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Mar 21, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw |Supervisor Myrna Melgar
Disinfected Agency Rates Stagnant After Clean-up • • • • • • • Mardh 21, 2024 • • • • • • • Two years into Dennis Herrera’s tenure atop the SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), the 2023 “Employee Voice Survey” denotes stagnation rather than recovery Former City Attorney Dennis Herrera was appointed General Manager of the SFPUC in November 2021. According to Transparent California, Herrera then received $406,120 in salary plus $100,854 in benefits.
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Jan 16, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |Maria Rivero |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw
Beleaguered Laguna Honda Hospital faces civil lawsuits •••••••••• February 2024 •••••••••• Just when Laguna Honda seemed to be turning the corner on its struggle toward reform, three law firms have teamed up to expand their Class Action lawsuit. Filed in SF Superior Court on 1/16/24 (Case #: CPF-20-517064) is a new Declaration by a nursing home expert in support of the Class Action motion originating in 2020. That precursor claim, "Tommy Johnson and John Doe v.
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Nov 27, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw |Supervisor Myrna Melgar
... the days of 20% profit are long past • • • • • November 27, 2023 • • • • • Onn 11/14/23, KALW Public Media held a Town Hall on the future of journalism. The site was 220 Montgomery Street, KALW’s new community space and part of the City’s “Vacant to Vibrant” project to revitalize downtown.
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Sep 21, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw |Supervisor Myrna Melgar
Applause, outrage and low-level grumbling • • • • • September 21, 2023 • • • • • On September 14th, City Attorney David Chiu and Supervisor Myrna Melgar hosted a “District 7 Town Hall” to address ongoing concerns about Westside disorder, homelessness and street crime. More than 100 residents poured into the Pomeroy Recreation Center for reassurance that City officials were applying solutions.
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Sep 19, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |Maria Rivero |Richard Knee |Glenn Rogers
Court OKs Class Action Lawsuit v. Laguna Honda Hospital • • • • • • • August 2024 • • • • • • • On July 26th, SF Superior Court Judge Andrew Y.S. Cheng approved a Class Action lawsuit (Case #: CPF-20-517064) against Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH), its former CEO Mivic Hirose, the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the City. After four years of legal wrangling, his 14-page decision delivers both a legal and a public relations setback to the hospital and its overseers.
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Sep 19, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw |Supervisor Myrna Melgar
TogetherSF's Panel Explores the Problem ••••••• May 2023 ••••••• That question anchored TogetherSF Action’s 4/5/23 community meeting hosted by “policy experts, former City Hallers and community organizers." Their space on Mariposa Street was packed - 200 attendees. The Westside Observer previously covered TogetherSF’s background and vision of government accountability via public empowerment.
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Sep 13, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw |Supervisor Myrna Melgar
Combating lethal drug combinations • • • • • • • April 2024 • • • • • • • In recent years, public health and addiction researchers have identified a Fourth Wave of drug overdoses, namely, deaths related to fentanyl in combination with stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the First Wave, starting in 1999, claimed overdoses from prescription pills like Oxycontin.
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Jul 17, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw |Supervisor Myrna Melgar
Anybody Watching? • • • • • • • July 17, 2023 • • • • • • • This June, the Civil Grand Jury (Jury) issued a report on the status of City contracts with nonprofits that provide homeless services. This report comes on the heels of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing’s (HSH) 5-year strategic plan to “prevent and end homelessness." It also tails the formation of a Homelessness Oversight Commission to watch over said plan.
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May 30, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |Maria Rivero |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw
••••••• May 2023 ••••••• The City’s Public Guardian and Public Conservator are suing the City on behalf of patients who were abused at Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH) between 2016 and 2019. Subpoenas are flowing. Remarkably, this lawsuit embodies an internecine conflict. While operating under the authority of the SF Superior Court, the City’s Human Services Agency oversees the Public Guardian and the Public Conservator (plaintiffs).
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May 26, 2023 | 
westsideobserver.com | Derek Kerr |George Wooding |Patrick Monette-Shaw |Supervisor Myrna Melgar
• • • • • • • May 26, 2023 • • • • • • • On 5/9/23, three families filed suit in SF Superior Court CGC-23-606373, alleging that Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH) was partly responsible for the deaths of patients transferred to outside facilities in 2022. The lawsuit also charges the receiving facilities, SF Medical Respite Center, Burlingame Skilled Nursing (and its controversial owner, Shlomo Rechnitz), and Seton Medical Center Coastside, with alleged wrongful deaths.
