success." The
trip, from Dec. 6-15. was sponsored by Operation Rainbow-Orthopaedics,
Back in his routine at St. Luke's Hospital, Atkin reflected on some stark differences between society there and in the United States. "For some on our team it was there first time out of the United States and they were amazed at how relaxed and polite the Nicaraguan people are and the teamwork among their doctors and staff," he said. "They work very hard together without any complaining or tension. And there is their strong Catholic faith. When it comes to medicine, the attitude is 'You do the best you can, but it's in God's hands.'" A major difference in health care between the two societies is the atmosphere in the United States and its emphasis on competition and the bottom line, said Atkin. For him, service with Operation Rainbow "recharges my energy. Many of my patients who live in the Mission and Bayview-Hunters Point are humble and appreciative, and I am rewarded to serve them." Atkin said he and his colleagues transported about 2,000 pounds of medical supplies and equipment and left most of it in Matagalpa, Esteli and Leon. They performed about 26 surgical procedures on children, including a number of spinal surgeries--most of them to correct scoliosis in girls under the age of 12--and conducted lectures on shoulder, knee and spinal procedures each morning for the Nicaraguan surgeons. "Their goal is to do this themselves," said Catherine Cusic, a physician's assistant on the St. Luke's staff. Numerous surgical procedures were preceded by teaching clinics and, Atkin said, the local surgeons were then able to get involved, performing the procedures under the visitors' guidance. Another major accomplishment of the trip was establishing an arthroscopy center at the University Hospital of Leon. Others on the trip included 13 volunteers from Northern California--among them five physicians and support staff from St. Luke's Hospital, four from UCSF and an anesthesiologist from Valley Medical Center in San Jose--and five physicians and support staff from Florida and Texas. Each of the volunteers donated their time and the physicians paid their own expenses. Operation Rainbow covered all other travel and other expenses incidental to the trip, which Atkin estimated at $15,000. Operation Rainbow, an all-volunteer
effort begun in Houston by a group of plastic surgeons, has spread through
the country with the establishment of independent chapters. The San Francisco
chapter details exclusively with orthopaedic problems. This year it will
have sponsored two trips to Nicaragua and one each to Guatemala and Honduras,
said Laura Escobosa, volunteer coordinator. Seven trips are planned in
1998.
Belated or Not, the State Wants Your Tax Return Nearly a half million Californians who haven't filed their 1996 income tax returns will soon hear about it, according to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB). Individuals who did not file a return last year but received income from California sources will receive a letter requesting the delinquent return. The letter gives late filers 30 days to file their return or show why a tax return is not due. If you get a letter, be sure not to ignore it. Those who ignore the letter will get a tax assessment with penalties of up 50 percent of their tax liability and a $71 filing enforcement fee. Each year after the Oct. 15 extended due date passes, FTB uses more than 200 million income records received from employers, banks, the Internal Revenue Service and other sources to compare the returns filed with the income information. Taxpayers who are missing a return are then contacted. According to the FTB, individuals with income of $10,384 or more ($20,768 for a married couple) are required to file a tax return. FTB urges those who receive the letter to respond immediately to avoid needless penalties. For questions about the notification
letter, taxpayers can contact FTB toll free at 1-800-545-5009. To get tax
forms and answers to frequently asked tax questions, taxpayers can call
1-800-338-0505 or access the Internet at: http://www.ftb.ca.gov
Optional Enrollment Process Extended All parents in San Francisco still have time to choose a school for their child. The Optional Enrollment Request process has been extended until Tuesday, Jan. 20. Pick up an application at any of the
District's schools or call 241-6085.
Community Meeting Set
for Third Street
Representatives from the S.F. Art Commission and Muni are sponsoring a special public meeting with communities along the Bayshore Corridor, from Mission Bay to Visitacion Valley, to discuss possible art enrichment projects related to the new light rail system to be constructed on Third Street from 4th and King Streets south to the CalTrain Bayshore Station near the San Francisco/San Mateo County line. The meeting will be held Wednesday,
Jan. 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Southeast Community Facility, 1800 Oakdale
Ave. in the Bayview District. Art Commission staff will explain the artist
selection process, how artists will work with Muni's urban designers, as
well as coordinate with the Redevelopment Agency's urban designers for
Mission Bay and Bayview, and describe the range of possible artworks for
the new light rail system. This meeting is an opportunity for various communities
to ask questions and give feedback on the art enrichment aspect of the
transit project prior to the beginning of the artist selection process.
S.F. School Volunteers Offers Saturday Training Institute San Francisco School Volunteers is offering
a Saturday Training Institute for parents, community members and school
volunteers addressing this theme: You Can Support Student Success! Skill-building
workshops will include What You Should Know About the New Scholastics Language
Arts materials Learning Disabilities Awareness Workshops will take place
on Saturday, Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Edison Elementary School,
3431 22nd St. For more information or to register, call 274-0250.
S.F. Suicide Prevention Crisis Line Volunteers Needed Are you a good listener? Caring? Supportive? Understanding? Do you want a real challenge? Do you need or want counseling skills? If so, the San Francisco Suicide Prevention (SFSP) needs your help. Founded in 1962, SFSP is the oldest volunteer crisis line in the United States, providing 24-hour telephone counseling free of charge to anyone who calls. More than 56,000 calls are answered each year. Volunteers are needed to provide emotional support in a non-judgmental manner, to provide crisis management and to provide information and referrals when appropriate. Extensive training is provided. Next training class will begin Jan. 22. Join and be a part of a San Francisco
tradition. Please call (415) 984-1900 for an application packet or more
information.
Telecourses Available at S.F. City College In today's fast changing world, most people need to go back to school to update their knowledge or learn new skills. But because of a busy schedule, most people simply cannot find the time to go back to college. The answer is to take Telecourses from City College of San Francisco. Telecourses are college credit courses, but instead of going to school one to three times a week, the student watches weekly lessons at home on television. Students can also video tape their lessons which allows them to watch at their convenience and to review their lessons as often as they want. A Telecourse student only comes to campus three times a semester for an orientation, midterm and a final. All of City College Telecourses can be applied towards an AA degree conferred by City College and many are transferable to a four year university. Cost for a Telecourse is only $13 a unit pus the cost of a text book. Most City College Telecourses are 3 unit courses All Telecourse lessons are broadcast on cable channel 52 (the San Francisco Educational Access cable channel) with many broadcast on KCSM, Channel 60. Lessons are also kept at the Media Center on the Phelan campus of City College of San Francisco. Students who miss a broadcast can go to the Media Center and watch the lesson there. In addition, Telecourses are available for rent. For the Spring '98 semester, City College
is offering 19 different Telecourses: Introduction to Social and
Cultural Anthropology; Art of the Western World; Art America; Cosmic Evolution;
Mass Media and Society; Ecology and the Human
Woman Hit by Car Crossing Arleta Avenue A Visitacion Valley woman was seriously
injured Dec. 21 as she crossed Arleta Avenue at Alpha Street. Mary Nash
sustained critical head injuries and was taken to S.F. General Hospital
after accidently being struck by a motorist who didn't see the pedestrian.
Program Helps Parents with Child Care In a program designed to assist local low-to-moderate income families in paying for licensed child care for children ages 0-13 years old, the Children's Services Fund of San Francisco Vendor Voucher Program is a collaborative between Wu Yee Children's Services, Audrey L. Smith Child Development Center and Children's Council of San Francisco. This program is designed to serve single parent families who are working or who have been offered employment, and two parent families, of which either parent is working and/or offered employment, and the other parent is working, or enrolled in school or job training. Through the program, parents will be free to choose any licensed child care provider, as well as receive child care counseling and choosing child care information. Registration is ongoing and enrollment is based on availability of open slots. For more information, contact: Wu Yee
Children's Services, 391-8993; Children's Council of San Francisco, 243-0700;
or Audrey L. Smith Child Developmental Center, 292-7747.
Plan in State Assembly
for Protecting
Members of the State Assembly released a comprehensive agenda Jan. 6 for protecting California's marine life, coastal water quality and access to the coast. "The coast is California's most valuable economic and natural resource," said Shelley. "Yet our marine life is endangered, our coastal waters are polluted, and in many areas there is limited access to the coast." State of the Coast and Ocean 1998 sets
the following priorities to pursue this year:
"This agenda addresses the major problems facing our state's coastline," said Shelley. "It also ensures that we leave our coast healthier and more accessible than we found it." Shelley noted that for San Francisco, enactment of this package will keep the multi-billion dollar fishing industry alive, will ensure clean water and beaches for swimmers, surfers and hikers, and will control erosion at beaches like Fort Funston. |