The GrowSF Report: Teen arrested after allegedly shooting 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall
The GrowSF Report: Teen arrested after allegedly shooting 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall
PLUS: Mayor Breed pushes for four new downtown party zones
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of Sept. 1, 2024:
- Teen arrested after allegedly shooting 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall
- Daniel Lurie inches ahead in latest poll; Mayor’s race still a toss-up
- Mayor Breed pushes for four new downtown party zones
- Crime spikes in Richmond as business owners push for stronger police presence
- Contractors and nonprofits face stricter rules for city funds
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Foghorn Taproom brings Detroit pizza to Divisadero
Teen arrested after allegedly shooting 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall
We're glad to see that police responded quickly and decisively in the case of 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall, who was shot in Union Square during a failed robbery attempt. Officers acted promptly, with an SFPD sergeant rushing to provide first aid to Pearsall, helping slow the bleeding from his chest wound. The suspect, a 17-year-old from Tracy, Calif., was arrested at the scene and has since been charged with attempted murder by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
Pearsall has turned around quickly: He was released from the hospital just 24 hours after the incident. Still, the shooting happened in broad daylight and could have ended tragically. Quick medical attention and an efficient police response made all the difference.
The fact that someone would feel comfortable enough to attempt this in such a public setting suggests deeper issues with how crimes are being managed in San Francisco. While the quick response from police and first responders was commendable, we need to change the public perception that you can get away with crime in the City by quickly and reliably enforcing the law.
Daniel Lurie inches ahead in latest poll; Mayor’s race still a toss-up
A new poll from pollster FM3 (the same one GrowSF uses for our own polls) shows Daniel Lurie inching ahead of Mark Farrell for second place. Mayor Breed is still in the lead but, like past polls, the victory is within the margin of error.
Lurie has been running a strategy to mop up second-place votes, which may just give him the edge in the race for first.
Mayor Breed, for her part, continues her streak of winning every single mayoral poll, even if it’s in the margin of error.
Mayor Breed pushes for four new downtown party zones
San Francisco could be getting even more boozy by the end of the year, with Mayor London Breed proposing four new entertainment zones downtown. Spots like Thrive City and Mid-Market are about to become the go-to places for outdoor drinks and events, building on the buzz already happening at Front Street’s party strip. SF never really left, but this feels like a big part of the city’s comeback.
There’s some red tape to work through, as always, but if these zones get the green light, we’re talking Warriors watch parties, art walks, and more. It’s just another way SF is proving it’s as vibrant as ever. There’s even talk of expanding the program further—because why stop now when SF is just getting started?
Crime spikes in Richmond as business owners push for stronger police presence
A string of break-ins in San Francisco’s Richmond District has local restaurant and bar owners feeling like enough is enough. Two places were broken into last week, racking up thousands in damages, while another barely avoided it with an attempted break-in. Marjan Philhour, who we endorsed for District 1 Supervisor, is already out there showing support for the small businesses being victimized.
We’ve seen burglaries in the Inner Richmond jump by 19 percent, and the Outer Richmond isn’t faring much better with a 25 percent spike, according to the SF Standard, all while the rest of the city is seeing crime drop. And let’s be honest—despite the police increasing patrols, it’s still not enough to make us feel safe.
Ender Markal, who owns Richmond Republic Draught House and Foghorn Taproom, is now dealing with higher insurance and considering costly security gates. We need more than just patrols; we need real action to stop these break-ins once and for all.
Contractors and nonprofits face stricter rules for city funds
Mayor London Breed is tightening the reins on how contractors and nonprofits can receive city dollars, rolling out new rules to boost accountability after a string of corruption scandals at City Hall. Starting in November, city departments will have to follow stricter guidelines when awarding grants, including keeping closer tabs on finances and handling conflicts of interest.
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Foghorn Taproom brings Detroit pizza to Divisadero
Foghorn Taproom has opened its third location at 846 Divisadero St., right in San Francisco’s Divisadero Corridor. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 4 PM to 10 PM, with extended weekend hours and lunch service coming soon, this new spot will offer their full menu, including house-made Detroit-style pizza.
WHERE: 846 Divisadero St.
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Register to vote in San Francisco
Ballots arrive in mailboxes in 30 days! In California, every registered voter automatically gets a ballot by mail. If you’re new to SF or you recently moved, make sure to update your voter registration so you can vote in this critical election. With the election just weeks away, we want everyone to weigh in on decisions that shape San Francisco’s future.
The Spirit of San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city and the Bay Area. Here’s what makes it great. Brought to you by The Bold Italic.
What we’re doing this week
Diplo Run
Diplo’s Run Club is bringing a wild mix of cardio and chaos to San Francisco's Embarcadero on September 8, 2024—and if history is any indication, this won’t be your typical 5K. The Grammy-winning DJ, never one to shy away from a spectacle, famously ran the Los Angeles Marathon in 2023 while, in his own words, “tripping on LSD.” While he admitted the first few miles were a breeze, things got dicey as the race dragged on. So, expect his upcoming event to carry that same unpredictable energy, minus the hallucinogens (maybe?).
WHEN: Sunday, September 8, 2024, starting at 9:00 AM
WHERE: Embarcadero, with the starting point near Pier 30 and 32.
Also coming up: Party for the Parks 2024
Get ready for a glitzy night of cocktails, great views, and a solid cause with Party for the Parks on September 21, 2024, at China Basin Park. Sip a cool drink while looking out over Oracle Park and the Bay—no better backdrop for a picnic-style dinner and a bit of dancing. The event runs from 6 to 10 PM, so you'll have plenty of time to soak it all in without feeling rushed.
What makes it even better is that every ticket supports the San Francisco Parks Alliance, a nonprofit working to keep the city’s parks and public spaces vibrant. Whether it’s building new playgrounds or putting on free outdoor events, they’re behind a lot of what makes SF’s parks great.
WHEN: Sept. 21 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: 1 China Basin Park, San Francisco, California 94107
What we’re writing about
The Sunset Night Market is a reminder that SF never left us
For anyone still clutching pearls over the idea that San Francisco’s glory days are behind it, the Sunset Night Market on August 30th was the loud, colorful reminder they needed: this city is still very much here. And it never really went anywhere.
The event doubled in size from its overture last year, drawing an estimated 20,000 attendees to tents, bouncy castles and performances along Irving Street between 19th and 27th avenues — or around there. We spotted everything from belly dancers to artisan jewelry and food, alongside lots of campaign flyers and even a controversial Trump table parked outside.
Latex, lightsabers, and laughs: ‘The Empire Strips Back’ in SF
We never thought we’d see the day when Darth Vader and Princess Leia took it all off for bridesmaids and Chinatown tourists. But that’s what you get at The Empire Strips Back, where the real force isn’t the Death Star — it’s spandex, disco mirrors, and boobs.
Toro y Moi’s Ocean Beach cleanup keeps Outer Sunset tidy with jams
Only in San Francisco can you catch Toro y Moi spinning records while picking up trash on Ocean Beach. Chillwave beats, caffeine from Andytown, and a side of good karma — that's how we do it in the Outer Sunset.
While Taraval’s occupants wait for the L train’s return and the war for the Great Highway wages on, music and community collided on Sunday at the Ocean Beach “Hole Erth” clean-up hosted by Toro y Moi and local Outer Sunset businesses.
We survived the Twisters 4DX double feature at Stonestown Galleria
Forget surviving tornadoes — try stomaching five hours of 4DX. Watching Twister and Twisters back-to-back at Stonestown Galleria was less about the movies and more about keeping our drinks from flying out of the cupholders. And that’s only when we weren’t worried about getting launched out of our seats.
So there was a Trump table outside Sunset Night Market
So there it was amidst the artisan candles and gluten-free pastries: a Trump campaign table brazenly parked outside the Sunset Night Market. In a city where “Republican” is practically a four-letter word and “liberal” is the local religion, this felt like an uninvited guest crashing the most progressive party in town. In San Francisco, it was like bringing a cheeseburger to a vegan potluck, or in Trump’s case, a Big Mac with extra sauce.
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