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Declaring the end of progressive San Francisco is a bit premature – 48 hills

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Declaring the end of progressive San Francisco is a bit premature – 48 hills


The San Francisco Chronicle and The San Francisco Standard have both declared that this is no longer a progressive city.

That seems a bit premature to me.

The early results from last night’s election do, indeed, mostly favor the wing of the Democratic Party that calls itself “moderate” but is actually, on economic issues, pretty conservative. (I call neoliberals conservatives.)

Ballot measures supported by the mayor that do things like give the police more authority to spy on us all and require drug screening for welfare recipients are passing easily.

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Sup. Aaron Peskin celebrates the apparent victory of Prop A on Election Night.

The conservatives are heading for control of the Democratic County Central Committee.

But let’s hold on a moment here before we pronounce a dramatic shift in local politics.

These results are based on a turnout of 20.9 percent. Four out of every five registered voters have not had their votes counted. There are, as of Wednesday, more ballots still outstanding (110,000) than have been counted so far.

And according to all the maps I have seen, the early ballots, the ones they count first, are overwhelmingly from the most conservative parts of the city.

Look at the data: 22.5 percent of the Democratic votes have been counted. But almost 29 percent of the Republican votes are in. One out of every ten votes counted so far was cast by a Republicans, who represent 7.4 percent of the registered voters.

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The early returns always skew conservative, since the more conservative voters tend to turn their ballots in early.

I’m not suggesting that the final results will change dramatically—but only a few hundred votes separate the winners and losers in the DCCC, and it’s likely that at least a few more progressives will make the cut.

In the end, though, we will have a fairly conservative outcome—largely because of who voted. The Chron noted that in an update this afternoon. The Department of Elections will release more results Thursday at 4pm.

As I said last night, many of the conservative voters turn out anyway, and the mayor’s attacks on the poor and promotion of the police brought out more of those voters. And the billionaire money made a huge difference, particularly in the DCCC race.

The biggest problem for the progressives, particularly younger voters,  was the lack of anything at the top of the ticket to inspire them to vote.

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People on the left in San Francisco, by and large, are not happy with Joe Biden. So, either as a protest or as a matter of disinterest, some of then stayed home.

Check out this chart, from the Department of Elections. Turnout is highest when there’s something at the top of the ticket—and that is also when progressives do best.

In November, if there’s a candidate progressives can support running for mayor, there’s a good chance that the presidential race and the mayor’s race will bring out enough voters on the left to make a big difference in the supes races and on ballot measures.

The impact of the tech workers who have moved to town in the past ten years is becoming real. At first, they weren’t voting; now, apparently, they are. We all knew this was going to happen; as longtime activist Calvin Welch likes to say, “who lives here, votes here,” and as displacement forces out the working class and communities of color, the city gets more conservative. The Yimby pro-market approach to issues like housing, and the pro-police approach to social problems, has become more appealing to the wealthier residents.

Maybe wave after wave of gentrification will ultimately usher in a neoliberal majority on the Board of Supes and a more conservative body politic.

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But I’ve been around a long time. In the 1980s, the city was run almost entirely by economic (and often social) conservatives like Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who had more than six call-up votes on an at-large board. Frank Jordan, a former police chief, was elected mayor in 1991. In the later 1990s, Mayor Willie Brown controlled the supes and his pro-developer politics dominated the city. The left was always in the minority and on the ropes.

Gavin Newsom get elected mayor by attacking poor people with a ballot measure called “Care not Cash,” which passed with a clear majority.

The DCCC used to be controlled by the old Brown-Burton Machine, which made sure that progressive Harry Britt, the heir to Harvey Milk’s supervisorial seat, lost a generational, defining Congressional race to machine candidate Nancy Pelosi.

Conservative election outcomes are not new. Neoliberal mayors have run San Francisco for much of past half century.

But recent years have shown a remarkable uprising of progressive candidates and causes. The young, organized, diverse left in this city is as strong as I’ve seen it.

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So after all this time, I’m not ready to write the obituary for the progressive city.



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Waymo pledges donation after beloved San Francisco corner store cat struck, killed

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Waymo pledges donation after beloved San Francisco corner store cat struck, killed


Editorial Note: The news report in the video player above was produced on Wednesday, Oct. 29, before KRON4 News received a statement from Waymo.

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Waymo said it plans to make a donation to a local animal rights organization after a beloved corner store cat in San Francisco’s Mission District was struck and killed by one of its driverless cars Monday night.

According to residents, “KitKat” was the neighborhood mascot who brightened customers’ and residents’ days as they passed by Randa’s Market on 16th Street.

“They would deliver KitKat in a box of KitKats and that’s the box that KitKat chose to sleep in and got his name. (It) caught on very well,” said neighbor Sarah Koohnz.

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According to a 311 complaint, a Waymo hit the liquor store’s cat that was sitting on the sidewalk next to the transit lane. The complaint says, “the Waymo didn’t even try to stop and hit the cat at a fast speed. The cat has been picked up by neighbors and taken to the emergency vet with hopes of rescue. Unfortunately, KitKat did not survive.”

Photo: KRON4 News.

“The trust and the safety of the communities we serve is our highest priority,” said a Waymo spokesperson in a statement to KRON4 Thursday evening. “We reviewed this, and while our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away. We send our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him, and we will be making a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor.”

Community members in San Francisco’s Mission District held a vigil Wednesday that was filled with flowers, candles, and pictures of the popular pet. Many are calling for more safety measures to be put in place. The owner was too distraught to talk on camera.

“I just find it disgusting that Waymo has an action in this,” added Koohnz. “I’ve known multiple people that have been hit by those vehicles, myself included, and I just find it disgusting that that’s the way KitKat went.”

“While I’ve been making space for people to keep bringing offerings, I’ve just gotten stories upon stories about how it was their cat,” said resident Margarita Lara, who works next door. “Two different kids of different ages said they grew up with this cat and they cried. One of them brought her big brother.”

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Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said during an interview at a TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco that robotaxis are safer than human drivers.

When asked about potential fatalities by robots, she said she thinks society will accept it — and that the company worries not about whether it will happen, but when, and they plan for them.

This comes as Uber announces that the San Francisco Bay Area will be the first market for its specially built autonomous taxi, which is expected to launch in late 2026. But those grieving in the Mission would prefer robotaxis break operations.

“The coolest cat in the world,” added Lara. “One of a kind, the Mayor of 16th Street, and we’re never going to have another pet like this. Loved by all.”

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New York Giants Week 9: A Look at the San Francisco 49ers Defense

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New York Giants Week 9: A Look at the San Francisco 49ers Defense


The New York Giants take on a San Francisco 49ers defense this week that has been decimated by injuries to their starting lineup.

The 49ers will be without edge rusher Bryce Huff, their leading pass rusher so far this season, due to an injury.

Rookie Mykel Williams will likely take on a larger role than he’s already played so far. More help will be required from Sam Okuayinonu, Trevis Gipson, and Robert Beal Jr.on the edge.

Outside of Huff, who’s out injured and expected to miss this week’s game, Nick Bosa, who’s out for the season, and Yetur Gross-Matos, who’s questionable for Sunday, this 49ers edge room has been nothing short of underwhelming this year.

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The injuries to the top three edge rushers have led to players who are generally quality depth to play significant roles.

As far as pass-rushing goes, there have been few units worse than the 49ers off the edge, and the interior hasn’t been much better.

The interior of the defensive line features heavy rotation depending on the situation, but has not been particularly impressive this year.

Starting defensive tackle Jordan Elliott suffered an injury against the Houston Texans, and his status is still up in the air for this game.

Elliot hasn’t exactly been good this year, but he was the best of a bad bunch for this defensive line that just added Keion White from the New England Patriots in a trade.

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It’s unclear how much of a role White will be able to play this week, considering he just joined the defense, but he should provide rushing upside on the interior if he can play.

Alfred Collins, Kalia Davis, and Kevin Givens will make up most of the snaps on the interior, which isn’t a good sign for the 49ers.

The 49ers have also sustained injuries at linebacker, with Fred Warner ruled out for the remainder of the season and starting linebacker Dee Winters leaving the Texans game early and questionable for this Sunday.

Tatum Bethune was the starter who took over for Warner when he got injured, and it’s expected that Curtis Robinson or Luke Gifford will take over for Winters’ snaps.

Just like the defensive front, because of injuries, the 49ers’ linebacker room is significantly worse than it would be if they were healthy.

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Bethune can still make an impact due to his athleticism and versatility, but he’s a second-year player finding his place.

In the secondary, Demmodore Lenoir and Renardo Green will be the starters on the outside with Upton Stout in the nickel, and Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown at safety.

Defensive back play hasn’t been strong for the 49ers either this year, but a large part of that is having no pass rush in front of them to help.

It doesn’t matter how talented a secondary is; they can only play in coverage for so long before they break down. On film, Lenoir is consistent, and Green has shown flashes, but they’re still being set up to fail.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh

Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh walks off of the field after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi’s Stadium. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh isn’t a big fan of blitzing often, as the 49ers have one of the lowest blitz rates in the NFL.

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Unfortunately, when rushing four, this defense has been completely unable to generate pressure, with a pressure rate of 25.9%, the lowest in the NFL.

Saleh is much more interested in playing bend-don’t-break defense with cover three and variations of quarters before making the shift to cover one robber on third down.

The 49ers will play both cover four in quarters and cover six, the latter being cover four to the strong side and cover two to the weak side.

Cover one robber with man coverage across the board, one safety playing deep coverage over the top, and one safety coming down in an underneath zone.

The Giants’ defense also often plays cover one robber; however, with a respectable pass rush, they can get away with it. 

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When the 49ers do choose to blitz, it’s mostly been with Winters or Stout, but with Winters out, I expect Bethune to be the blitzer.

When healthy, this 49ers defense is much more respectable, but the simple fact is that they aren’t healthy.

This should be one of the easiest tests of the season for the Giants’ offensive line, and Dart should have more time than just about any other game.

Depending on who’s available and who isn’t, the Giants’ offensive game plan could shift to attack depth players who are playing significant roles.

Look for the Giants to attack this linebacker room with tight ends and running backs, as well as run to the edges against depth.

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Highly Opinionated: An Eater Editor’s Favorite Veggie Burgers in San Francisco

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Highly Opinionated: An Eater Editor’s Favorite Veggie Burgers in San Francisco


In San Francisco, there are so many excellent veggie burgers that there’s bound to be a great purging of frozen Boca pucks any day now. Classics in the city — true institutions like Bourdain’s favorite Sam’s, expanding newbies like the Hamburger Project, and labor-inducing mystics like the sandwich at Spruce — generally don’t care to cater to non-carnivores. But the ones that have alternatives make a compelling case for leafy cheeseburgers.

Many of the top vegan sandwiches in the Bay Area are outside the 48 hills. Toriano Gordon’s Vegan Mob is a powerhouse of combo plates, mac and cheese, and burgers from Vallejo to San Bruno. Oakland’s newcomer Hyphy Burger is a head-turner, the black bean patty blanketed in bright yellow cheese not to be forgotten. Let’s not even get into my raw, primal love of soon-to-be food truck Malibu’s. I’d weep.

Roam Burger’s vegan burger is a saucy delight.
Paolo Bicchieri

Don’t get it twisted: There’s a rubric. The burger has to be well-composed like any meaty bedfellow. That means crisp lettuce, a splashy and firm tomato, plus whatever other topping may be applicable, done to the most outstanding quality. The patty, the main character, can’t be just an Impossible patty slid in, presto chango; if not adjusted for flavor, it can be bit metallic. Nor can the patty be crumbly, mealy, or cloying. A smart burger-aiolo makes their own handiwork, with dialed-in black beans (or other malleable legume) and veg, though more than a handful of these selects make the Impossible patty work.

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Why you should trust me: Much to the chagrin of some readers, not every single one of my meals is an opulent Mughal Empire-esque spread of fine food. In fact, I’ve eaten quite simply since 2016 — and strictly vegan at home for almost 10 years, indulging in what I call “freeganism” once out and about. Unlike the dumpster diving version of that term, my version means that if a friend or family member makes me non-vegan food, I’ll dig in. Further, once going in-house at Eater, I began eating whole hog at restaurants, though my preference is still to err on the leafy side of life. I’m an old head on the plant-based burger front at this point — we’re familiar frenemies. Note that, while some of these burgers fit the definition of vegan, a few due include dairy and other non-vegan ingredients.

For the bougie bites: Roam

Few burgers in the Bay come standard with Umaro’s Berkeley-based seaweed bacon and Violife’s dairy-free cheddar. Marin County-raised Joshua Spiegelman’s upscale fast-food spot has one of the most impressive homemade patties in the scene. It’s comprised of quinoa, black beans, brown rice, and dates, amongst other things, making it a high scorer in my personal categories. At $15, it’s also not much more expensive than its competition. This restaurant’s veggie patty can be subbed into other sandwiches, too — a rarity. Roam Burgers (1923 Fillmore Street)

For the trend-chaser: Smish Smash

No one reading this needs a smash burger intro. For those looking to keep it crispy and thin, this recent Saluhall addition is a must. There’s a real meatiness to the smash burger that’s tough to oversell: The onions reduce atomically, the meat nearly dematerializing into all crispy edges, making for an oily, beefy delight that’s eaten as quickly as the magicians behind the grill can make it. Such unrefined joy can be made vegetarian with an Impossible patty for just $1 extra, and most of the burgers go for under $13. Keep it cheap and powerful with the Reggie Miller, a cheeseburger through and through for $11 total. Smish Smash (945 Market Street)

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For the late-night: Om Sabor

Chefs Dhanistha Rivera and Luis Flores’s restaurant tucked inside Hayes Valley’s Phonobar is famous for diners routinely yelping, “This is vegan!?” like paid extras in a margarine commercial. Same goes for its burger: a $10 medley of Impossible meat, roasted onions and peppers, salsa macha aioli, and pickled red onions on a pretzel bun. Sized appropriately, the Impossible is paired with enough flavor to keep that metallic edge at bay. Plus, the kitchen stays open until 10 p.m. For this level of quality, and in an area not known for nightlife, that’s pretty late! Om Sabor (370 Grove Street)

A sandwich on a gray background.

The Impossible Gruyere and onion burger at Gott’s.
Gott’s

• Aiso: The newest in the game is this all-vegan bar and restaurant that took over the longtime Lark location on 18th Street. Here, it’s the jerk slider, a tiny construction of Impossible patty, miso mayo, and pineapple slaw. Aiso, 4068 18th Street

• Gott’s: Gott’s is the new classic. I recommend going with the veggie patty over the Impossible, as you get less of that cloyingness that Impossible can impart, and it’s a cost-free swap. Try it on the Gruyere and caramelized onion burger if you know what’s good for ya. Gott’s Roadside, 1 Ferry Building #6

• Greens: It doesn’t get much more classic than one of the city’s oldest, finest riffs. This one comes in at $22 and is the most expensive of my long-list picks. That said, the lentil mushroom patty and avocado crema also make it one of the most iconic in the city. Greens, 2 Marina Boulevard

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• Native Burger: This unfussy Geary Boulevard burger spot offers a straight-up Impossible patty with crisp lettuce and juicy tomato. To be clear, this is a straight-hamburger — no cheese in sight. Native Burger, 3420 Geary Boulevard

• Rad Radish: There are rotating specials at this relative newcomer Hayes Valley restaurant from the Back of House group. Try the Le Rad Royale Burger for $16 — crowned with vegan provolone — while you can. Rad Radish, 301 Hayes Street

• Whiz Burger: Like Beep’s on Ocean Avenue, Whiz is one of those San Francisco burger spots that’s held on through the many tech makeovers. The Impossible burger here goes for a cool $9.30, which is basically absurd. Whiz Burgers Drive-In, 700 South Van Ness Avenue

A burger on a tray.

A towering triumph of a burger awaits diners at Hayes Valley’s Om Sabor.
Om Sabor





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