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While this isn't exactly relevant to Precita Valley, it is on the path that many of us take to get to Cortland.

Here's the story: There has been this big crane (several of them) working on the replacement Bernal Heights Pipeline water line (a large high pressure water main feeding San Francisco) that runs up Putnam, Nebraska, Powhattan and then jogs to go through a tunnel under Bernal, coming out near Alabama and Ripley Streets on the North Side. This construction has been going on a long time, and is nearing completion, hopefully Aug 2008.

Early Satuday morning, around 7am or so, they began the process of moving a large crane that's been working on the Nevada side of the tunnel entrance, to position it on the other side, which required them to drive the crane down Nevada to Cortland, and then up Nebraska to get to the other side.

But during the process of moving it, the driver lost control and it started rolling down Nevada, crushing several cars, taking out a tree and telephone pole, but luckily stopped a few feet short of crashing into any homes.

There are some spectacular photos of the carnage here, and some thumbnails below:

Labels: bernal hills pipeline

A Toyota Four Runner was stolen from Precita between Treat and Harrison, Sunday, May 25th, between the hours of 1-6 am.

UPDATE 3-Jun-08: The car was recovered in Redwood City, with beer bottles and sandwich wrappers in it, and gas tank empty.

Labels: crime

9:30 am, 23 May 08 1600 block of Florida St.

Attempted Robbery. A 34 year old Bernal Heights man loaded his car for a trip and left the trunk open while retrieving more items. He returned to the car to find a thief carrying off a loaded cooler. The man confronted the thief, who threatened the man with a baseball bat. The man recovered his cooler and the thief fled in a van.

Note to neighbors: we've been getting reports of more aggressive behavior from the homeless/street people and scavengers. If you come across someone going through your garbage who acts in an aggressive nature, you should call 911 to report it.

Labels: crime, police blotter

May 8th, 11:30 pm 300 block of Precita Ave.

A 25 year old Hunters Point man was held by neighbors after he crashed his car into two parked vehicles. The man was drunk and tried to walk away from the scene. Officer Cuenca and Officer Baldovino arrested the man for DUI. Case # 080484543

Labels: police blotter

Suspects in the recent rash of street robberies are in custody. The SFPD is asking that victims of robberies, or witnessed a robbery & can identify the suspects, please contact Inspector Danker at 553-9256.

The police & the DA need the cooperation of the community to keep dangerous criminals off the street. If you or someone you know is the victim of a crime please report it & give us the tools we need to make this a safer place to live, work, & grow.

Once again, regarding the robbery suspects, contact Inspector Danker at 415 553-9256.

Labels: crime, Neighborhood Watch, police blotter, Precita Park, Precita Valley Neighbors, pvn

A stabbing was reported at 11:35 p.m. on Saturday, May 10th, at Harrison and 26th streets.
Definitely this intersection gets more than its share of crime

Labels: crime

NEXT MEETING 10:00 AM SATURDAY MAY 10th – CHARLIES’S CAFÉ AT PRECITA/FOLSOM

David Robinson (285-5957) and Demece Garepis (641-0507) Co-Chairs.

AGENDA

1. John Miller, Disctrict 9 Supervisor at the Recreation and Parks Dept., has provided carpentry staff to replace the broken planks in the Childrens’ Playground, and has utilized Urban Forestry to remove the stumps in Precita Park. He will also be using the gardeners to complete the crab grass removal job we did last month in the Childrens’ Playground. The crab grass was eroding the black pads in the Playground.

2. Precita Area Crime Update and Bernal Wide Update – great response from the Ingleside Station – thanks Captain O’Leary and officers, the suspects have been caught regarding the recent chain of robberies and muggings in Glen Park/Bernal areas.

3. The Solar Picnic is delayed until the final approval is made for local San Francisco solar panel rebates. The local rebate, already funded through PG&E via the SFPUC, is clearing an approval process through the Board of Supervisors.

Labels: Precita Valley Neighbors, pvn

SFGATE: Chain store allowed to move into vacant Mission District space:

"The paint store's application for a permit to open at that location, which owners sought after closing a store on Market Street, had been denied by the city's Planning Commission. The supervisors' vote overturned that decision.


In changing the commission's ruling, the supervisors also mandated that the paint store comply with a noise ordinance in the area, not allow delivery trucks to idle and plant trees and shrubs outside the business."

(Via SF Gate.)

We spoke with Supervisor Tom Ammiano's office this morning and they said that they had received a large number of calls about the hearing; and that they were pretty evenly split between those wanting a "upscale grocery store" at that location, and others supporting the paint store.

While it would be great to have a store like Rainbow, Good Life, Bi Rite or Canyon Market at that location; there have been no plans presented by any grocers to build a store at that location.

At a minimum, it will be good to have a non-vacant building at the location, as vacant buildings attract crime.

Labels: News, Precita Valley Neighbors, pvn, real estate

SAN FRANCISCO / 3 men arrested, may be tied to muggings:

"Police arrested three men Monday for allegedly mugging a man at gunpoint in Potrero Hill and they say the three may be connected to a recent series of robberies in Glen Park and Bernal Heights.
Police arrested Deljuan Bankston, 21, of Oakland and Tony Carter, 20, and Artes Tims, 18, both of San Francisco, shortly after a man was robbed in Potrero Hill."

There was a more detailed followup article later:
Police arrest suspected muggers who may be connected to other S.F. attacks:

"Ingleside Station Police Capt. Denis O'Leary said the latest suspects may have links to some of the recent robberies in Glen Park and Bernal Heights. While Monday's mugging occurred in Potrero Hill, O'Leary said police believe the suspects fled through Holly Park and Glen Park before they were found near Ceasar Chavez Street.
'We do see some similar patterns in this arrest and prior robberies,' he said."

(Via SF Gate.)

Labels: crime