Han Li

Embattled SF Zoo CEO steps down After a year of controversy over alleged mismanagement, employee safety violations, and animal welfare abuses, Tanya Peterson said she will retire in August.

New: Embattled SF Zoo chief Tanya Peterson to step down / ✍️ by @lihanlihan.bsky.social

sfstandard.com/2025/07/01/t...

Supervisor Joel Engardio to face recall election in September The effort to recall Supervisor Joel Engardio was officially validated by the Department of Elections on Thursday, triggering a special election in September

BREAKING: Engardio to face recall election.

By @lihanlihan.bsky.social:
sfstandard.com/2025/05/29/j...

Supervisor Joel Engardio to face recall election in September The effort to recall Supervisor Joel Engardio was officially validated by the Department of Elections on Thursday, triggering a special election in September

A quiet year in San Francisco politics? As if.

Supervisor Joel Engardio to face recall election over Proposition K controversy / ✍️ by @lihanlihan.bsky.social

sfstandard.com/2025/05/29/j...

Teachers' union wins major battle as SF schools rescind layoffs The district has also approved the hiring of 77 additional teachers for the next school year.

NEW: The San Francisco Unified School District announced Friday that it will rescind a large number of planned layoffs and expand teacher hiring — a major victory for the teachers union.

by @lihanlihan.bsky.social:
sfstandard.com/2025/05/16/s...

Daniel Lurie's 100-day progress report Here's what the mayor has accomplished on homelessness, crime, the budget hole, and other big issues.

Lastly, I join a bevy of my SF Standard colleagues like @lihanlihan.bsky.social and @jonahowenlamb.bsky.social looking at Lurie's performance in problems across San Francisco, from education to homelessness to crime:

sfstandard.com/2025/04/14/d...

Read them all!

Amid Trump’s threats, this SF school for immigrant kids feels on edge With widespread fear of immigration raids and a district facing deep budget cuts, the Mission Education Center community is speaking up.

Amid Trump’s threats, this SF school for immigrant kids feels on edge

Good morning from Ocean Beach 🌊

🎥: Eric Thurber

New Year, new view. A stunning look at SF’s Chinese New Year Parade from above. 🧧🐍

🎥: @thurber-shots.bsky.social

A tree 🌳

Undocumented Chinese migrants are invisible. They are preparing for the worst Under President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, some Chinese migrants feel compelled to speak up about their often-overlooked stories.

CAA's Jose Ng tells the @sfstandard.com that he believes the current numbers of undocumented Chinese in San Francisco are much higher given increasing migration in the last few years. @lihanlihan.bsky.social

sfstandard.com/2025/02/04/t...

SF political power rankings: Who has Mayor Daniel Lurie’s ear? San Francisco political groups that spent millions on the 2024 elections are now facing the consequences of their choices as they seek to curry favor with Mayor Daniel Lurie.

An absolutely killer story from @joshkoehn.bsky.social on San Francisco's seismic post-election power shift.

A must-read for anyone who wants a glimpse at who is deciding SF's future.

Who does, and who doesn't, have Mayor Daniel Lurie's ear?
sfstandard.com/2025/02/06/s...

Han Li - The San Francisco Standard Learn more about Han Li and read their past work.

New profile pic!
sfstandard.com/author/han-li/

‘Go back to America’: TikTok refugees are flooding Chinese app Red Note It’s a rare moment of cultural exchange, as Chinese students solicit the help of Americans for their English homework.

"Go back to America" 🤣 @lihanlihan.bsky.social & @ryajetha.bsky.social on the growth of Red Note ahead of the looming TikTok ban 👇

sfstandard.com/2025/01/14/g...

Donald Trump’s tiny San Francisco army is ready to celebrate Donald Trump received only 16% of the vote in San Francisco, compared to Kamala Harris's 80%. But his local loyalists are preparing to celebrate his return.

Some Trump loyalists are hoping to make an impact in local politics, while others could wield considerable power as appointees in his administration.

Here’s a look at Trump’s biggest San Francisco fans...
via @lihanlihan.bsky.social:

DA Jenkins breaks silence on rumored attorney general run In a wide-ranging interview with The Standard, San Francisco’s top prosecutor Brooke Jenkins gave hints on her next political move.

Will @brookejenkins.bsky.social run for California attorney general at the next opportunity?

“Here’s a little nugget I will give you. I’m 43 years old. I don’t think I will retire as the DA of San Francisco."

-- Jenkins to @lihanlihan.bsky.social and myself

more:
sfstandard.com/2024/12/13/b...

San Francisco's embattled transit chief to step down "This is a time of tremendous division," Tumlin said.

Jeff Tumlin, the director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, is expected to announce his departure next week at the SFMTA board meeting.

#sfnews #sfpol @lihanlihan.bsky.social

sfstandard.com/2024/12/12/s...

"When it comes to addressing political rumors, the most effective strategy might be to sidestep them with a wink and a smile."

Always fun to interview electeds with @lihanlihan.bsky.social.

Check out our latest with @brookejenkins.bsky.social:
sfstandard.com/2024/12/13/b...

Facing a city audit, SF Zoo says panda deal is in danger San Francisco's embattled zoo is facing another challenge that could derail its panda deal with China.

SF supervisors unanimously voted to audit the zoo, triggering a furious reaction from zoo officials who argued that the move could imperil plans to host giant pandas
sfstandard.com/2024/12/11/s...

Brooke Jenkins on public safety and Democrats’ next steps Following national election losses, the Democratic Party is searching for answers on how to win back voters. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, a tough-on-crime Democrat, won resoundingly...

Join us live this Friday at noon as @lihanlihan.bsky.social and @fitzthereporter.bsky.social interview newly re-elected San Francisco District Attorney @brookejenkins.bsky.social.

events.sfstandard.com/jenkins-next...

Luigi Mangione reported missing to SFPD weeks before shooting Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old identified as a “strong person of interest” in last week’s slaying of a health insurance executive on the streets of Manhattan, was reported missing to San Francisco po...

Weeks before UnitedHealthcare shooting, suspect reported missing to SFPD sfstandard.com/2024/12/09/l...

Sunday Power Play:
1. Dept of Elections verified the initial signatures of
@joelengardio.bsky.social recall, opening the door to an ugly political fight
2. @sfzoo.bsky.social leadership uses pandas to "threaten" supervisors, prompting Melgar, Chan to fight back

link.sfstandard.com/view/6436ea0...

Exclusive sneak peek: San Francisco Zoo's $8M panda home Eight months after China agreed to loan a pair of giant pandas to San Francisco, the zoo is showing off renderings of the animals' future home — with a cheaper-than-expected price tag.

SF zoo is building a habitat for 2 pandas for $8M — far less than it originally estimated

@lihanlihan.bsky.social explains…and shows off the renderings

sfstandard.com/2024/12/05/p...

Exclusive sneak peek: San Francisco Zoo's $8M panda home Eight months after China agreed to loan a pair of giant pandas to San Francisco, the zoo is showing off renderings of the animals' future home — with a cheaper-than-expected price tag.

Become a @sfstandard.com member today so you can get an exclusive sneak peek at the panda 🐼 home design at SF Zoo!
sfstandard.com/2024/12/05/p...

A new kind of local news in San Francisco | Semafor The San Francisco Standard, that city’s lively and well-funded digital upstart, is experimenting with tiered membership.

We’re launching our first paid membership to The San Francisco Standard this week.

Members will get everything from limited edition merch to exclusive events like a private concert with Rufus Wainwright that we’re hosting with Ken Fulk.

www.semafor.com/article/12/0...

10 Great Holiday Gifts You Can Find at SF’s Stonestown Galleria San Francisco’s booming mall has a number of fun stores.

Stonestown mall was crazy packed yesterday! Holiday shopping vibes are real and here's a guide from last year
sfstandard.com/2023/11/22/s...

SFMTA scrambles to fight 'misinformation' amid intensified transit debate Fresh off the contentious Proposition K battle, which will close the Great Highway to car traffic, discussions about vehicle access and transportation in San Francisco have become increasingly heated.

Twice in late November, the agency posted on X that claims it planned to close more streets or charge residents of certain neighborhoods for parking were “misinformation.”

#sfpol #sfnews

sfstandard.com/2024/11/28/s...

SF’s Great Highway to become urban park, nearby street parking trimmed After Proposition K, the city is moving forward to transform the Great Highway into a park and cut nearby parking.

After voters’ approval of Proposition K to close the Great Highway to cars, the city’s plans remain largely conceptual.

But based on new designs from the city it seems there will be more bike lanes and less street parking.

#sfnews #sfpol

@lihanlihan.bsky.social

sfstandard.com/2024/11/26/g...

SF’s Great Highway to become urban park, nearby street parking trimmed After Proposition K, the city is moving forward to transform the Great Highway into a park and cut nearby parking.

Sneak peek at Great Highway park:

More bike lanes, less street parking
sfstandard.com/2024/11/26/g...

👋 SF political junkies we know you’re out there…tune into our SF Politics feed and add your posts with #sfpol

You’ll hear directly from our Power Play political team @anniegaus.bsky.social, @ggreschler.bsky.social, @lihanlihan.bsky.social, @fitzthereporter.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/did:...

Bay Area child abuse videos spark outrage Surveillance footage shows the caregiver violently throwing the baby onto a bed and slapping the infant's face and body.

A disturbing child abuse case in San Mateo leads to an international manhunt between the U.S. and China

湾区毒月嫂事件：家属发声，警察局、中国领事馆回应
sfstandard.com/2024/11/23/b...