Joe Eskenazi

Billionaire CEO asked Trump to send Nat'l Guard to S.F., and multi-millionaire mayor helped talk him out of it A billionaire tech CEO asked Trump to send the National Guard to San Francisco. Its millionaire mayor helped talk him out of it.

"Every bargain with Trump and his gang is a Faustian bargain."

Great piece by @esksf.bsky.social on today's events (or non-events, as the case may be). Also, love the SNL suggestion!

missionlocal.org/2025/10/san-...

Billionaire CEO asked Trump to send Nat'l Guard to S.F., and multi-millionaire mayor helped talk him out of it A billionaire tech CEO asked Trump to send the National Guard to San Francisco. Its millionaire mayor helped talk him out of it.

"There are only so many turns of phrase you can employ: This is just a profoundly fucked-up way to lead a country. It’s like dealing with King George or a warlord out of the Dark Ages."
@esksf.bsky.social on Lurie's deal with the devil to keep nat'l guard out of SF
missionlocal.org/2025/10/san-...

SFUSD principals say superintendent threatened legal action San Francisco educators and labor leaders bemoan ‘heavy-handed’ move during negotiating impasse as potential principal strike looms

San Francisco school principals are in a labor impasse. A strike is a real possibility.

Multiple principals say the district's superintendent threatened them with legal action prior to a planned labor rally.

And now? Now they're pissed.

From @esksf.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/sfus...

Purported ICE surge to Bay Area is graver worry for S.F. than National Guard Experts warn federal immigration agents have more latitude to be aggressive and destructive than troops — with fewer avenues for the city to push back

The purported surge of ICE and Border Protection agents coming to the Bay Area are the worst fear of S.F. officials — even more so than the National Guard.

From @esksf.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/san-...

Court lets Trump send National Guard to Portland. What about S.F.? National Guard is just one of many concerns for San Francisco, which can do little to prevent an influx of ICE, CBP, DHS, DEA or FBI agents

The 9th Circuit today greenlit Trump's National Guard deployment to Portland. Does this bode poorly for San Francisco?

Sure. But not in the manner you might think.

Also: The National Guard may not be the biggest worry

missionlocal.org/2025/10/nati...

Muni wants exemption from CA pollution rules. It's a no-brainer. SFMTA plans to beg relief from the state's zero-emissions mandate. It’d be crazy not to ask. It’d be crazier for the state to say no.

San Francisco's transit agency wants to be exempted from state pollution rules.

You know what? It's a *great* idea.

Column from @esksf.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/sfmt...

How much does Salesforce pay to S.F. police? Less than you’d think. Some local cops reject Marc Benioff's call for National Guardsmen, noting nobody orders SFPD to 'go grab Brown people’ or ‘go beat up hippies'

How much does Salesforce pay to San Francisco police officers?

Less than you'd think.

missionlocal.org/2025/10/sale...

"As unnerving and disheartening as SF’s overt misery and drug-use and mental instability can be, that’s not the same thing as crime. Reported SF crime, which was already low, is down nearly a third...
Subjectively, you may not feel safe in San Francisco. Objectively, you’ve rarely been safer."

Marc Benioff exposed himself as craven and hollow. He has company. Salesforce CEO's inane call for siccing the National Guard on San Francisco is met with performative inanity

Marc Benioff exposed himself as craven and hollow.

He's got company.

From @esksf.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/marc...

S.F. Giants' season is over. They left the lights on for us. Despite lease restricting 'primary sports lights' after games, ballpark neighbors document bright stadium lights — sometimes all night

The San Francisco Giants' season, damn it, ended last month. But the big lights were shining at 3 a.m. last Friday into Daniel Conrad's bedroom.

He's been complaining about this for years. But he hasn't gotten past first base.

missionlocal.org/2025/10/s-f-...

but Emma, you might be asking, did you find a way to shoehorn in how annnoyed you still are about mandatory Grateful Dead Appreciation Month?

Joel Engardio recalled: Now anyone can be recalled by everyone The billionaires' political weapon, the recall, has slipped out of their hands — and into everyone else's. Buckle up.

San Francisco's tech billionaires weaponized recall elections against their opponents.

Now, the chickens come home to roost.

"This feels a bit like non-Western nations getting The Bomb. It will be interesting to see who gets blown up next." @esksf.bsky.social
missionlocal.org/2025/09/joel...

Absolutely delicious string of words to describe regional recall politics:

"San Franciscans have been nurtured in their anger for some time now, to the exclusion of quantifiable facts." @esksf.bsky.social

S.F. ‘sustainability’ dollars paid for Sunset Dunes hammocks, skate park It turns out that 'sustainability' and 'significant financial investment' are both difficult terms for Rec and Parks to define

Everybody loves skate parks. But are they "sustainable"?

Because at Sunset Dunes, the city went into bonded debt to pay for the skate park — and the money came from a bucket earmarked for "Sustainability."

Also "sustainable": Hammocks.

missionlocal.org/2025/09/suns...

From @esksf.bsky.social

San Francisco’s latest answer for RV dwellers? An AI chatbot. The San Francisco Mayor's Office is testing a new solution for RV dwellers' pressing questions on an upcoming parking ban, sources say.

With a ban looming on RVs on city streets, the city of San Francisco is creating a resource for worried RV dwellers.

It's ... an AI chatbot.

missionlocal.org/2025/09/san-...

I FOUND MY PASSWORD! I'M BACK.

And just like that, Sarah Dennis Phillips will be your new S.F. planning director Three planning commissioners walk out of today's meeting in protest

Mission Local has learned that the San Francisco Planning Commission advanced the name of Sarah Dennis Phillips to Mayor Lurie to become the next head of city planning.

Three commissioners walked out of today's meeting before the vote.

missionlocal.org/2025/06/sara...

by @esksf.bsky.social

Several city workers arrested during protest at Board of Supervisors meeting Several union workers were arrested during a protest at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday at City Hall.

JUST IN: Several city workers were arrested during a protest during the Board of Supervisors meeting at City Hall.

Some 100 union members had interrupted the meeting to call attention to the mayor's proposed layoffs.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/06/unio...

At the Potrero Center, some shoppers buy groceries, coffee and bagels. Others buy drugs. Employees around Potrero Avenue and 16th Street said drug usage has ramped up in the area over the past few weeks.

Conditions around the Potrero Hill shopping mall have been poor for years, employees say.

But drug deals & loitering have gotten worse, workers say, since SFPD operations at 16th and Mission started.

missionlocal.org/2025/06/sf-p...

Mayor Lurie can’t help S.F. by ripping Trump — yet. But he could help himself. San Francisco's mayor is showing restraint. Will voters reward him for it? Or punish him?

ICYMI

Mayor Lurie is—monomaniacally—sticking to his script. He's not making performative anti-Trump statements. He won't even say the president's name. He is leaving that to politicians with the inclination and ability to do something.

Will he be rewarded or punished by voters?
subtxt.to/uQ3T7yw

Joel Engardio, past recall backer, has tougher path to stave off recall The District 4 supervisor is facing a recall attempt over Prop. K, which closed the Great Highway. He may want to stop relitigating Prop. K.

Here's a good piece from @esksf.bsky.social on this from a while ago: missionlocal.org/2025/02/joel...

KQED's Forum Forum tells remarkable and true stories about who we are and where we live. In the first hour, Alexis Madrigal convenes the diverse voices of the Bay Area, before turning to Mina Kim for the second…

🎧 Listen to the Podcast!

@esksf.bsky.social, @michaelbarba.bsky.social, Sutro Stewards' Ildiko Polony and Nicola Miner on the shut down of the San Francisco Parks Alliance and what it means for the city's outdoor areas.

🔗: buff.ly/ecWqvIT

Mayor Lurie can’t help S.F. with Trump talk — yet. But he could help himself. San Francisco's mayor is showing restraint. Will voters reward him for it? Or punish him?

Mayor Daniel Lurie can do San Francisco no good by trash-talking Trump. At least not yet.

He's showing restraint. But will he be rewarded by voter -- or punished?

missionlocal.org/2025/06/mayo...

'Run, Paul, Run'? Mayor's office says it won't happen with interim SFPD chief Paul Yep. Bill Scott is out. Paul Yep is in. But more top SFPD brass is following Scott out the door: Purportedly every deputy chief is departing.

"Run Paul Run"? Mayor's office insists this won't happen with interim SFPD chief Paul Yep.

But the internal bench for permanent chief is thin: Every last deputy chief is either retiring, purportedly will soon retire or is out on disability.

From @esksf.bsky.social
missionlocal.org/2025/05/paul...

SF's strange and terrible 'amnesty' plan for Building Dept. corruption victims The Department of Building Inspection's sharply abridged Rodrigo Santos/Bernie Curran audit has failed to find what it wasn't looking for

For years and years, dirty engineer Rodrigo Santos and corrupt building inspector Bernie Curran did as they pleased at the Dept. of Building Inspection.

Until both went to prison.

And *this* is the city's offer to their victims?

From @esksf.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/05/rodr...

'The Lost and the Found' takes a deep dive into two stories of homelessness For decades, retired San Francisco Chronicle reporter Kevin Fagan covered the city's unhoused population.

Catch me on NPR’s national “Here and Now” show with the inimitable Deepa Fernandez today talking about my book, “The Lost and The Found” — @atriabooks.bsky.social @ssedlib.bsky.social here’s the recording and an excerpt from the book: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...

Lurie's First 100 Days: A Media Roundtable Hosted by Manny Yekutiel Manny Yekutiel sits down with Joe Eskenazi of Mission Local, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez of the SF Standard, and JD Morris of the San Francisco Chronicle to discuss Mayor Daniel Lurie's start.

A banger of a conversation on 100 Days of @danielluriesf.bsky.social Listen here @kalwradio.bsky.social
bit.ly/42ClTe9

Host: Manny Yekutiel

Media Roundtable:
Joe Eskenazi
@esksf.bsky.social
@missionlocal.org

JD Morris
@sfchronicle.com

Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez
@sfstandard.com

Lurie's First 100 Days: A Media Roundtable Hosted by Manny Yekutiel Manny Yekutiel sits down with Joe Eskenazi of Mission Local, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez of the SF Standard, and JD Morris of the San Francisco Chronicle to discuss Mayor Daniel Lurie's start.

It's a journo roundtable from across The City!

Listen to @kalwradio.bsky.social's State of the Bay to hear myself, Mission Local's @esksf.bsky.social and the @sfchronicle.com's JD Morris talk SF Mayor Daniel Lurie's fist 100 days in office.

www.kalw.org/show/state-b...

California’s AG is trying to put a prosecutor in prison. It's not Brooke Jenkins. San Francisco DA’s breach is ‘more egregious’ than that of L.A. prosecutor, legal experts say — but only one is facing six years in prison

California's AG is trying to put a city prosecutor in prison.

But it's not San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins.

From @esksf.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/04/broo...

California’s AG is trying to put a prosecutor in prison. It's not Brooke Jenkins. San Francisco DA’s breach is ‘more egregious’ than that of L.A. prosecutor, legal experts say — but only one is facing six years in prison

California's AG is trying to put a prosecutor into prison.

It's not San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins.

missionlocal.org/2025/04/broo...