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From eyesore to San Francisco icon – Sutro Tower turns 50

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From eyesore to San Francisco icon – Sutro Tower turns 50


SAN FRANCISCO — At 977 feet, Sutro Tower looms over San Francisco. On a clear day it can be seen from just about anywhere in the city and,  while the structure itself hasn’t changed much in its 50 years of service, its status as a city symbol certainly has.

“There is something undeniably different about the Sutro Tower,” said John King, architecture critic for the San Francisco Chronicle.

RELATED ARTICLE: Sutro Tower July 4 Golden Anniversary celebrated with light show

Sutro Tower’s antennas began broadcasting local television stations’ signals (including KPIX) 50 years ago on on the Fourth of July. Now middle-age, it had an awkward childhood.

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“The first design of the thing was a more conventional tower,” King said. “But this one has sort of an odd, creature-like presence.”

In fact, a lot of people hated and even feared it.

“Some people were afraid of Sutro Tower. They thought it might fall,” said Dave Hyams, Sutro Tower director of communications, speaking to KPIX in 2013. “They were afraid of waves.”

Over time, somehow, that changed. Back on Sutro’s 40th birthday, Hyams spoke about locals’ shift in thinking.

“it’s gone from being a lightning rod to one of the most beloved icons in the city,” he said.

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“Everywhere I went I saw the tower and it just kind of became emblematic of the city to me,” said Amber Bouman, showing off a tattoo of the tower.

“This Sutro Tower is one of two things in the store that are not for sale,” laughed Skot Land, manager of a store called Local Take selling city-theme items in the Castro District. “I am the other one.”

Throughout his store, Sutro Tower stands with a modern panache alongside other city icons. 

“I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking it deserves the icon status it’s gotten,” Land said.

“There is an odd thing where novelty itself becomes part of the appeal,” King said. “‘Oh isn’t this crazy? I like Sutro Tower! Not like one of those tourists that likes Coit Tower,’” he said, channeling the sentiment of a snooty San Francisco new arrival.

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It’s still not hard to find detractors. 

“Absolutely too dominant,” said Stuart Dick.

Dick isn’t a big fan but he does find it useful.

“When I look out the back door it does tell me if there’s a fog bank coming in,” he said. “I think that’s the most interesting thing about it. You can’t always see it. It’s dynamic.”

So now, the Sutro Tower hits the age of 50 and its status is only growing, a prominent fixture now comfortably situated among other icons on the city landscape.

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“Sutro Tower,” Land said. “It’s always there. You can’t miss it.”

“That’s what makes it so memorable,” King said. “You can’t just blot it out of the landscape after you’ve seen it three or four times, because it keeps inserting itself in front of you in different ways.”



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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco D.A. announces conviction in 2015 quadruple murder

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San Francisco D.A. announces conviction in 2015 quadruple murder


Nearly 10 years after a quadruple murder, drive-by shooting shocked the San Francisco Hayes Valley neighborhood, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins on Friday announced the conviction of the San Francisco man responsible. 

The D.A.’s office issued a news release that said Lee Farley, 36, was found guilty by a jury on four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances when he opened fire on an occupied vehicle on the night of January 9, 2015.  

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According to evidence and testimony, four men were ambushed from behind on Laguna Street just south of Page Steet at around 10 p.m.

The jury found that Farley committed this act as a participant of a criminal street gang and that he was a felon in possession of a firearm. 

Police arrested Farley in the summer of 2016. He was already serving time at a federal prison in Atwater on unrelated weapons charges when he was taken into custody. 

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The slayings of Manuel O’Neal, David Saucier II, Harith Atchan and Yalani Chinyamurindi left the victims’ families in turmoil as they waited for justice. 

“I would like to thank the jury for their service in this trial,” said District Attorney Jenkins. “I would also like to thank the mothers and families of the murdered men for their patience, faith and trust in my office to get justice for their families. Our strong legal team fought hard, understanding that while nothing we do can bring back their loved ones, that hopefully this verdict brings them some comfort.”

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The D.A. thanked her team and the San Francisco Police Department’s homicide unit for their work on this case. 

Farley’s sentencing will be scheduled after a bench trial on priors. That date is set for Dec. 16, 2024. 



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San Francisco Giants Seen as Top Trade Partner for Chicago Cubs Superstar

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San Francisco Giants Seen as Top Trade Partner for Chicago Cubs Superstar


The San Francisco Giants are expected to swing big this offseason as they look to get themselves back into playoff contention.

A pitch to superstar slugger Juan Soto is considered to be that first big swing, although they are not expected to end up landing him.

Assuming the Giants end up missing on Soto, there are plenty of other fallback options that they could consider.

Pete Alonso and Anthony Santander are two other free agents that the Giants have been connected to. However, there is also a potential trade target that has been linked to San Francisco.

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Looking at the needs the Giants have, they could use more starting pitching, especially if Blake Snell ends up leaving town in free agency. But San Francisco could also use more offensive firepower. They need a big bat to plug into their lineup.

With that in mind, Chicago Cubs star outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger has come up as a potential option.

Zach Pressnell of Newsweek has named the Giants as one of the top potential trade suitors for Bellinger if the Cubs end up trading him. Reports have come out that Chicago would like to trade their star this offseason. With new leadership in San Francisco, after the hiring of Bustery Posey as president of baseball operations, there is a chance the former All-Star catcher would listen on a deal for the slugger.

“San Francisco has to chase the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres in its own division before it can worry about coming home with the World Series title,” Pressnell wrote. “A move for Bellinger would push the Giants in the right direction without breaking the bank.”

Bellinger would certainly be an intriguing option for San Francisco. He’s set to make $27.5 million in 2025 and then will have another choice to make before the 2026 season, as his current deal has another option year. There is a chance that he could opt into another year of his deal at $25 million.

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During the 2024 MLB season, Bellinger produced lower numbers than expected. However, he dealt with some injury issues and the Cubs as a whole played under expectations.

He played in 130 total games, hitting 18 home runs to go along with 78 RBI. Bellinger also recorded a slash line of .266/.325/.426.

Just one year previously in 2023, Bellinger had a much stronger season. He hit .307/.356/.525 to go along with 26 home runs and 97 RBI. He was also named the National League Comeback Player of the Year award winner.

All of that being said, the former National League MVP would be an excellent addition for the Giants. Depending on what Chicago is asking for in return, San Francisco should strongly consider making a push to acquire him.



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San Francisco Giants Named Potential Landing Spot for All-Star Slugger

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San Francisco Giants Named Potential Landing Spot for All-Star Slugger


The San Francisco Giants are heading into free agency hoping to finally make a splash after missing out in recent years. 

It was another mediocre season for the Giants in 2024, as they finished just under .500 and hovered around that record for most of the year. Besides a couple of outlier years, San Francisco has struggled for most of the decade. 

Now, former catcher Buster Posey has taken over as president of baseball operations, and hopes to change the trajectory of the franchise. 

Over the past few winters, the Giants have consistently missed out on the top free agents. The hope is that Posey will bring some credibility to San Francisco and help convince free agents to come. 

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Heading into the offseason, one of the most glaring needs for the Giants is to improve the offense. Recently, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report spoke about San Francisco as a good landing spot for Baltimore Orioles slugger, Anthony Santander. 

While the Giants play in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in the league, their lack of power has really held the team back. San Francisco has not had a home run hitter since Barry Bonds, who was the last Giants player to hit 30 home runs for the team — back in 2024.

The Giants have swung and missed on top free agents like Giancarlo Stanton, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in recent years. An agreement with infielder Carlos Correa went up in smoke after his physical revealed a concerning injury and nixed that deal.

Santander is in the superstar category. But, last year with the Orioles was able to total 44 home runs and 102 RBIs. 

That type of offensive production is exactly what San Francisco needs in the middle of the order, as he would pair nice with Matt Chapman and Heliot Ramos in the lineup. Also, he would provide the Giants with a switch hitter to help diversify their lineup. 

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In the spacious outfield of San Francisco, Santander might be a tad exposed defensively, but he could slide into the designated hitter slot a majority of the time. Santander usually played right field in Baltimore.

While the Giants want to bring in some good talent, they are also trying to build sustainable success for the future. 

Adding a player the caliber of Santander would fix one problems in the lineup for San Francisco, but more work would still need to be done. 



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