SF mayor marks 1 month on job with street clean-up, additional promises
SAN FRANCISCO - On a crisp sunny Saturday, dozens of volunteers joined part of San Francisco's political leadership in an effort to make the city shine.
"It's just a simple way to make sure the community is clean, healthy and safe. It's very easy to do, and it actually works," said Vince Yuen, director of Refuse Refuse, a trash abatement company.
He and his team guided the group on a mile-long slow walk from the Marina District to City Hall. Each person, including Mayor Daniel Lurie, picked up trash and other forms of blight and placed the items in orange plastic bags.
"My wife and I were committed to doing clean-ups before the election. And we wanted to celebrate the one month of the inauguration by being out on the streets and cleaning up this beautiful city," said Lurie.
Crime and safety are other issues facing the mayor early in his term. This, after the owner of The Vapor Room, Martin Olive, says he's closing the long-time establishment after a near-death experience during a shooting.
"He didn't hesitate one second to end my life. To attempt to end my life," said Olive.
Surveillance video from the Jan. 27 crime in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood shows Chaesarack Chong getting off an e-bike and pulling out a Glock 9mm pistol.
He walked towards Olive and opened fire. Olive was hit seven times, suffering wounds to his face, torso and arm. But no vital organs were hit, and he didn't suffer any damage to his spine.
As he lay on the sidewalk, bystanders rushed to help him and keep him alive, with one woman literally using the shirt off her back to apply pressure to his wounds.
"Yeah, literally the shirt off her back. And she happened to be a nurse. And uh, she was like an angel. Like the first angel that I've encountered through this entire process and there have been many," Olive said.
The mayor expressed remorse over the crime and said more beat cops and a better 911 system are steps on the path of improving public safety.
"We need a visible presence of public safety officials, law enforcement, like we did during the J.P. Morgan healthcare conference, which is why that conference went so well, and they're coming back again next year," said Lurie.
A more robust law enforcement presence won't benefit Martin Olive. As he continued healing from his considerable wounds, he announced this week that he's closing The Vapor Room permanently, Saturday.
The mayor and others are hopeful that small steps such as cleaning streets or adding more police will add up to significant improvement in a city struggling with a COVID hangover.
"Yes, it makes a difference every day. Every little bit makes a difference. Better is good," said Stephen Sherrill, the District 2 rep on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
The street clean-up lasted two hours. Officials say dozens of such activities are planned around the city each month.
Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on the Instagram platform, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU