Mission Mission

I know stealing parts off locked bicycles is all the rage these days, but taking the steering wheel off of a kid’s Little Tikes Car?  That’s just low.

(Photo by captin_nod)

Broke-Ass Stuart just wrote in with breaking news:

There’s a car on fire in front of Cafe La Taza on Mission btw 21st and 20th. Thought I’d let you know cuz you like to write about that kind of shit. Its very on fire.

(Emphasis mine.) Thanks, Stu!

Photo by Sally Kuchar. Thanks, Sally!

UPDATE: Another angle. Thanks, Davy!

I know this looks newsy, but feel free to pay attention anyway. Reader A. tonight forwarded along an internal email memo circulated by the group SafeCleanGreen Mission Dolores. The memo, titled “Dolores Park Progress Report,” updates members on progress made on each of a number of concerns and initiatives.

Most of what they’re talking about here sounds entirely positive: improved safety, improved sanitation and irrigation, improved signage.

The thing is, with improvement comes sacrifice apparently. They are down on dogs, big events, drinking and drugs — things that absolutely make Dolores Park the bastion of freedom and fun so many of us know and love. And maybe that’s fine. Change can be good.

But when a group angling for change lauds increased police presence for its ability to “dampen the spirits of those who are inclined to come to DP for unfettered drinking and carousing,” it gives us pause. We are wary of any organization so giddy about dampening the spirits of others.

The memo says, “Rec&Park recognizes the need to set a new tone in the park.” And maybe that’s true. Maybe somebody needs to remind people more forcefully to pick up their god damn trash.

But should that job be entrusted to a closed organization? The group’s website explains:

“SafeCleanGreen membership is by invitation or referral only. To join, please email and tell us a little bit about yourself and how you found out about us. Be sure to include your address and contact information. You’ll hear back shortly from our Yahoo Group Moderator.”

In any case, maybe it is the end of an era. Maybe it’s time for dogs to be on leashes and community events to be denied permits. Maybe this group is on the right track. Or, maybe they’re a mobilized minority trying to flip the script on a beloved national treasure behind everyone’s back. This is not for us to say. And this is not a call to action, as this is not a call-to-action type blog. But if citizens outside this closed organization have an opinion to voice too, the memo name drops Dolores Park Park Manager Bob Palacio ( bob.palacio@sfgov.org ) and Supervisor Bevan Dufty ( Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org ).

Full memo after the jump.

(more…)

Simon Stark is on the scene: “truck apparently rear-ended what appears to be a 9 muni bus 24th + potrero.”

Link and link.

Photo and photo by Amandine Circumflex, who says, “Looks like it’s a delivery truck vs. a car…”

Beware! Thanks, Katie D.! (Click to enlarge.)

Previously:

Urban Safari Impedes Flow of Traffic

Beware. Thanks, Victor H.!

SFist this morning spotted a Trauma shoot on Valencia. Which begs the question: What kind of primetime-worthy trauma will befall idyllic Valencia Street?

(link)

For some brilliant coverage of the action-packed street party that was yesterday’s Sunday Streets event in the Mission, look no further than Burrito Justice (top) and We Built This City (bottom).

And if you want you can also stay tuned to Mission Mission for Kevin Montgomery’s first-person account of the festivities coming later on this morning.

Yesterday, Mission Loc@l published a photo of Chronicle crime reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken wearing a bullet proof vest while on an embed assignment with SFPD:

Yeah, we know the Mission is one of the more trigger-happy neighborhoods in the city, but we didn’t think the cops considered it Baghdad dangerous. But apparently the police made Chron crime reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken don a bullet-proof vest while embedding with an officer on the Mission streets yesterday, as caught on the neighborhood news Web site, Mission Loc@l. (link)

According to Van Derbeken, “the police provided [the vest] and required I wear it.”  My question: can you keep it as a souvenir afterwards?  That would be hot–sign me up for an embed.

(photo / Mission Loc@l – Reporting / The Snitch)