Burton Passes
Potrero Hill resident, John Burton, an influential figure in California politics for decades, with a reputation as a straight talker, frequent use of profanity and openhearted discussion of overcoming drug addiction, died on September 7 at a hospice facility in San Francisco. He was 92. His health had deteriorated after a fall two weeks prior to his death. Burton, who could frequently be seen near his home on the Hill’s North Slope, was part of a partisan machine that dominated California politics, along with his brother Phillip, who, like John, served in the U.S. House of Representatives; Phillip’s widow, Sala, who succeeded Phillip in the House; and former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown. The group helped form the political careers of Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the House; Barbara Boxer, former U.S. senator; Kamala Harris, former senator, vice president and presidential candidate; and Governor Gavin Newsom. Burton served in the California State Assembly in the 1960s and 1970s and briefly chaired the state’s Democratic Party. He spent four terms in Congress but chose not to seek a fifth in 1982, citing depression and dependence on crack cocaine and nitrous oxide. In 1988, more than 20 years after he was first elected, he returned to the State Assembly. In 1996, he moved to the State Senate, where he was president pro tempore for eight years. He then retook another old job, serving as state party chairman from 2009 to 2017.
Parks (Re) Funded
Third Plateau has raised nearly $2 million to replace funds dedicated to neighborhood parks and open spaces that were stolen by the now defunct San Francisco Park Alliance. The temporary San Francisco Neighborhoods & Parks Fund intends to collect enough donations to fully cover the roughly $2.5 million in outstanding Alliance commitments. Initial disbursements are expected next month. An independent grant committee will perform due diligence to ensure proper expenditures.
Honey, Honey
Potrero Hill residents harvested seven gallons of honey from the 18th and Rhode Island Permaculture Garden last month, most of which was donated to the Free Farm Stand. According to Travers Flynn, who stewards the garden, in 2024 a Hill resident and beekeeper proposed adding hives to the patch. The first crop yielded five gallons of honey, gifted to the Free Farm Stand. However, none of the bees made it through the winter. Earlier this year a new batch of bees, hosted in three hives, were cultivated by a handful of families and their kids, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, all of whom had a chance to don bee suits. The resulting honey was harvested by upwards of 20 families, with two dozen kids. Participants took honey samples home; a quart was provided to families staying at the Downtown High School homeless shelter. Hill honey has a unique flavor accented by the abundance of wild fennel that grows in the area. Flynn plans to work with San Francisco International High School students to plant more flowers for the bees.
Supes Up
At the end of summer J.R. Eppler formally announced what many already knew: he’s running for District 10 Supervisor, the seat available when Shamann Walton is termed out at the end of next year. “I’m running for Supervisor because our district needs a strong, effective leader deeply rooted in the community; a leader that does the work, delivers results and is ready to fight for the brighter future we deserve,” he stated in a press release. While Eppler may be the first candidate officially campaigning, he most definitely will not be the last.
Dog Paddle
After an eight-month closure, the Mission Creek Boathouse is now being operated by Dogpatch Paddle. The outfitter offers kayak and paddle board rentals, lessons, tours, private events, youth programming and other on-the-water experiences. Paddlers traveling between Dogpatch Paddle’s Mission Creek Boathouse and its Crane Cove Park location have the option of a one-way paddle trip, timed with the tides to provide a smoother, safer route… The Recreation and Park Commission approved $213,000 from the Open Space Fund’s Deferred Maintenance Reserve to replace worn play surfaces and make minor equipment upgrades at the Potrero Hill Upper Play Area.
Brothers Last
Nibbi Brothers General Contractors celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Founder Marino Nibbi’s two sons — Sergio Nibbi, now almost 90, and Larry Nibbi, 80 — joined the company in 1957 and 1965, respectively, and took over when their father retired in 1973. They subsequently passed control to Sergio Nibbi’s sons, Bob and Michael Nibbi, who together bought a majority stake. The San Francisco-based company has grown into a 300-person construction firm that last year had $473 million in revenue. Nibbi Brothers has built a long list of public and private structures around the Bay Area, including the iconic Exploratorium.
Trump is a Dangerous Megalomaniac
ABC temporarily suspended talk show entertainer Jimmy Kimmel over remarks about right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk’s killing, an action endorsed by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr. CBS terminated Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show,’ a satirical program whose host regularly skewered President Donald Trump, citing ‘financial reasons.’ Universities are agreeing to large payments and muffled free speech on campus, under the threat of having federal funding and student visas revoked. “Cancel culture,” largely created by the left, catalyzed criticism of individuals thought to have acted or spoken in an unacceptable manner, targeting them to be ostracized, boycotted, shunned or even fired. Freedom of speech, one of America’s most fundamental values, is now being choked off more systematically, the strangling enforced by the Executive Branch. Sticks and stones may break our bones, but a prohibition on making fun of public figures, or directly disputing an assertion or argument, will surely hurt us to the core.