This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSan Francisco’s appalling homeless problem seemed to worsen only modestly compared to the rest of the Bay Area when the city released its preliminary homeless-count numbers in May. The first glimpse showed a 17% uptick — not great, sure, but not as bad as Alameda County’s 43% rise. Or Santa Clara’s 31% increase.Turns out the news wasn’t quite so rosy.The final report released Friday, in the middle of a holiday weekend, shows that the street-count increase would actually be 30% if the city had used the same standards for counting...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSan Francisco’s appalling homeless problem seemed to worsen only modestly compared to the rest of the Bay Area when the city released its preliminary homeless-count numbers in May. The first glimpse showed a 17% uptick — not great, sure, but not as bad as Alameda County’s 43% rise. Or Santa Clara’s 31% increase.Turns out the news wasn’t quite so rosy.The final report released Friday, in the middle of a holiday weekend, shows that the street-count increase would actually be 30% if the city had used the same standards for counting...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateAttached to one of five or six tents on Waller Street in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood is a sign that reads: “Mayor Breed: We will gladly trade this tent for a hotel room!”That is asking a lot, but the people in the tents are also asking for less. They want to move their tents just a block west, into the parking lot at Kezar Stadium.Haight-Ashbury advocates for the homeless community are pushing the city to turn the stadium lot into a legal tent site that could fit as many as 100 tents in spaces marked to ensure social...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateAttached to one of five or six tents on Waller Street in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood is a sign that reads: “Mayor Breed: We will gladly trade this tent for a hotel room!”That is asking a lot, but the people in the tents are also asking for less. They want to move their tents just a block west, into the parking lot at Kezar Stadium.Haight-Ashbury advocates for the homeless community are pushing the city to turn the stadium lot into a legal tent site that could fit as many as 100 tents in spaces marked to ensure social...WW…

Ten years ago, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was complaining that California received only 78 cents back for every tax dollar it sent to Washington, arguing that the state’s budget woes would disappear if the federal government would only play fair with funding.It’s too late for Schwarzenegger, but a new study found that California has moved off the list of donor states and now takes in almost exactly as much in federal payments as its businesses and residents pay in taxes.While that’s great news for California, it’s not nearly so upbeat a statistic for the country as a whole, said Alan...…Ten years ago, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was complaining that California received only 78 cents back for every tax dollar it sent to Washington, arguing that the state’s budget woes would disappear if the federal government would only play fair with funding.It’s too late for Schwarzenegger, but a new study found that California has moved off the list of donor states and now takes in almost exactly as much in federal payments as its businesses and residents pay in taxes.While that’s great news for California, it’s not nearly so upbeat a statistic for the country as a whole, said Alan...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateDespite three years of promises from San Francisco City Hall, there will be no statue of Maya Angelou installed outside the Main Library by the end of this year. In fact, three years of toward the easily achievable, worthwhile goal.And now the artist originally selected to design our so-called progressive city’s — of the nearly 90 statues in the public collection — says San Francisco isn’t even worthy of an Angelou tribute.“I don’t feel like the city of San Francisco actually deserves a monument to Dr. Angelou — I really don’t,”...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateDespite three years of promises from San Francisco City Hall, there will be no statue of Maya Angelou installed outside the Main Library by the end of this year. In fact, three years of toward the easily achievable, worthwhile goal.And now the artist originally selected to design our so-called progressive city’s — of the nearly 90 statues in the public collection — says San Francisco isn’t even worthy of an Angelou tribute.“I don’t feel like the city of San Francisco actually deserves a monument to Dr. Angelou — I really don’t,”...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMedicare for All didn’t die when his presidential campaign. Far from it.Its advocates predict that support for government-funded health care will grow because of a force more powerful and unpredictable than politics — the coronavirus pandemic. It’s already contributed to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s decision to propose a significant expansion of Medicare, though he still opposes Sanders’ idea of having the government plan cover everyone.“The pandemic is the game changer. It is the X factor,” said Michael Lighty, an...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMedicare for All didn’t die when his presidential campaign. Far from it.Its advocates predict that support for government-funded health care will grow because of a force more powerful and unpredictable than politics — the coronavirus pandemic. It’s already contributed to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s decision to propose a significant expansion of Medicare, though he still opposes Sanders’ idea of having the government plan cover everyone.“The pandemic is the game changer. It is the X factor,” said Michael Lighty, an...WW…

Despite the Bay Area’s success in stemming its coronavirus outbreak through nation-leading distancing measures, local health officials have rightly set a high bar for relaxing the restrictions. The Chronicle reported Sunday that San Francisco and five surrounding counties remain for testing and other preconditions for reopening the region.Unfortunately, some aren’t waiting. A few California jurisdictions and businesses are defying state and local orders and abandoning efforts to slow the contagion’s spread, and Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared ready to accede to a degree. Raucous crowds of...…Despite the Bay Area’s success in stemming its coronavirus outbreak through nation-leading distancing measures, local health officials have rightly set a high bar for relaxing the restrictions. The Chronicle reported Sunday that San Francisco and five surrounding counties remain for testing and other preconditions for reopening the region.Unfortunately, some aren’t waiting. A few California jurisdictions and businesses are defying state and local orders and abandoning efforts to slow the contagion’s spread, and Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared ready to accede to a degree. Raucous crowds of...WW…

The greatest outcome in Bay Area sports history?Was it when the 49ers won their first Super Bowl? When the Giants won the 2010 World Series? When the Warriors kicked off their fabulous dynasty six seasons ago with an NBA championship?Or was it Super Bowl Sunday, when the 49ers blew a fourth-quarter lead and got crushed by the Kansas City Chiefs, and maybe, inadvertently, saved thousands of lives?San Francisco and California have led the nation in coronavirus response. We have shown how to flatten the deadly curve. Much of that is a credit to the gutsy and intelligent leadership of Mayor...…The greatest outcome in Bay Area sports history?Was it when the 49ers won their first Super Bowl? When the Giants won the 2010 World Series? When the Warriors kicked off their fabulous dynasty six seasons ago with an NBA championship?Or was it Super Bowl Sunday, when the 49ers blew a fourth-quarter lead and got crushed by the Kansas City Chiefs, and maybe, inadvertently, saved thousands of lives?San Francisco and California have led the nation in coronavirus response. We have shown how to flatten the deadly curve. Much of that is a credit to the gutsy and intelligent leadership of Mayor...WW…

The national unemployment rate skyrocketed to 14.7% in April, according to government figures released Friday that track a labor market deeply scarred by the coronavirus pandemic.The rate soared from the previous 4.4%, itself a level that reflected a listing March economy. The one-month jump from March to April set a record since the government began tracking the figures in 1948, and the rate itself was higher than the modern economy has ever seen.The Labor Department said 20.5 million jobs were lost in April. Job losses were not only deep but broad, affecting a huge range of industries:...…The national unemployment rate skyrocketed to 14.7% in April, according to government figures released Friday that track a labor market deeply scarred by the coronavirus pandemic.The rate soared from the previous 4.4%, itself a level that reflected a listing March economy. The one-month jump from March to April set a record since the government began tracking the figures in 1948, and the rate itself was higher than the modern economy has ever seen.The Labor Department said 20.5 million jobs were lost in April. Job losses were not only deep but broad, affecting a huge range of industries:...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSACRAMENTO — Although the coronavirus pandemic has largely grounded the global travel industry, it did not stop the annual political conference that brings California lawmakers to Hawaii for five days of policy discussions and schmoozing with corporate sponsors.The conference, which has been hosted by the Independent Voter Project every November for more than a decade, is taking place this week at the on Maui’s southwest shore.“Somebody has to be first to say, ‘OK, we’re going to do a group event safely,’” Dan Howle, chairman and...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSACRAMENTO — Although the coronavirus pandemic has largely grounded the global travel industry, it did not stop the annual political conference that brings California lawmakers to Hawaii for five days of policy discussions and schmoozing with corporate sponsors.The conference, which has been hosted by the Independent Voter Project every November for more than a decade, is taking place this week at the on Maui’s southwest shore.“Somebody has to be first to say, ‘OK, we’re going to do a group event safely,’” Dan Howle, chairman and...WW…

Traveon Beck was feeling optimistic. For two months, the former Cal defensive back had awoken at 5 a.m. to slog through rigorous workouts, adding 15 pounds of muscle and improving his 40-yard dash time.After he didn’t land an invite to the NFL scouting combine, Beck — fresh off an injury-marred senior season — knew that the Bears’ March 20 pro day would be his best chance to convince a team to draft him. Then, just a few days before scouts were scheduled to arrive on campus, Beck learned that to limit the spread of the coronavirus.“I was a lot more explosive and a lot faster, so I was...…Traveon Beck was feeling optimistic. For two months, the former Cal defensive back had awoken at 5 a.m. to slog through rigorous workouts, adding 15 pounds of muscle and improving his 40-yard dash time.After he didn’t land an invite to the NFL scouting combine, Beck — fresh off an injury-marred senior season — knew that the Bears’ March 20 pro day would be his best chance to convince a team to draft him. Then, just a few days before scouts were scheduled to arrive on campus, Beck learned that to limit the spread of the coronavirus.“I was a lot more explosive and a lot faster, so I was...WW…