The GrowSF Report: The 13 schools that will close or merge
PLUS: Vote Yes on Prop D and cut the red tape
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of October 6, 2024:
- The 13 schools that will close or merge
- Vote Yes on Prop D and cut the red tape
- Help Diego Gómez after brutal Tenderloin attack
- It’s time to vote — Use our Voter Guide to navigate the ballot
- Fleet Week takes off with Blue Angels’ roaring return
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Sushi cravings? Ebiko’s got you covered
The 13 schools which will close or merge
The long-awaited list of schools likely to close in San Francisco is finally out. In short, each of the thirteen schools have fewer than 260 students enrolled, according to the Chronicle, and will only affect about 2,000 students in total. Those students will transfer to other schools with more staff and resources.
SFUSD is grappling with declining enrollment, half-empty buildings, and a $400 million budget shortfall. These changes will ensure all students get a good education and have their needs met by well-resourced schools.
Here’s the full list of possible closures or mergers, and below is a map showing where schools may close:
By the way, the Board of Education is up for election RIGHT NOW! We recommend voting for Parag Gupta, Supryia Ray, John Jersin, and Jaime Huling because they have what it takes to balance the budget and end the crisis in our school district.
Vote Yes on Prop D and cut the red tape
San Francisco government is bogged down by too many commissions and too many veto points, but we can change that this November. Voting yes on Proposition D will eliminate some commissions and restore the Mayor’s (whoever that ends up being!) ability to properly manage departments..
Right now the city has more than 1,200 people working within 130 commissions — which is double the number in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose. Many of our commissions are filled with political insiders, and they push their own agendas instead of what’s best for all of us. Voting yes in November will cut down bureaucracy and bring accountability back where it belongs in San Francisco.
Help Diego Gómez after brutal Tenderloin attack
Diego Gómez — a prominent SF artist, muralist, and writer for our sister project The Bold Italic — was viciously assaulted and beaten while walking his dog in the Tenderloin.
The attack left him with severe facial fractures and brain trauma, forcing him to spend his 43rd birthday in the hospital. Friends have rallied around him, raising over $35,000 to help with medical expenses as he recovers, but Gomez faces a long road ahead, and we ask you to donate to help him.
We also ask that all residents of District 5, which includes the Tenderloin and the Haight, elect Bilal Mahmood – a Supervisor who will fund the police and prioritize public safety in the long-neglected Tenderloin.
It’s time to vote — Use our Voter Guide to navigate the ballot
Election day is fast approaching, and voters are facing 35 critical decisions. That's a lot to decide on, but our guide cuts through the noise to give you the information you need.
This election goes beyond choosing a mayor—it’s about addressing the public school budget deficit, ensuring City College’s recovery, and electing a Board of Supervisors that can guide San Francisco to a future of growth, prosperity, and safety.
Read the full GrowSF Voter Guide and share it with your friends. Let’s put San Francisco back on track.
Fleet Week takes off with Blue Angels’ roaring return
San Francisco just got a wake-up call you couldn’t snooze through — the Blue Angels are back! Thursday’s test flight shook the city from Ocean Beach to downtown, kicking off Fleet Week with some serious jet-fueled flair.
The skies are now buzzing with Fleet Week's air shows that will continue through Sunday over iconic spots like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. We’re all pumped to see these high-speed stunts unfold, and whether you're watching in awe or covering your ears, it’s a weekend of aviation excitement you don’t want to miss.
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Sushi cravings? Ebiko’s got you covered
Get ready to add Ebiko to your sushi rotation because a new location just dropped in the Financial District. The small space serves up seven-piece omakase boxes featuring pre-assorted cuts and rolls—think avocado-salmon, spicy tuna, and eel. They’ve also got a few sides to round things out, like Japanese-style pickles, soft tofu topped with bonito flakes and green onion, plus some Japanese chips and snacks for a little crunch on the side.
WHERE: 100 First St., San Francisco
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
San Francisco Fall Show
The 2024 San Francisco Fall Show, one of the West Coast’s most prestigious art, antiques, and design fairs, will take place from October 17 to 20 at the Festival Pavilion in Fort Mason Center. This year’s theme is “Black & White,” celebrating the timeless elegance of this striking color palette across various artistic disciplines, including decorative arts, fashion, and photography. Over 40 international dealers will present fine art, jewelry, furniture, and more, ranging from antiquity to modern day. The event also features lectures and book signings by prominent designers and experts.
WHEN: October 17–20, 2024
WHERE: Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
What we’re writing about
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass brings sunburns, surprises, and singalongs
If you came to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2024 expecting a casual stroll, surprise! Those 8 miles between stages felt more like a marathon. From Patti Smith packing Lindley Meadow tighter than blackberry bushes, to a toe-tapping mosh pit erupting during The Infamous Stringdusters’ bluegrass rendition of “Just Like Heaven,” this year’s festival was equal parts folk and fun.
Castro Street Fair was a sweaty parade of parasols and nipples
Castro Street Fair feels like that last hurrah of summer soirées in San Francisco; a swan song to don something campy and flutter among the social butterflies. Now and forevermore this year, we’ll move full steam into pumpkin spice everything.
The 2024 street fair brought us a blistering 94-degree sun, which on the one hand created a veritable meat market with eye candy everywhere. On the other hand, we all huddled beneath every shady area and whined our way through the day. But this also gave us an amazing parasol parade.
Sobakatsu, a legit closet-sized noodle shop opens in Japantown
Japan is a land that perfects each native dish with restaurants entirely devoted to one item, from comforting okonomiyaki to delicately fried tempura. And often at a handful of seats in a tiny space. Enter Sobakatsu, a closet-sized restaurant with a max of 11 seats, no reservations and a sole focus on cold and hot soba, Japan’s silky, thin buckwheat noodles that are friendly to all gluten-free-ers.
SF Symphony gave me nostalgia and magic at its 2024 gala
As tuxedos and gowns swept through the entrance of Davies Symphony Hall, the vibe inside felt just a bit muted from clothes to conversation, with some tense topics hanging in the air but going unspoken. The hot pink carpet from 2023 was now black-and-white and relocated to the staircase. After spotting Dede Wilsey and Zac Posen, the concert arrives and it’s Lang Lang; his animated movements approach gymnastics across 88 keys, and watching him is both a pleasure and a privilege.
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