Mission District News

BART was front and center with its cell phone controversy and downtown protest… prostitution continues to be a problem, especially on Capp Street… merchants on Mission Street fear they are being targeted with “drive-by lawsuits”… and Charanga owner Gabriela Salas takes us to her other favorite restaurant in the Mission.

Here are the top stories from Mission Local this past week:

Protest Disrupts BART Service…Commuters in San Francisco got a taste of what a small group of protesters can do to mass transit, as delays on BART were felt across the city on Monday. The protest was in part because of the transit agency shutting down cell phone service after getting word of a planned protest last week. Stations were closed, although the 16th and 24th street stations remained open throughout the entirety of the demonstration.

Prostitution Leads Arrests in Mission…A look at crime figures in the Mission and the concern among locals is that prostitution continues to be a problem. A closer look at the numbers for the week of July 29 show that 12 people were arrested for prostitution, leading the totals. Areas of Capp, Shotwell and South Van Ness have long been notorious for being hotbeds where prostitutes and their johns meet up. Many in the neighborhood are wondering when, if ever, the San Francisco Police Department will start cracking down on the problem. Police officials said plainclothes decoys are being used to roam the streets.

Business Owners Hit with Americans with Disabilities Act Lawsuits…Business owners on Mission Street said they are once again being targeted by “serial litigators” hitting them with lawsuits pertaining to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The complaints first started six or seven months ago and are now back, with restaurants especially being targeted. Among those hit with suits for not providing wheelchair access: Chile Lindo, Café Gratitude, Elsy’s Pupuseria and Mikado Sushi.

And finally, Charanga chef and owner Gabriela Salas takes readers to one of her favorite spots to dine in the Mission, Range on Valencia Street.

Photo Credit: Mission Local

It's simple. Keith Mizuguchi loves to write and write and write some more. After taking a hiatus from the journalism business, he has rekindled his passion for writing over the last two years, holding a job as both a web and on-air writer for San Francisco news radio station KCBS. While he enjoys the news business, his true passions are twofold: sports and food. Bay Area born and raised, he lives in San Jose, commutes to SF and loves every minute of it. You can follow his food adventures on Twitter @foodie_keith.