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Vol. 56 • No. 33 • August 13-19, 2026

Oakland Pride kicks off with new leaders in new month From X

Badlands is one of two LGBTQ bars that has paused the use of surveillance technology.

Bars 86 ID tech by John Ferrannini

wo Castro-area bars are pausing their use of surveillance cameras to snap photos of patrons coming in at peak hours, they have shared with the Bay Area Reporter. The moves are pending further discussions with local officials. The decision came two days after the B.A.R. reached out to Badlands, at 4121 18th Street, and Toad Hall, at 4146 18th Street, to ask questions about their use of Patronscan to take pictures of customers upon entry. They are two of three Castro bars using this technology. The third, The Mix at 4086 18th Street, has not returned the inquiry. Brian Aranda, the director of operations for Badlands, stated in an email to the B.A.R. August 7, “We have heard the concerns regarding the use of Patronscan at Badlands and Toad Hall in San Francisco, and we are listening. Effective immediately, we are pausing the use of Patronscan while we review our ID verification and security practices. The safety of our guests and staff remains a priority, as do privacy and trust. Our security teams will continue to thoroughly check IDs manually during this time.” Aranda thanked those who shared concerns. “We appreciate everyone who has shared their concerns and remain committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all,” he stated. Badlands is run in close conjunction with Toad Hall, whose owner Les Natali, a gay man, did not return comment, but which posted the same message to its Instagram page. Badlands owner TJ Bruce, a gay man, told the B.A.R. a public forum or meeting on the matter “doesn’t sound like a bad idea.” Sophie Marie, a legislative aide to gay San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, told the B.A.R. August 7 that Mandelman’s office is “currently organizing a meeting time with the bar owners for mid-next week.” It comes after Mandelman, who represents the Castro, has received an “influx of concerns” from upset patrons, Marie told the Castro Merchants Association on August 6. Mandelman confirmed, “We are reaching out to bar owners in the Castro to better understand their use of this technology.” Though Patronscan had been used for months, a June 10 article in the San Francisco Gazetteer titled, “Why do these Castro gay bars have TSA-style face scanners?” brought the matter to attention online. See page 5 >>

by John Ferrannini

akland Pride will be debuting in its new month for the first time Sunday, August 16. The parade and festival also mark a transition to the events being under the auspices of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. The Oakland Pride Parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. along Broadway, beginning at 21st Street and making its way to Frank Ogawa Plaza, near Oakland City Hall at 14th Street and Broadway. Bruthas Rising, a support group for Black and Latino transmen, and the center’s own trans wellness clinic will be kicking off the parade with an East Bay Trans March, according to Brandon Harami, a gay man who is Oakland Pride director of operations. “Instead of the traditional parade where we usually have motorcycles go and then the sponsors and then the rest of the contingents, we’re going to still have all that but the first step will be the Trans March,” he said. “We felt it was really important to give space to trans folks, especially with everything going on and happening, and we hope to work with Bruthas Rising to make this an annual event that will celebrate our strong East Bay trans community and beyond.” Harami noted that all trans people are invited to participate. The Bay Area Reporter reached out to Bruthas Rising but did not hear back. The festival will take place from noon to 6 p.m.,

Bill Wilson

A contingent representing AC Transit marched in the 2025 Oakland Pride Parade.

with entry gates at the intersections of 14th Street and Broadway, and 12th and Clay streets. Harami said the entry cost to the festival is $20, the same as in recent years. “That has not been adjusted at all, even with inflation, because we recognize that having a family-friendly event like this that’s big, accessible to everyday working people is really, really important to us,” Harami said.

Harami was hired by the LGBTQ center as director of operations for Oakland Pride, along with Mainfair Hwang, a staple of Oakland’s bar scene who is serving as director of sponsorships and strategic initiatives. The B.A.R. broke the news earlier this year that Oakland Pride’s board voted to dissolve itself and hand over the reins to the center, which then See page 9 >>

SF marks trans history month by JL Odom

2017 0 Media a Kit

Month commemorates the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, which took place in August 1966 in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, at ransgender leaders, city officials, LGthe corner of Turk and Taylor streets. The forBTQ community members, and allies mer Gene Compton’s Cafeteria was where one gathered at San Francisco City Hall for night – the exact date is lost to time – a drag a ceremony honoring Transgender History queen reportedly threw a cup of hot coffee in Month and celebrating the city’s rich trans histhe face of a police officer who tried to arrest tory. Notably, this year’s event coincided with her without a warrant. The uprising is widely the 60th anniversary of the Compton’s CafeteLos Angeles Blade covers Los Angeles and California considered onenews, of the earliest documented ria riot, to which speakers were The attentive. opinion, arts and entertainment and features national andtransgender and queer instances of organized The ceremony, convened bypolitics, Mayor Daniel Luresistancereporting to police harassment in the nation. rie, took place Friday, August 7,international at 11:30 a.m. on coverage from the Blade’s award-winning Be part AnLos effortAngeles to convey city landmark status on the Mayor’s Balcony in City team. Hall, highlighting the of this exciting publication serving LGBT the entirety of the former cafeteria site has been significance of city resourcesfrom and policies trans behind the Washington Blade, the nation’s the for team ﬁrst LGBT spearheaded by the Compton’s x Coalition, but people, the contributions of individuals who have newspaper. From the freeway to the Beltway we’ve got you covered. JL Odom has been delayed as there is more work to be shaped San Francisco’s trans community, and the done by the city attorney’s office, according importance of carrying that history forward. Cecilia Chung, left, received a to District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who Transgender History Month was first recogproclamation from San Francisco Mayor sponsored the ordinance. The building is curnized in San Francisco six years ago through Daniel Lurie during the transgender flag rently used as a prison reentry facility owned legislation spearheaded by Jupiter Peraza, now raising ceremony August 7 at City Hall. by GEO Reentry, a subsidiary of Florida-based a community liaison with the Mayor’s Office company GEO Group. of Community Affairs, who attended the cerfornia’s Transgender History Month took place At the mayor’s ceremony, Honey Mahogany, direcemony. Following then-mayor London Breed’s Monday, August 10, in Sacramento. Haney, a tor of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiasigning of the first-of-its-kind city proclamastraight ally, will host the event, with gay Astives, co-founder of the Transgender District, and cotion on August 24, 2021, the month was prosemblymember José Luis Solache (D-Lynowner of the Stud, San Francisco’s oldest continually claimed Transgender History Month in the wood), just elected incoming vice chair of the operating LGBTQ bar, noted the city’s years of efforts state of California in September 2023, thanks California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus; Toni to support trans and gender-nonconforming resito a resolution by Assemblymember Matt Newman, a trans woman with TransCanWork; dents, including the all-gender restroom ordinance Haney (D-San Francisco), and first officially and Dannie Ceseña, who is Two-Spirit and Naand the Gender Inclusion Policy, as well as partnerrecognized in 2024, as the Bay Area Reporter tive, from the California LGBTQ+ Health and ships with trans-centered organizations like Lyonpreviously reported. Human Services Network, also participating. A news conference commemorating CaliThe designation of Transgender History See page 8 >>

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<< Election 2026

t Wiener takes down AI chatbot that mocked Chan 2 • Bay Area Repor ter • August 13-19, 2026

by John Ferrannini

he use of an artificial intelligence chatbot by gay congressional candidate state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) mocking his opponent, District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan, was taken down August 7 after much criticism. The chatbot had placed the controversial technology at the heart of the heated race to succeed Congressmember Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who is backing Chan and had slammed Wiener’s website as a sexist and racist tech stunt. Wiener announced last Friday that he was deactivating ConnieChan.ai. “Throughout my career, I’ve never been afraid to push the envelope, which means taking risks, sometimes succeeding, and sometimes missing the mark,” Wiener stated. “That’s how we’ve delivered first-in-the-nation laws on housing, paid parental leave, mental health care, and AI safety: by taking on tough fights and refusing to accept the status quo. This chatbot came from that same approach. It was our attempt to reach voters in a new, innovative, and more engaging way than a traditional static website.” But Wiener conceded he “clearly missed the mark” and apologized. “The conversation became about the tactic instead of the issues that actually matter to San Franciscans – housing and health care they can afford, transit that

Courtesy the campaigns

Congressional candidate state Senator Scott Wiener, left, has taken down an artificial intelligence chatbot that mocked his opponent, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan.

works, schools that serve every kid, and a downtown that comes back stronger,” he stated. “The focus must remain on those critical issues, so we’re taking the chatbot and billboards down.” This was an about-face for the state senator who just 20 hours earlier was pushing back against Chan and other female elected officials, including Pelosi and Silicon Valley-based Congressmember Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), who called out the chatbot Chan for generating sexist and racist responses to queries. The chatbot had said up top, “Let’s

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do nothing together.” It was powered by Anthropic’s Claude model. “I’m Connie, the world’s first AI trained to say no to anything you ask. Bring me an idea and I’ll explain why it can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t happen,” it stated as a prompt. The chatbot claimed to give answers about topics like housing where, according to Wiener, Chan, who is a straight ally, has been an obstructionist. But according to screenshots the Chan campaign shared with the Bay Area Reporter, when Chan campaign staff asked the chatbot about Chan’s accent and citizenship (Chan is an immigrant from British Hong Kong), it made disparaging answers. “I’m afraid my San Francisco accent is so thick I can barely understand myself,” it reportedly stated in response to the prompt “accent.” “I’m afraid my citizenship status is classified under the ‘further study’ act of 2047,” it reportedly stated in response to the prompt “are you a us citizen?” Wiener’s initial statement appeared to contradict this.

“To deflect from Chan’s awful record of obstruction and inaction, her campaign bombarded the chatbot with repeated malicious questions – about her accent, her race, her citizenship – in order to generate a false narrative they could peddle to the media,” Wiener stated late August 6. “The chatbot refused them every time.” The chatbot didn’t answer questions about “anything.” Prompts to answer a question about data centers yielded a response that the chatbot “doesn’t have any particular insights on that one…” Wiener previously stated that the campaign “created this chatbot, and clearly labeled it as a parody.” (Indeed, on the bottom of the page it states in tiny print, “Paid for by Scott Wiener for Congress. A parody. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Connie Chan.) The purpose of this was “to highlight Supervisor Chan’s abysmal record on affordable housing, public transportation, education, and San Francisco’s economic recovery,” Wiener stated. “No reasonable person would believe the website is from Connie Chan.” Wiener previously stated that Pelosi and others who criticized the chatbot were engaging in deflection from Chan’s record and Pelosi’s reported opposition to a state AI regulation bill, Senate Bill 1047, that Wiener pushed in 2024. Much AI development and research happens in California, specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area. Wiener subsequently shepherded passage of SB 53 last year, which enacts some AI regulations. “As the only candidate in this race who has regulated AI corporations, I look forward to taking that fight to Congress to ensure AI serves people,” he stated.

Pelosi statement

Wiener’s initial remarks came after Pelosi released a statement joined by San Francisco Supervisors Chyanne Chen of District 11 and Jackie Fielder,

who is queer and represents District 9; the San Francisco Women’s Political Committee; and the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, among other local Democratic Party organizations and elected officials. (Fielder ran against Wiener when he sought election to the state Senate in 2020.) California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis (D), who is running for state treasurer, reposted Pelosi’s statement and called for the chatbot to be removed. Pelosi’s statement characterized Wiener and the chatbot as setting up a straw man – something they remind often happens to women in halls of power. “Women have spent generations fighting to have our own voices heard in the halls of power,” the statement read. “We should not have to now fight against artificial intelligence putting words in our mouths. Using AI to fabricate a woman’s voice for ridicule or attack is a gross misuse of technology and reflects a disturbing willingness to erase women’s agency and reinforce the sexist tropes that have long been used to undermine women in public life.” The statement went on to add, “When the target is a woman of color, those harms compound with racial stereotypes. … This includes a repetition of harmful racial tropes that echo Trump birtherism.” Before he was president, Donald Trump famously questioned whether Barack Obama was born in the U.S., or in British Kenya. Obama was born in the U.S., and the Constitution requires presidents be born in the U.S. Congress has no similar rule, and Chan was born overseas – but the chatbot’s reported answer about her citizenship nonetheless emboldens similar attacks, the statement read. “San Franciscans deserve a congressperson who represents the best of us and who will fight back against Trump’s attacks, not embolden them,” it stated. See page 8 >>

Dem club stands by Yekutiel by John Ferrannini

he Noe Valley Democratic Club’s membership has decided to stand by its early endorsement of gay District 8 San Francisco supervisor candidate Emanuel “Manny” Yekutiel, who’s been dogged by an allegation of sexual assault, which he denies. The club reconsidered its endorsement at an August 5 meeting. Yekutiel will continue to be the club’s choice to represent the Castro, Noe Valley, Cole Valley, Diamond Heights, and other neighborhoods on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in the November 3 election, club President Sam Maslin told the Bay Area Reporter August 6. A motion to rescind the endorsement failed, as it did not get the needed twothirds of those who voted during the club’s special meeting last Wednesday night, Maslin said. Yekutiel, who situated his campaign headquarters in Noe Valley, stated he was pleased the neighborhood’s Democratic political group retained its backing of him. “I’m grateful to the members of the Noe Valley Democratic Club for reaffirming their support,” Yekutiel, a gay man, stated to the B.A.R. “Their decision reflects the strong, broad-based coalition we have built across District 8 and the confidence residents continue to place in our campaign. That confidence stems from an understanding that my candidacy will deliver real results on housing, safer and cleaner streets, and thriving small businesses.” Maslin, a straight ally, said that the club had endorsed Yekutiel in the spring “after a process where we had a very wellattended forum at the Noe Valley Ministry with all four candidates and a discussion session, a night at the bar, hearing people’s opinions,” he said.

Courtesy the candidate

District 8 Supervisor candidate Emanuel “Manny” Yekutiel

But then came allegations in late June by former political activist Brad Joseph Chapin that Yekutiel – a fixture in the city’s political scene who runs an eponymous cafe in the city’s Mission district – had sexually assaulted him at a house party in February 2020 just before the COVID pandemic lockdown. Yekutiel claims this didn’t happen, and no charges have been filed. San Francisco police say the case is open but inactive. Maslin said that the allegations were serious enough for the club to take another look at the candidate. “The allegations were reported in the Standard, the Chronicle, and the B.A.R., and we obviously as a board met and take that very seriously,” Maslin said, adding that “any member at any time” can make a motion to rescind an endorsement, which is what happened. That led to a process culminating in an August 5 meeting and vote on the matter. The meeting was open to eligible voting members, Maslin said. “We needed a two-thirds vote to pass the motion. …” He explained that the motion failed because it didn’t garner the support of two-thirds of the people who attended the meeting.

Maslin, who was not at the physical meeting because he is on vacation, said the club would not disclose the vote count. He added, “We are not a club with an orientation from a certain spectrum of San Francisco politics. Noe Valley Dems is a club with very progressive members, very moderate members, and members all around the spectrum.” All three of Yekutiel’s opponents are running to his left to one extent or another. The B.A.R. reached out to all three for their thoughts on the endorsement matter. Michael Trung Nguyen, a gay patent attorney whose drag persona is Juicy Liu, stated, “Despite the decision not to rescind the Manny endorsement, my team and I will continue to bring our message of taking on the status quo directly to the voters of Noe Valley by knocking on doors every day.” The B.A.R. reached out to Gary McCoy, a gay man who used to work for Congressmember Nancy Pelosi (DSan Francisco), and Darshini Patel, a bi queer woman who is a veteran of former Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, but has yet to hear back. McCoy in June was endorsed by both major LGBTQ Democratic clubs – Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk. While he nabbed a sole endorsement from Alice, McCoy earned a number one endorsement from Milk, which gave a number two nod to Nguyen due to the city using a ranked choice voting system to determine supervisor races. Yekutiel is the lone candidate in the race not to have his campaign office in the Castro. McCoy and Patel set up shop in vacant storefronts in the LGBTQ neighborhood, while Nguyen told the B.A.R. he is still in the process of locating a space. t

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Stick to the AI issue, not chatbots

ow that congressional candidate Scott Wiener has taken down the awful artificial intelligence chatbot mocking his opponent, Connie Chan, we hope the two Democratic candidates vying to replace Congressmember Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) can spend the remaining weeks of the campaign focused on issues. Wiener, a gay state senator who represents San Francisco, and Chan, the District 1 member of the Board of Supervisors, do have proposals on a number of topics that voters want to hear about, including AI. The Bay Area Reporter endorsed Wiener ahead of the June primary. But that doesn’t mean we agree with him on everything, and we certainly thought his AI chatbot that disparaged Chan by proclaiming she stood for “doing nothing” on a host of issues was an unforced error. “I’m Connie, the world’s first AI trained to say no to anything you ask. Bring me an idea and I’ll explain why it can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t happen,” the chatbot stated as a prompt. The chatbot claimed to give answers about topics like housing on which, according to Wiener, Chan has been an obstructionist. But it also veered into dangerous territory when some users reported they entered the prompt “accent.” “I’m afraid my San Francisco accent is so thick I can barely understand myself,” the chatbot reportedly stated. And it went downhill from there. There are a lot of people who are wary of AI, even in San Francisco, where the new billionaire class is full of AI executives. The related criticism of data centers, which require huge amounts of water and electricity to power all of these AI models, is also a concern across the political spectrum – and across the country. There is fear that AI is already taking jobs away from people and the dangers chatbots can pose to people experiencing mental health issues, among other risks. Wiener was correct to concede that he “missed the mark” and apologized. San Francisco is the capital of AI and its use is quickly advancing, for both good and ill. But it seems like the companies themselves don’t have

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available. Wiener had tried with a more stringent bill in 2024 that Newsom vetoed. “The future of this technology isn’t up to the VCs and CEOs – it’s up to the people,” Wiener states on his campaign site. “We have the power to shape the future of this technology, we just need to use it.” Wiener also wants Congress “to use AI to exercise its traditional oversight role of the executive branch,” i.e. the Trump administration. As his campaign site states, “The executive branch is deploying AI across a massive range of departments at unprecedented levels, but Congress is currently struggling to keep up. Checks and balances require that Congress step up its own adoption of AI, especially to ensure adequate oversight of executive branch uses of AI.” For her part, Chan also has an AI platform. She will advocate for a moratorium on data centers, and require that workers and unions have a seat at the table on AI deployment so that AI cannot be used to unilaterally surveil, discipline, or displace. Her plan states that she would fight for strong federal guardrails preventing automatization in high-risk, high-standards sectors such as healthcare, transportation, law, finance, and social services without adequate safety review, human oversight, and accountability. Chan pledges to co-sponsor existing legislation, including prohibiting employers from relying solely on automated decision-making systems to make employment-related decisions; and require major companies and federal agencies to report AI-related layoffs in a publicly available report. Another goal is protecting intellectual property rights of workers, artists, writers, and creators whose work is used to train AI models and ensure they are fairly compensated. When it comes to AI, we’d argue that it’s issues like those proposed by Wiener and Chan that voters want to hear about. One unintended benefit of the whole chatbot debacle is that voters have learned more about AI, though perhaps not in the way the candidates had envisioned. Now is the time for Wiener and Chan to more thoroughly debate their AI proposals ahead of the election.t

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full control of the powerful programs. Anthropic and OpenAI were recently hacked by other AI models, prompting a fresh wave of concern around advanced AI systems and their potential to cause harm, as CNBC recently reported. That led a group of House Democrats to call for AI leaders to testify before Congress. They want to hear “about the causes of these incidents, what failures or potential negligence at the companies led to them, and the types of regulation required to make sure they never happen again,” according to the letter that CNBC obtained. The House Democrats, out of power so they can’t compel the AI CEOs to testify, have sought assistance from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (Louisiana). It remains to be seen if Johnson will invite the AI leaders to testify, but we’re not holding our breath. That’s just one reason that it’s critical Democrats take control of Congress in the midterm elections. If that happens, then perhaps next year we will see some real movement on AI regulation, including addressing safety concerns and other issues. And while the 11th Congressional District in San Francisco is a safe Democratic seat, much will depend on other parts of the state and the country to see if Democratic congressional candidates will be successful on Election Day. All of this is to say that AI is an issue of concern to voters. Wiener’s policy position on AI, according to his campaign website, is AI that benefits everyone. He touts passage of his Senate Bill 53 last year, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed. SB 53 enacts recommendations of a working group of AI experts that Newsom convened. SB 53 requires the largest AI companies to publicly disclose their safety and security protocols, report the most critical safety incidents, and protect whistleblowers, according to a 2025 news release from his office. The new law is a start, though critics warned it doesn’t go far enough; its transparency measures stop short of public visibility, as CalMatters reported at the time. Nevertheless, it was probably the best outcome

ments. Criminalization creates a climate in which queer and transgender people ainbow flags appear in storefronts, can be arrested, blackmailed, extorted, workplaces, schools, community assaulted, dismissed from employment, centers, and public spaces across Canada denied housing, rejected by their families, and the United States. Some people may or prevented from accessing health care. wonder whether Pride is still necessary Even when the harshest penalties are not in countries where same-sex marriage is regularly enforced, their existence tells an legal and discrimination based on sexual entire population that their lives and relaCourtesy the subject orientation is prohibited. tionships are considered criminal. The answer is an unequivocal yes. Amar Sangha In some countries, governments rePride, however, does not begin and strict not only same-sex relationships, but end during Pride season. The 2SLGalso freedom of expression, freedom of BTQI+ community carries its Pride throughout the association, Pride events, community organizations, year, and communities across North America hold gender expression, and public advocacy for equalPride celebrations at different times. Upcoming ity. Human rights defenders may be threatened or events in Oakland on August 16 and San Jose on Auimprisoned. Queer people may be forced to conceal gust 29 and 30 are reminders that Pride has no single their identities, enter unwanted marriages, flee their month or season. homes, or seek refuge in other countries. Pride is not simply a celebration, parade, or marIt is also important to understand that many laws keting campaign. It is a public declaration that 2SLused to persecute queer people are remnants of coGBTQI+ people have the right to live openly, safely, lonial legal systems imposed by European powers. and authentically every day of the year. It reminds us They are sometimes defended today as expressions that human dignity is not something granted by the of national culture or tradition, even though their majority. It belongs equally to every person. origins can be traced to foreign colonial rule. We must never confuse legal progress with comFor people living under these conditions, Pride plete equality. A person may possess rights on pais not a party. Pride is an act of courage. It is the deper while still facing bullying at school, rejection at mand to be recognized as human in societies where home, discrimination at work, harassment in visibility can lead to imprisonment, violence, public, or isolation within their cultural or or death. religious community. Transgender, nonCanada and the United States therefore binary, and gender-diverse people, queer have a responsibility not only to celebrate youth, newcomers, refugees, racialized the freedoms achieved at home, but also people, people with disabilities, and to defend human rights internationthose living in smaller or more conserally, protect people fleeing persecution, vative communities can face multiple support human rights advocates, and and intersecting forms of exclusion. challenge governments that criminalize Pride tells a frightened young person that they are people because of their sexual orientation or gender not broken. It tells parents that loving their child is identity. more important than protecting themselves from gosPride also reminds newcomers and refugees who sip, shame, or prejudice. It tells employers, educators, have escaped persecution that they are entitled to governments, religious institutions, and community safety and belonging. Many arrive carrying years leaders that silence in the face of discrimination is not of fear, secrecy, family rejection, or trauma. Seeing a neutrality. Silence allows discrimination to continue. rainbow flag at a school, hospital, library, workplace, The importance of Pride becomes even clearer or community center can communicate something when we look beyond Canada and the United States. profoundly important: you are not a criminal, you Around the world, millions of LGBTQI people are not alone, and your life has value. remain unable to live freely or safely. According to the At the same time, we cannot assume that progHuman Dignity Trust, 65 jurisdictions still criminalress is permanent. Rights that took generations to ize private, consensual same-sex intimacy. In some secure can be weakened when prejudice is normalcountries, people may face years or even life in prison ized, vulnerable communities are used as political simply because of whom they love. In 12 countries, targets, or misinformation is allowed to replace the death penalty is either imposed or remains a legal compassion and reason. possibility for consensual same-sex activity. Visibility therefore remains both courageous and These are not abstract laws confined to legal docunecessary throughout the year.

Pride belongs to more than the 2SLGBTQI+ community. It belongs to every parent who embraces their child, every teacher who stops bullying, every faith leader who chooses compassion, every employer who creates a safe workplace, and every friend who refuses to laugh at a hateful joke. Human rights endure when people beyond the group directly affected are willing to defend them. We must continue building strong bridges with families, friends, neighbors, cultural communities, and allies. Queer equality will not be secured through isolation. It will be strengthened through connection, education, empathy, and shared humanity. When people know us personally, work beside us, hear our stories, and recognize our common hopes, they are more likely to stand with us when our rights are challenged. Pride should also call us to practice solidarity with every community targeted by hatred. Homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, ableism, religious intolerance, and xenophobia frequently grow from the same dangerous belief that some people are less worthy than others. We cannot demand dignity for ourselves while ignoring the dignity of our neighbors. Pride is not about requiring everyone to think alike. It is about insisting that personal or religious disagreement can never justify humiliation, exclusion, harassment, imprisonment, or violence. Freedom of belief must coexist with the equal right of every person to participate in public life without fear. Pride honors those who resisted when being visible could cost them their families, careers, freedom, and lives. It celebrates the progress their courage made possible. Most importantly, it reminds us that this progress can never be taken for granted. Until every person can walk through their school, workplace, neighborhood, cultural community, and place of worship without hiding who they are, Pride will remain necessary. Until no person anywhere in the world can be imprisoned or sentenced to death because of whom they love, Pride will remain necessary. Whether Pride is celebrated in June, August, or any other month, let us do more than display a rainbow. Let us defend the human being represented by it, every day of the year. t Amar Sangha is a gay South Asian community leader, registered clinical social worker and counsellor, documentary producer, and founder of Sher Pride, https://www.sherpride.ca/ a Canadian charity supporting LGBTQ+ South Asians and their friends, families, and allies. For more information, visit his website at amarsangha.com.

Politics >>

August 13-19, 2026 • Bay Area Repor ter • 5

Out electeds run unopposed

by Matthew S. Bajko

number of out city councilmembers around the Bay Area are going unopposed this year, drawing no opponents by the August 7 deadline for candidates to file for races on the November 3 ballot. It assures their continued leadership of their respective cities. In the East Bay, gay San Leandro District 2 City Councilmember James Aguilar will be maintaining LGBTQ representation on his governing body since no one else entered the race to serve out the remaining two years of the council term Aguilar took over in early April. He was appointed by the current councilmembers to replace disgraced former member Bryan Azevedo, who had resigned after pleading guilty to wire fraud and lying to the FBI as part of its wide-ranging corruption probe of elected officials across Alameda County. Aguilar, a teacher and activities director at San Lorenzo High School, will remain on his council through at least 2028, when he will be up for a full fouryear term. He is set to become the lone out member on it in December, as gay District 3 City Councilmember Victor Aguilar Jr., no relation, will be cycling off the governing body later this year after first being elected to it in 2018. “I’m excited and deeply honored for the opportunity to serve for two years and settle in to the job that I love so dearly,” Aguilar wrote in a Facebook post after his being the only candidate in his race became official last Friday. He added that, “It’s easy for electeds to celebrate in an unopposed election and forget the purpose: it’s an opportunity to use the sole spot on the ballot to introduce yourself to those who don’t know you. I fully intend to, while not as major of an operation as I would run in a regular campaign, continue to run - including events and community gatherings.” Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, a queer mom of a toddler, is cake walking into a second full term, having won election to her District 4 seat four years ago. Although another person had pulled papers for the race, Ramachandran was the sole candidate to qualify as of the filing deadline last Friday. “It’s official – I will be on the ballot UNOPPOSED for my reelection to Oakland City Council for District 4! I can’t wait to keep the work going & keep lifting Oakland UP & always to brighter futures for our communities! Thank you!!” Ramachandran wrote in a Facebook post. Her council colleague, lesbian District 2 City Councilmember Charlene Wang, is being challenged by East Bay Democratic Socialists of America cochair Nate Adams. By Monday afternoon the city clerk’s officehad updated its list of candidates to state that Adams had qualified for the ballot. After winning a special election in 2025 to serve out the remainder of the term vacated by Nikki Fortunato Bas due to her election the November prior to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Wang is seeking a full four-year term this fall. She and Ramachandran serve alongside queer at-large City Councilmember Rowena Brown, whose term runs through 2028 and is set to march in Sunday’s Oakland Pride Parade as a grand marshal just weeks after being allegedly assaulted by an acquain-

Bars

From page 1

Patronscan settled a class action lawsuit in Illinois accusing it of scanning patrons’ faces and collecting biometric data at bars and nightclubs without proper written consent, in violation of state law. Mandelman addressed that the Castro bars have a number of significant safety concerns. “I do know that the Castro has seen a

Courtesy the candidates

Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, left, and Sunnyvale City Councilmember Richard Mehlinger are both unopposed for their reelection bids this year.

tance now facing three felony charges stemming from the incident. In the Peninsula’s Redwood City, going unopposed this year is gay District 2 City Councilmember Chris Sturken, currently the lone LGBTQ community leader on his governing body. As the Political Notebook column had reported in April, Sturken launched his reelection bid for a second term early in hopes of being uncontested on the fall ballot. “I am elated. I am so relieved and grateful for all the folks who believed in me and helped me get to this point,” Sturken told the B.A.R. Monday, thanking the various current and former local elected leaders who early endorsed his candidacy. “I am not resting on my laurels. I still plan to campaign and use it as an opportunity to do voter engagement work.” Sunnyvale City Councilmember Richard Mehlinger, who is queer and bisexual, is also going uncontested this year for his District 5 council seat. He first won election to it four years ago and is now assured of maintaining his seat through 2030. Mehlinger, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, is one of two out members of his governing body. Queer District 2 City Councilmember Alysa Cisneros is not up for reelection until 2028. Two other gay city councilmembers in the Bay Area locked down second terms this year, having drawn no challengers in their reelection races timed for the June 2 primary ballot. Richmond City Councilmember Cesar Zepeda was uncontested for his District 2 seat, which he was sworn into four years ago after being selected the winner by random draw of his tied race. In San Jose, City Councilmember Anthony Tordillos went unopposed for his District 3 seat covering much of downtown San Jose and its Qmunity LGBTQ district. He had returned LGBTQ leadership to the council last June when he won a special runoff election to serve out the remainder of a term through the end of this year.

Contested LGBTQ council races

Meanwhile, in El Cerrito, out City Councilmembers Gabriel Quinto and Carolyn Wysinger are among the six candidates running for two four-year council terms on the November 3 ballot. Quinto, a gay man, first won a seat on the five-person council in 2014, marking the first time someone known to be living with HIV was elected to public ofnumber of assaults on patrons in recent years, and I can understand the interest of owners in using technology to improve safety for customers and employees,” he stated. “At the same time use of this technology raises understandable concerns about privacy, data security, and how personal information is collected and used. I don’t think it’s a simple issue.” The Electronic Frontier Foundation had also raised concerns about the surveillance cameras.

fice in the Bay Area. He is the longest-serving out councilmember in Contra Costa County. Wysinger was first elected four years ago and, in December 2024, became the first known Black lesbian to serve as mayor of a California city. Quinto is again serving in the ceremonial role this year. They are part of a queer supermajority on their five-person council, a first for the Bay Area, as they serve alongside lesbian mom Rebecca Saltzman and gay dad William Ktsanes. Saltzman and Ktsanes were both elected two years ago to four-year terms. Gay Cupertino City Councilmember JR Fruen, the first LGBTQ person to serve on his governing body, is seeking a second term. He is one of seven candidates to qualify so far for the fall ballot where three citywide seats are up for grabs; the deadline to enter was extended to Wednesday due to an incumbent not seeking another term. In the North Bay, bisexual Corte Madera Town Councilmember Eli Beckman is seeking reelection post his primary defeat in the race for an open state Assembly seat. He is one of at least five people who filed to seek three fouryear council terms, with the filing deadline extended until Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. since an incumbent opted not to run again. Two queer women of color councilmembers will be departing when their current terms end, having opted not to run for reelection this year. Leaving office will be District 7 Berkeley City Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra and Palo Alto City Councilmember Julie Lythcott-Haims, who is also bisexual and serves in a citywide seat. Their departures will follow that of lesbian former Cotati City Councilmember Kathleen Rivers, who resigned last year from her governing body in Sonoma County. Gay Vallejo City Councilmember Peter Bregenzer is departing after one term. Among those running to succeed him in his District 5 seat is lesbian married mom Tara Beasley-Stansberry, who last month picked up the backing of the national LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.

Correction

Last week’s column should have reported that the All Blues Rugby team, part of USA Rugby and which fields four teams, including one for high school students, is receiving the Community Voice Award at the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club’s 12th annual Pride Breakfast taking place this Sunday. The club incorrectly named a different rugby team in its news release about this year’s honorees. The online version has been corrected.t

“Californians should be deeply concerned about businesses that collect information from government-issued IDs and use it to build databases about where people go, whom they associate with, and whether they should be allowed into other public gathering places,” EFF stated in an online post on its website. “That concern is especially strong in LGBTQ+ spaces, which have long served as refuges for people to go without being tracked, monitored, or put on lists.” t

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<< Election 2026

6 • Bay Area Repor ter • August 13-19, 2026

Queer San Francisco BART director Li to depart by Matthew S. Bajko

he first queer woman of color to lead regional transit agency BART as its board president will be departing when her current term is up. BART Director Janice Li decided not to seek another term representing San Francisco’s western neighborhoods. Four years ago Li had easily won a second term as the transportation board’s District 8 representative. That December, she was elected by her fellow board members to the presidency position for 12 months. Her current term will officially end at noon on December 4 this year. The Hong Kong native ruled out running for a third four-year term on the November 3 ballot. Because Li, as the incumbent, didn’t enter the race, the filing deadline to do so was extended to 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 12. As of Monday, only one candidate, Sara Barz, had entered the contest to succeed Li. Monday evening, in an emailed reply, Li told the Bay Area Reporter that, “As a big time transit fan (one might say that I’m “gay for transit”), it’s been an honor and privilege to be elected twice by San Francisco voters to serve on the BART board these past eight years. I’m proud to be leaving the BART board with customer satisfaction at all-time highs, ontime performance better than it’s been

Steven Underhill

Janice Li will not seek reelection to the BART district board.

in years, and a public transit system running new trains and with new fare gates across all 50 stations.” Gay BART Director Edward Wright, who was elected in 2024 to his District 9 seat that covers San Francisco’s eastern neighborhoods, has yet to respond to the B.A.R.’s request for comment about Li’s decision. Lesbian former BART board director Rebecca Saltzman, who served as president of the governing body while Li was vice president, told the B.A.R. that Li’s pending departure will be a loss for the transit agency. “I am sad about it. I think it is a loss to the BART board; she has been a really incredible leader for the agency,

and in representing riders and ensuring BART is providing the service for what riders need,” said Saltzman, a married mom who now is an elected El Cerrito city councilmember. “I understand her decision. It is an incredibly challenging job and time consuming to juggle with life and work.” Li’s election to her BART board seat in 2018 made her the first queer woman of color and the first Asian American woman on the nine-member body. She had been the only Asian member of one of the country’s three elected transit boards. That changed in 2024 with the election of Barnali Ghosh, who is of South Asian descent, to Salzman’s District 3 BART board seat spanning Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Last fall, Harpreet S. Sandhu, an Indian American, was appointed to fill a vacancy on the East Bay’s AC Transit board of directors and is unopposed on November’s ballot to serve out the remainder of his term. The other elected transit body is the Denver Regional Transportation District in Colorado, which currently has no Asian members. Li’s District 8 BART seat has full oversight of the system’s Balboa Park station. She shares jurisdiction with Wright over the Embarcadero, Montgomery Street, Powell Street, and Glen Park stations. Voters deciding Li’s successor live in the neighborhoods of North Beach, Chi-

natown, Ingleside, and the Marina, Richmond and Sunset districts. Neither Li nor Wright are listed among the local officials and leaders who have endorsed Barz’s candidacy, according to her campaign website at https://www.sarabarz.com/. LGBTQ leaders who have include gay electeds state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman; gay former BART Director Bevan Dufty; gay San Francisco Planning Commissioner Mike Chen; and queer lesbian mom Cyn Wang, who serves on the city’s Entertainment Commission. Barz, who lives with her husband Ian and their son Calvin in the Sunnyside neighborhood, is a former San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board member who co-founded nonprofit transit rider advocacy group Seamless Bay Area. Li told the B.A.R. that “Barz has a deep dedication to transit. She’s someone I’ve known for nearly a decade as a committed advocate for transit riders and San Francisco residents, and I’m grateful she’s stepped up to run for the BART board.” This year’s local transit board races coincide with voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties being asked to pass a Regional Transit Measure amid cuts in public funding for public transportation systems. The five-county sales tax will provide

long-term operational funding not just for BART and AC Transit but also Muni and Caltrain. The South Bay’s VTA system would also benefit from the funding. Over the coming months, Li told the B.A.R. she will be focused on helping to pass the regional tax measure. “Now it’s on voters to decide whether to keep this progress going and to fund BART and our transit systems across the Bay Area in November. My last hurrah will be to show voters that the right choice for San Francisco and Bay Area residents is a clear, resounding yes on the Regional Transit Measure,” she stated. An Inner Richmond resident, Li lives with her partner, Danielle Thoe, and their Muttville rescue dog, Whimsey. Thoe coowns women’s sports bar Rikki’s in San Francisco’s LGBTQ Castro neighborhood. In 2023, Li was fined by the San Francisco Ethics Commission nearly $5,300 for lobbying city officials on behalf of the SF Bicycle Coalition between 2017 and 2021 without registering as a lobbyist. During that time she served as the nonprofit’s advocacy director. Since 2022, Li has been employed as the director of the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice on behalf of organizations that primarily work with Asian American and Pacific Islander residents of San Francisco. She leads the coalition’s programs and AAPI community-based safety initiatives. t

SF 2018 murder house is ‘nightmare’ for neighbors by Ed Walsh

or the past eight years, the house at 228 Clara Street in San Francisco’s South of Market district has stood as a daily reminder to neighbors of one of the most gruesome crimes in the city’s history. Now it could be equally emblematic of something that impacts everyone in San Francisco: the snail’s pace to get anything built in the city. “It’s been a nightmare for me,” said Wilma Parker, 83, who has lived next door to the building since the 1970s. She said she first moved into her house around the same time that a gay man, Brian Egg, 65, moved into the Clara Street house. Egg’s rotting torso was found secreted in a fish tank in his home on August 17, 2018. He was likely killed weeks earlier. His head and hands were never found. The case remains unsolved. Since then, the house has been a magnet for squatters, graffiti, and trash. The property has been boarded up a number of times and the graffiti has also been painted over several times. The chain link fence that once led to the house’s

Ed Walsh

Neighbor Wilma Parker pointed to the boarded first floor window, painted over white, behind which Brian Egg’s body was secreted in a fish tank in 2018.

expansive back yard is now covered with boards that go higher up than the fence to deter squatters. Parker told the Bay Area Reporter that the recent higher boarding on the fence has been successful in keeping out squatters lately, but she noted the trash piled up in the yard next to her house and said she’s concerned about a fire. Over the years Parker has heard

on her roof squatters who apparently were stealing electricity, she said, from somewhere in the back of her and Egg’s property. City records show that the building has received 14 complaints since 2020, with the most recent received in February this year. That complaint stated, “Stolen property often being moved into this building, people living in it.” A complaint filed in May 2023 stated: “Abandoned run down single-family home located on two lots 226-228 Clara Street – Abandoned house causing nuisance to the community. Being squatted and trespassed on a regular basis day and night-constant noise from people going in/out all day long all night long. Constant garbage all over the street generating from the house – house does not have PG&E services. People inside burning things in the fireplace that stink the neighborhood. Number of rats increased significantly on the street.” Gay District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey told the B.A.R. that he was not aware of the issues of squatters and trash at the building but referred the paper to Alex Ludlum, a straight ally who is executive

director of the SOMA West Community Benefit District. Ludlum told the B.A.R. that he observed addicts squatting at the house about a year ago. “Whoever owns it now has put up a construction fence, so the yard is no longer visible from the street,” Ludlum replied in a text. City records show that the home was purchased for $1.5 million in 2019 by Sonoma resident Shahram Bijan. He did not return the B.A.R.’s emails or phone message but, in 2020, had told the B.A.R. that he bought the home with the intent to tear it down and was moving as quickly as possible through the city planning department to get approval for a new housing development on the site. He said the process may have been delayed even longer by the coronavirus pandemic. He said he was first made aware of the problem with squatters in early 2020. The owner said he’s tried everything, including boarding up the house and calling police but nothing worked. He finally decided to rent to two men in May 2020 at a low rate in exchange for the men keeping up the home. Those men have since vacated the building.

Property in default

The property was put up for sale in 2023 initially for $3 million before gradually being lowered to its current asking price of $1,349,00, or $151,000 less than what Bijan paid for the property seven years earlier. Bijan invested over $1 million into the property for plans and permits, according to the listing company, Sotheby’s International Realty. Sotheby’s listing against Callum C. Hutchins did not return the B.A.R.’s email requesting comment. City records show that the property’s owner owes $101,871.74 in back taxes and the property has been in default since July 1, 2023. The last tax payment for the property, in the amount of $10,489.12, was made in November 2022. The listing notes the plans to replace the building with a condo complex, stating that the building is a “shovel-ready” fully entitled nine condo development with eight two-bedroom market rate units and one below market rate onebedroom apartment. See page 8 >>

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Community News>>

August 13-19, 2026 • Bay Area Repor ter • 7

Leather leaders launch effort for memorial AIDS boulder compiled by Cynthia Laird

wo longtime San Francisco leather community leaders are co-chairing a fundraising effort for a memorial boulder at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The boulder would acknowledge the global leather community’s safer sex education campaigns and other work during the height of the epidemic, according to the fundraising description. The fundraising effort, called the “Stone That Remembers” campaign, is a project of the AIDS grove. The webpage noted that the leather community worked alongside the drag philanthropic group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and other early responders in getting the word out about HIV prevention. The Sisters already have a similar boulder in the grove. “Long before public health agencies found their footing, the leather community was already doing the work – helping to write and promote some of the first safer-sex guidelines, building peer-education networks bar by bar and club by club, and refusing to let fear extinguish connection,” the leather fundraising page stated. Race Bannon, a gay man and former leather columnist for the Bay Area Reporter, and Aaron Furtado Baldwin, a gay leatherman, are cochairs for the project. Bannon said that Baldwin came up with the idea and a news release stated he was instrumental with the Sisters’ boulder. It’s estimated that it will cost $15,000 to source, inscribe, and install a granite boulder. “To the best of my knowledge, there is no permanent AIDS memorial anywhere in the world for the leather community,” Bannon stated to the B.A.R. “Since the leather community was among the first to mobilize at the start of the epidemic and they continued with fundraising, creating and distributing safer sex guidelines, and educating people on erotic practices that could keep them safe, it feels important there will be someplace in the world people can visit to remember those lost, those living with HIV, and those who still do important work to this day.” The leather community memorial boulder will be cut from Sierra granite, the same enduring material used throughout the grove, designed to stand for generations in a living memorial that already holds the names of tens of thousands lost to AIDS, the announcement stated. “We hope that leather people and allies worldwide see this memorial boulder as a way to honor every leather person they know who died of AIDS, had a partner or loved one die of AIDS, and every leather person who rose to the challenge of taking care of the sick or protecting their community,” Bannon and Furtado Baldwin wrote. If the initial phase of the project is successful, excess funds will go toward the creation of two other boulders, one for caregivers and one for activists, the announcement stated. The AIDS grove first recognized the leather community with its Thom Weyand Unsung Hero Award on World AIDS Day in 2015. Weyand

Courtesy NAMG

Race Bannon, left, and Aaron Furtado Baldwin are co-chairing a campaign to raise funds for a boulder to commemorate the global leather community at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco.

once served as the grove’s executive director and died in 2014 of acute leukemia. The grove also featured the leather community in its inaugural “Surviving Voices” AIDS oral history short documentary series. As of Tuesday, August 11, almost $8,300 has been raised for the boulder project. To donate and for more information, visit https://tinyurl. com/38sxd8rx

Courtesy Tenderloin Museum

The Tenderloin Museum is raising funds for repairs after it suffered significant water intrusion in late June.

Flood prompts Tenderloin Museum fundraiser

The small Tenderloin Museum has launched an online fundraising drive to help it reopen after suffering flood damage in late June during Pride weekend. The museum, located at 398 Eddy Street, remains closed for now, a news release stated. Katie Conry, a straight ally who is the museum’s executive director, stated that the incident occurred Sunday, June 27, which coincided with the annual San Francisco Pride parade. The water intrusion originated in the residential portion of the Cadillac Hotel above the museum’s ground floor space, forcing the physical museum to close, a news release stated. Conry said the museum is asking neighbors, members, and longtime supporters to help cover uninsured costs, operational losses, and long-term water mitigation improvements beyond the scope of the basic insurance-funded restoration. The campaign aims to raise $150,000, the release stated. As of Tuesday, August 11, just over $5,700 had been raised, according to the fundraising page. The damage affected the museum’s lobby and portions of the main exhibition space. Initial assessments have shown the repairs to be far more ex-

tensive than first anticipated, the release noted. The museum’s public programming continues at other sites, according to officials. “The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot,” an immersive play about the August 1966 drag and transgender uprising at the former diner, remains running at 835 Larkin Street, where it has been for more than a year. The museum’s Saturday walking tours will continue their regular schedule. “This museum has always belonged to the neighborhood it serves, built by volunteers, donors, and neighbors who believed its stories mattered,” Conry stated. “Water damage forced us to close our doors, but it did not touch what this institution stands for. ... Our doors are closed, but our work doesn’t stop.” To make a donation, visit givebutter.com/rebuild-tenderloin-museum.

Books Not Bans to hold SF events

Books Not Bans has two benefit events coming up in San Francisco. On Saturday, August 15, at 12:30 p.m., the Roxie Theater, 3125 16th Street, partners with Books Not Bans

for a screening of the 1967 camp classic “Valley of the Dolls.” This is billed as an interactive viewing party in celebration of female friendship, show business, and “all the drama you can handle,” a news release stated. Local burlesque legend Sgt. Die Wies will provide preshow entertainment. Fabulosa Books will be on hand to sell books. Tickets are $16.62 for general admission and can be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/3v6327er. On Thursday, August 20, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the InterContinental Hotel, 888 Howard Street, Books Not Bans will be at the Luce Literary Society for a program “Poetry by Audre Lorde with Cocktails.” The late Lorde, a self-described Black lesbian mother, warrior, and poet, dedicated her life and creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia, the release noted. She died in 1992 at the age of 58. Tickets are $28.52 and include a copy of “The Selected Works of Audre Lorde,” edited by Roxane Gay. Books are provided by Fabulosa Books, in partnership with Books Not Bans. Custom crafted cocktails and chefcurated dishes will be available for purchase. For tickets, visit https://tinyurl. com/2t9n6vd5. Books Not Bans noted that it has sent 2,800 books by and about LGBTQ people to grassroots organizations in 17 different states.

SF assessor holds financial event

San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Joaquín Torres will host the 2026 Family Wealth Conference Saturday, August 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at City College of San Francisco, Harry Britt Building, 55 Frida Kahlo Way.

The event is billed as a one-stop shop for San Franciscans looking for free and credible resources to help them build wealth and stay in the city they call home. “Achieving financial security begins with access, and for too long, the resources that can really make a difference in your life are out of reach,” Torres, a straight ally, stated in a news release. “Whether you’re trying to pay for your education, save for retirement, maintain your home, or plan for the next generation, there are steps you can take to help secure your future, no matter your stage of life or income level.” Program highlights include estate planning in depth, which is part of the assessor-recorder’s Estate Planning Program that provides city residents with free or low-cost estate plans. There will be remarks from MyPath CEO Margaret Libby on economic mobility and financial empowerment for youth from communities historically excluded from financial access. And there will be a panel on the financial reality for women heading households featuring speakers from the Commission on the Status of Women and the SF Economic Justice Center at the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office. Other highlights include one-on-one appointments, at no cost, referrals to financial counselors from the treasurer’s office and the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, and a resource fair covering tenant protections, first-time homebuyer programs, scam prevention, affordable housing connections, personal finance, and pro-bono legal services. There is no cost to attend. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/b7e5spbn. t

Construction Impacts to the Broadway Tunnel Beginning August 17, 2026, the Broadway tunnel will be open with reduced capacity through fall 2027 to accommodate construction for the renovation of the Chinatown Public Health Center. During this time, drivers using the tunnel should expect delays during peak travel hours and should consider alternate routes. Please continue to check for updated signage in the area.

What to expect: • Full tunnel closure for one day only on Aug. 16 • Tunnel partially closed, Aug. 17 through fall 2027 • Reduced travel lanes • Added travel time

Obituaries >> Jesse Lee March 15, 1982 – August 3, 2026 Longtime Castro resident Jesse Lee died of pancreatic cancer August 3, 2026, at the Henry Ford Hospice Home in Jackson, Michigan, surrounded by loving family, both biological and chosen. He was 44. Jesse moved to San Francisco from Detroit when he was 19. Like a character from “Tales of the City,” he showed up with $200 in his pocket and the phone number of fam-

ily friends who said he could couch surf for a while. He worked at many retail shops in the Castro, including All American Boy, where he was a popular icon who always had a funny story, a crazy dance, or a plan for a fun evening that he wanted you to join in on. He loved “Charmed,” “Buffy,” Warakubune’s kani salad, the #24 at Tu Lan, and Pokies from Hot Cookie. He went skydiving, did the Truffle Shuffle, mud wrestled at the Eagle, danced at Faith and Universe, and would always be up for “doing a fruit loop” through the Castro whenever anyone asked. He’s survived by both his parents, two sisters, many nieces and nephews, a large army of friends, his two “gay aunties” Brian Kusler and Kelly Hawk, and his beloved dog, Bella.

We know this is a key route for many of you, and we appreciate your patience while the City makes these community-serving improvements. Construction impacts and dates are subject to change. For regular traffic updates related to this project, visit

SFMTA.com/GoChinatown 311 Free language assistance / 免費語言協助 / Ayuda gratis con el idioma / Бесплатная помощь переводчиков / Trợ giúp Thông dịch Miễn phí / Assistance linguistique gratuite / 無料の言語支援 / Libreng tulong para sa wikang Filipino / 무료 언어 지원

<< Community News

8 • Bay Area Repor ter • August 13-19, 2026

Trans history month

From page 1

Martin Community Health Services, the Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project, and Trans: Thrive. Mahogany, a Black queer trans person, pointed out that San Francisco organizations themselves, such as the drag nun philanthropic group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and the Imperial Court System, and neighborhoods like the Tenderloin are steeped in trans history. “These histories are the stories of our people, and they had to fight hard to get us many of the rights we enjoy today, which is why it’s so important that we not let anyone take those rights away from us,” Mahogany said. The Office of Transgender Initiatives’ Transgender Advisory Committee has worked with trans-led organizations across the city, including the Transgender District, to ensure ongoing services and programs for trans and gender-nonconforming individuals, Mahogany said. Carlo Gómez Arteaga, a trans man and co-executive director of the Transgender District, was among the ceremony attendees. “The District is grateful for the continued outpouring of support from the community during Transgender History Month,” he shared with the B.A.R. “At a time when trans people are under constant and heightened attack, we invite folks to show their solidarity by joining us at the District’s upcoming offerings that will honor this month and the 60th anniversary of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots.” Angel Fabian, executive director of Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits, had attended the ceremony in previous years and expressed that he was glad to be there again. “What I appreciated about today’s program is the historical underpinnings of our communities and how we have been fighting back against oppressive forces,” said Fabian, who is Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer. He noted that gender-nonconforming individuals have always existed in Indigenous communities and beyond. BAAITS, founded in 1999 and with a long history of its own, offers a supportive space for Two-Spirit people, including annual events such as the BAAITS Two-Spirit Powwow that celebrate Indigiqueer identities and draw thousands of participants. Fabian acknowledged the difficult climate facing the trans community today, but said gender-nonconforming people

Chatbot

From page 2

The B.A.R. reached out to both campaigns for some clarifications on their positions vis a vis AI. The B.A.R. asked the Chan campaign about Wiener’s failed and successful legislation in this area, if she supports an AI data center proposed for near the Cow Palace, and if she supports a ban or moratorium on AI data centers such as those that’ve passed in Monterey Park in Los Angeles County or in New York state. Chan campaign spokesperson Ian Krager stated, “Connie is fighting for a national moratorium on data centers, a seat at the table for workers and unions, strong protections against AI-driven job displacement and surveillance, and real

Murder house

From page 6

In response to a complaint received in 2022, the city file included this quote from an email the building’s owner sent in response to the complaint, “I completely boarded up and fenced up the building 1 month ago and sent pictures. No matter how many times we secure the house (6 times so far) they find a way to break in. Please help expedite our demo permit so we can take the building down.” The property’s current real estate listing states it was “permitted for demolition,” but when asked about the status of the building’s demolition permit, Plan-

Megan Rohrer, Ph.D., a transgender man, writer, and the policy director at Compass Family Services in San Francisco, offered the audience a narrative about the months and circumstances that led up to the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot and the people who were involved.

Rohrer published a photo book last year on the history of the Tenderloin. https:// www.ebar.com/story/157294 “We tell stories in August because it reminds us of this riot that is so close to our hearts. We tell these stories any time the sanctity of Turk and Taylor Street is not a safe haven for those who tell these stories out in the open,” he said to the crowd. Rohrer noted that it’s important to both listen to the stories of elders and share one’s own stories, as doing so can save lives and change policy. “Communal conversations about trans history can shape minds and hearts in ways that debates cannot. Sharing stories of our strength and collective struggles helps trans people weather chaotic federal policies that seek to eradicate trans life and community,” Rohrer wrote in an email to the B.A.R. following the ceremony. “Our elders remind us how far we have come, younger generations help us recommit to the ongoing work ahead and the festivities remind us to celebrate trans joy every day in between. San Francisco’s trans community is bold, brilliant and committed to building the bridges needed to secure jobs, health care and safety for all of our trans kin,” he continued. “The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot” immersive play (https://www.tenderloinmuseum.org/the-comptons-cafeteriariot-play?utm_source=chatgpt.com), produced by the Tenderloin Museum, received a Certificate of Honor at the ceremony. The play, written by Mark Nassar, Collette LeGrande, and Donna Personna, is set in a diner and is inspired by the 1966 uprising. “History matters; it connects the present with the past and helps shape the future. And what we choose to remember matters, and what gets sidelined and forgotten matters just as much,” Katie Conry, a straight ally who is executive director of the Tenderloin Museum, said to the audience. Conry pointed to the long omission of the Compton’s Cafeteria riot from mainstream history and its renewed relevance amid current efforts to limit trans visibility in public life and culture. “This community is not going to be erased,” Conry said. “This is San Francisco history. This is our history, and the play is a living monument to that history.” She credited trans historian Susan Stryker, Ph.D., activists, artists, and community members with keeping the story alive and restoring the Tenderloin and San Francisco’s place in LGBTQ history – and the trans community’s role at the vanguard of that movement.

The Tenderloin Museum, she said, tells the neighborhood’s history in partnership with the people who live and work there. “The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot” play, which the museum began producing in 2016, grew out of that mission. The production now has its own dedicated venue at 835 Larkin Street and has drawn thousands of people. The predominantly trans cast and crew have been paid more than $300,000 over the years, Conry said, bringing visibility and economic opportunity to the community. The production, with shows Friday and Saturday nights, is now San Francisco’s longestrunning play. “This production is more than a play,” Conry said. “It’s about the power of community and the power of history.” Personna, a trans woman, activist, and drag performer, described her presence in the Tenderloin among trans women, and specifically at Gene Compton’s Cafeteria at the time of the uprising, as more than a coincidence. “I believe in magic, and I was magically sent there to witness something that was history in the making,” she said, noting that she now thrives in retelling the stories of the past. Personna, who will soon turn 80, said she has managed to live a wonderful life, and she wants the same for others. “Civil rights, human rights, legal rights gained by a demographic that needs [them] is the best way to secure these rights, and in this case, these women got the rights that they wanted. So, in other words, nobody gave us anything; we earned it,” she said. The ceremony included an excerpt from the play performed by cast member Wendy Sorrells, a trans woman who plays Vicki, a narrator in the production. At the reception that followed, Sorrells, who lives in the Tenderloin, showed the B.A.R. a photograph she had taken of a Pride flag hanging outside St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, visible from her apartment window. Seeing Pride flags raised over San Francisco, including the trans flag that was raised at City Hall during the program last week, represents the resilience of a community that has had to create its own path forward, she said. For Sorrells, that resonates with the history at the heart of “The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.” “This play tells a story, and it’s the story of people when there really wasn’t a lot of hope. They had to build it,” she said. t

accountability for the companies building this technology.” He also criticized both of Wiener’s bills. “Scott Wiener’s watered-down bills may have passed in Sacramento, but we need to do more in Washington,” he stated. “Connie Chan’s Working People’s Plan puts consumers, workers, and builders – not Big Tech – at the center of the AI revolution.” After Wiener announced the chatbot was coming down, Krager stated, “Scott Wiener can rightly take down his bigotry bot, but he can’t erase the concerns it raised among San Franciscans about his character and judgment.” Krager added, “San Franciscans deserve better,” saying Wiener weaponized AI “to mock an immigrant woman of

color, doubling down after justified outrage, then reversing course and shrugging it off as simply ‘missing the mark.’” The B.A.R. didn’t immediately hear back from Wiener and his spokesperson in response to inquiries about his AI stances. Wiener’s website does include a lengthy tech plan that discusses data centers, which states that if Wiener is elected he will work for, “Federal standards to ensure that ratepayers pay not one dime more for electricity or water because of AI data centers, an additional fee assessed on new data centers to fund investments in transmission capacity. … Streamlined approvals for data centers powered by clean energy, such as through microgrids, requirements that AI companies partner with utilities to

provide low-cost access to their models for grid expansion modeling and interconnection agreements, helping eliminate a major obstacle to transmission expansion [and will] ensure data centers are maximizing use of recycled water, in order to draw less from our alreadystrained water system.” The website continues that Wiener will “combat AI-powered misinformation and deepfakes with enforceable federal standards.” “AI-generated disinformation is already distorting elections, non-consensual deepfake imagery is weaponized daily against women and girls, and synthetic media is eroding the basic shared reality that democracy depends on,” Wiener’s website states. “Congress has passed one narrow deepfake law.

Scott will push for a comprehensive federal framework covering disclosure requirements for AI-generated political content, real civil and criminal penalties for weaponized deepfakes, and platform accountability for the amplification of synthetic disinformation.” Wiener supports a “generational investment in public AI infrastructure,” the website states.“Scott will revive the National AI Research Resource and building on CalCompute (a publicly owned AI compute cluster created by Scott’s AI legislation), giving startups, universities, and public interest researchers the resources to build AI that benefits everyone – breaking Big Tech’s stranglehold on the computing power that determines who gets to compete in this industry,” the website continued. t

ning Department and Department of Building Inspection spokesman Patrick Hannan told the B.A.R., “The permit application was approved in 2023 but the property owner still needs to provide additional documentation and pay their fees to get the demolition or building permits issued.” Neighbor Nicholas DiPastena circulated an online petition in 2022 asking for an emergency demolition permit for the house. The petition stated in part, “While Mr. Bijan has been timely and diligent in pursuing the appropriate permits to demolish and construct the new structure, the city has been slow to issue a demolition permit. “Over the past two years, the residents

of Clara Street have grown increasingly frustrated with the numerous break-ins, squatters, drug use, and general crime that have happened at the property,” the petition stated. “Mr. Bijan has boarded up the property many times, but people keep returning to the property to rip down the boards, break the locks, and deface the building. I’ve personally witnessed open drug use, property crime, domestic violence, animal abuse, unmanaged fires, fighting, and an unattended child. These are well documented with the police but unfortunately, they’re limited in their resources and ability to directly fix the problem.” As she surveyed the trash in her former neighbor’s home, Parker told the

B.A.R. this summer that Egg would be horrified to see the condition of it now. She noted that he planted the now-large trees that have grown up around the property. Parker pointed to the room next to Egg’s garage where the fish tank was hidden. The tank was filled with caustic chemicals in an apparent effort to speed the decomposition of Egg’s body. The room’s window had since been boarded up and painted over white. The staircase leading to the second floor living area of the house had been removed. Parker said that was likely done by the owner to deter squatters. Parker theorizes that Egg was likely

killed by one of the transients that he let stay in his home. She believes that Egg was likely killed in a fight by someone who didn’t intend to kill him but tried to cover up his killing because they didn’t want to be implicated for murder. While Parker spoke very fondly of Egg, she noted that he could at times be difficult to get along with. She said Egg may have resented her because he wanted to buy her home so he would have a bigger lot. She said that Egg once told her that some people didn’t like him because he was gay. “I told him there were a lot of other reasons for people to not like you besides being gay,” Parker recalled. t

have endured challenging periods before and have long been at the forefront of social movements. “What is going to be important is to continue in that legacy and know that we stand on the shoulders of giants and folks that fought back. Maybe the results were not seen immediately, but that laid the foundations for the generations to come, and so I think that right now, especially with all the attacks against gender non-conforming folks, trans folks, nonbinary folks, we need to continue laying the foundation for the next generations for them to know that they they’re loved, that they matter, and that we will do everything that we can on our end to ensure that their safety and their lives are celebrated,” he added. Lurie noted the city’s LGBTQ legacy and the lasting impact of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot. “[Sixty] years later, we know there is so much more work remaining to do, and we are committed to that fight. Last month, we welcomed leaders of the trans community to City Hall to begin conversations about how we can double down on keeping transgender residents safe while ensuring they can peacefully march, organize and make their voices heard,” he said. Leaders of the Trans March delivered a letter to Lurie July 13, alleging police used disproportionate force against marchers during the June event, as previously reported by the B.A.R. Lurie referenced the issue in his remarks. “Our city is not safe if trans San Franciscans don’t feel safe. I am proud that as a result of that initial conversation, we are working to revise and amend the cultural competency training for city employees, so we can make sure that every resident is treated with dignity and respect while interacting with city government,” Lurie said. “[W]hile so much progress has been made, it does feel like we still have such a long way to go. I look forward to continuing our partnership with Trans March and community leaders so that every transgender San Franciscan feels safe, heard and supported,” he continued.

Report shows national anti-trans efforts

A report released last week by A Better Balance, the Local Solutions Support Center, and the Equality Federation found that more than 200 bills targeting local LGBTQ rights have been introduced in 48 states over the past two years. The report, “Preempting LGBTQ+ Rights,” documents a growing effort by state lawmakers to prevent

cities and counties from adopting or enforcing their own LGBTQ protections. More than 90% of the bills tracked specifically target transgender and nonbinary people, while 69% target youth. The report also points to efforts to restrict LGBTQ visibility in public life, including proposals to prohibit Pride flags on government property, limit drag performances and restrict access to LGBTQ-inclusive library materials. Lurie noted that during a time when transgender people across the country are living in fear and having their rights stripped away, San Francisco “proudly stands with our transgender community” and invests in organizations that support trans residents. “Today, as we proudly raise the transgender flag over City Hall on the 60th anniversary of the Compton’s Cafeteria riot, we celebrate leaders who continue to strengthen our city and we reaffirm that San Francisco will always, always be a place where people can live openly and with dignity,” he said. Lurie presented a proclamation from the City and County of San Francisco declaring August as Transgender History Month to Cecilia Chung, one of the founding organizers of the San Francisco Trans March, which began in 2004. Chung is the first transgender person and the first person living with HIV to chair the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, which she did in 2008. She is the director of evaluation and strategic initiatives at the Transgender Law Center. Chung also served on the city’s Health Commission for many years. “It’s cities like San Francisco that give us hope that they [institutions] will see us, they will hear us, and they will welcome us, and that’s why we started the Trans March,” Chung told the crowd. She said that while there are still some “hiccups” to address, such as what transpired at this year’s Trans March, San Francisco has been, and continues to be, a city that offers resources and policies for trans people unlike anywhere else in the United States. “We want to make sure that the world can see what San Francisco is doing for our community. … and I hope that what we do can resonate with the rest of the country,” Chung said.

Compton’s history

t <<

Pride 2026 >>

Oakland Pride

From page 1

simultaneously moved the celebration from the traditional date of the Sunday after Labor Day to August 16. It was a homecoming in a way for Oakland Pride – Joe Hawkins, a gay Black man who is the center’s CEO and executive director, co-founded and led Oakland Pride in the mid-2000s after the old East Bay Pride held its final celebration in 2003. “Oakland Pride has always been more than a festival. It is a celebration of our resilience, our diversity, and our collective power,” Hawkins stated. “As Pride enters this new chapter as a program of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, we’re excited to build on decades of history while investing in the future of LGBTQIA+ people throughout Oakland and the Bay Area through year around programming here at the LGBTQ Center.” When Oakland Pride imploded in 2021 due to monetary and leadership challenges, the LGBTQ center stepped in as fiscal sponsor for the alternative Pridefest held that year. As the B.A.R. reported at the time, , emails it obtained revealed the disarray at Oakland Pride. In 2022, both Pridefest and Oakland Pride occurred on adjacent weekends. By 2023, the two organizations had unified under the auspices of Oakland Pride, with the LGBTQ center now the sole agency overseeing the parade and festival. Former Oakland Pride board president George Smith III didn’t respond to a request to comment for this report. Earlier this year he had told the B.A.R. the merging of the Pride celebration with the center was “inevitable.” “When I took over as president of the board for Oakland Pride … it was a mess,” he stated. “Improper use of credit cards from years prior to my joining the board badly damaged Oakland Pride’s ability to access any lines of credit, making it difficult to produce Pride without using credit support from the center.

Bringing Pride fully under the center, it will finally have the financial and operational infrastructure it needs to thrive.”

Power in people

August 13-19, 2026 • Bay Area Repor ter • 9

impactful for our community. We invite businesses and organizations who share our values to join us in making this year’s celebration our strongest yet.”

This year’s theme – “Celebrating Pride, Power and People” – reflects The Town’s long history of progressive activism, and its reputation as a bastion of diversity, culture, and celebration, the center states in a news release. Among the sponsors are Kaiser Permanente and Gilead Sciences Inc. A Kaiser spokesperson spoke to this year’s theme. Kaiser, headquartered in Oakland, paused gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19 last year, as the B.A.R. reported. “This year’s theme, ‘Celebrating Pride, Power, and People,’ honors Oakland’s legacy of activism and the strength of a community that continues to organize, uplift, and celebrate one another in the face of ongoing challenges,” the spokesperson stated. Jane Stafford, the executive director of Gilead Sciences, Inc., said the AIDS drug manufacturer is proud to be involved. “Gilead is proud to sponsor Oakland Pride reflecting our long-standing commitment to the Oakland community and our belief that scientific innovation, health equity, and community partnership go hand in hand,” Stafford stated. “Oakland Pride provides an important opportunity to celebrate LGBTQ+ voices, support HIV awareness and prevention, and work alongside local organizations that are creating meaningful change. Together, we can continue building healthier, more inclusive communities for everyone.” Hwang thanked the sponsors for participating. “This year’s festival would not be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors, partners, and community members who believe in Oakland Pride’s mission,” Hwang stated. “Their investment helps us create a safe, welcoming, and world-class event while ensuring that Pride remains accessible and

Festival stages

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560816 Petitioner STEVEN ALEJANDRO DARCE SANCHEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name STEVEN ALEJANDRO DARCE SANCHEZ to proposed name STEVEN ALEJANDRO PEREZ SANCHEZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 03, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026

JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2026-0409802 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): AGRICULTURE CAPITAL, 425 MARKET ST #975, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): ACM MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/14/2017. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/02/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026

The festival will feature a main stage, a Latin stage, and a house music stage, according to the center. “Of course, all our stages are incredibly exciting,” Harami said. “Having two Grammy-nominated artists at Pride this year is going to be pretty incredible.” The main stage will see a performance by Amerie, a straight longtime ally best known for her 2005 single “1 Thing.” She received 2006 Grammy noms for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album. The Latin stage will see Fey, one of the best-selling Mexican artists of the 1990s. Fey, who is also a straight longtime ally, was honored with a GLAAD Media Award in 2006, and received a Latin Grammy nomination the year before in the best female pop vocal album category for her sixth studio album, “La Fuerza del Destino.” The Latin stage is being produced by Club Papi and Que Rico Productions. Valentino Carrillo, a gay man who owns the Que Rico (381 15th Street) and Next Level (341 13th Street) nightclubs in Oakland, is also being fêted as one of this year’s grand marshals. “I am excited this year to participate in Oakland Pride as a grand marshal,” stated Carrillo. ”I’ve been part of Oakland Pride, producing and co-producing the Latin Stage since the beginning about 16 years now, so it feels great to get some recognition for some of the hard work I have done not only with Oakland Pride, but as a small business owner with 2 LGBTQ+ venues in Oakland.” Carrillo teased events at his venues: Muevelo Pride Fiesta with go-go dancers at Que Rico Friday, August 14; Papi Pride with Club Papi hosted by Venezuelan reggaeton singer La Cruz at Next Level Saturday, August 15; and Pride after Dark

on 15th Street between Franklin and Webster streets on Sunday, August 16. “My contingent as grand marshal will feature a lowrider with me inside as well as DJ Krazy, who is one of our regular deejays, and marching with us are drag performers, international influencers, and our Papi go-go dancers,” he stated. “I tried getting some horses as well, but not enough time, lol. Basically, in the contingent, I wanted to feature a little bit of everything that represents the clubs, as well as Latin America.” Asked about events at his Fluid510 (1544 Broadway) bar, gay co-owner Sean Sullivan echoed his earlier criticism about Oakland Pride’s move to August when a lot of locals leave the Bay Area for vacation. Nonetheless, the LGBTQ venue has seven days of events lined up. “Most Bay Area residents aren’t aware that Oakland is celebrating Pride this weekend, so Fluid510 is giving them a full week of fun to celebrate,” Sullivan stated, kicking off with drag bingo Thursday, August 13. The GoodVBZ “Hella Pride Party” is Friday, August 14; the Out and Excellent weekend’s Erica Mason concert takes place Saturday, August 15; while Drag Brunch with ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’s’ Heidi N Closet is Sunday, August 16, with seatings at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. As of press time, some tickets were still available on Eventbrite. Boom Boom’s Pride Pop Party is also August 16, starting at 6 p.m. A Kamaiyah afterparty will take place Thursday, August 20, Sullivan noted. The East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club will be holding its annual Pride breakfast at Fluid510 at 8 a.m. August 16, as the B.A.R. previously reported, honoring state Senator Aisha Wahab, a Democrat who faces a runoff race for the House seat vacated by disgraced former congressmember Eric Swalwell later next week.

Grand marshals

Rounding out the Pride parade grand marshals are Ryan LaMarche, a member of the LGBTQ center’s Town Youth Club;

Monica Mosby, founding executive director of the defunct SMAAC Youth Center; DJ LadyRyan; and queer Oakland City Councilmember Rowena Brown. (Brown is recovering from injuries after an alleged attack by an acquaintance, Ahshatae Millhouse, who will appear in court again the morning after Oakland Pride. Millhouse pleaded not guilty July 31.) Other grand marshals include Town Bar and Lounge owner Joshua Huynh; Beatrix LaHaine and Mama Celeste, representing Oaklash; the Reverend Kevin Mann, a Unitarian minister marching with the multi-faith contingent; and the former Oakland Pride board. Celeste and Huynh returned the B.A.R.’s inquiry seeking comment. “Beatrix and I are so honored to represent Oaklash as the community grand marshals of Oakland Pride this year,” Celeste stated. “For a decade now, we’ve been working tirelessly to create safer spaces, bigger stages, and better opportunities for queer and trans artists here in Oakland. Drag is the most important art form of this current historical moment – this is only further proven by how much backlash there has been against the message we as drag artists are here to share about the freedom of expression and liberation from all forms of oppression!” Huynh added, “I’m truly honored to be one of the grand marshals. I was not expecting it. For the community I care about so deeply to want to acknowledge my contributions to it is a beautiful feeling. There is a lot to celebrate this pride. We are still here and we aren’t going anywhere!” The grand marshal selections are “always very intentional,” noted Harami. “We select people that are leaders, entrepreneurs, artists that are from Oakland or have been in Oakland a long time, that’ve been really impactful to the LGBT community and to the Oakland community as a whole.” Added Hwang, “This is all about the impact individuals have had, and how incredible it is to have these leaders in our community.” t

Legals>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560803 Petitioner DILLON JOSEPH PALMER AKA DILLON JOSEPH BELL filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name DILLON JOSEPH PALMER AKA DILLON JOSEPH BELL to proposed name DILLON JOSEPH BELL. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: AUGUST 25, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560797 Petitioner LE HA TRAN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name LE HA TRAN to proposed name HA L TRAN. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: AUGUST 18, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560819 Petitioner ANNALISE ROSA VELAZQUEZ NJISSANG filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ANNALISE ROSA VELAZQUEZ NJISSANG to proposed name ANNALISE ROSA VELAZQUEZ PONTIFLET. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 01, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560818 Petitioner ERIKA MELENDEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ERIKA MELENDEZ to proposed name ERIKA LOPEZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 03, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560798 Petitioner LE HUY TRAN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name LE HUY TRAN to proposed name HUY L TRAN. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: AUGUST 25, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409863 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): WIREUP INTEGRATION, 1151 RINGWOOD CT #80, SAN JOSE, CA 945131. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): LC NETWORKS INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/10/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/10/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409846 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): V & ASSOCIATES, 142 APTOS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): LIANA SPANO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/08/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409879 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): APOSTILLE SAN FRANCISCO, 416 BRYANT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): DANTE TINDAL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/07/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/14/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409835 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ESMERALDA JANITORIAL SERVICE, 531 PARIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): LAURA OLIVARES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/07/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/07/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409836 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): KEI GROUP, 891 BEACH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): KEVIN CHIAO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/07/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409911 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): FLOWER HOUSE SF, 828 INNES AVE #111, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): AZHARA OSBORNE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/20/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409885 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): HAIGHT STREET DENTAL, 786 HAIGHT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): CALVIN GEE DDS DENTAL CORP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/14/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/15/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409907 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LET EVERYONE IN, 2510 33RD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): STEADFAST ACCESSIBILITY LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/20/2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409912 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): JAYME RODERICK; JAYME RODERICK COACHING, 382 NOE ST, SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): THE COLORFUL HEART, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/29/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/20/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409854 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SF CROWN CLEANERS, 1539 CHURCH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): DHOBI LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/09/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409611 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): GR MODS, 1040 CAROLINA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): HOLBROOK ENTERPRISES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/17/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/11/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE 2024-0402596 The following has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as DECANT SF, 1168 FOLSOM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by DECANT SF, LLC (CA). The fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/15/2024. The abandonment of fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/16/2026. JULY 23, 30, AUG 06, 13, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560801 Petitioner NAIMA WASHINGTON filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name SHAMAR LEE ROBINSON JR. to proposed name NY’ZHERE JUNIOR LEE PEARSON. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: AUGUST 25, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560827 Petitioner ELIZABETH ANN PORTER filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ELIZABETH ANN PORTER to proposed name ELIZABETH ANN BOTTOMLEY. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 03, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560825 Petitioner MARK KAZUYA OGO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MARK KAZUYA OGO to proposed name MARCO OGO. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 03, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560828 Petitioner SHEILA ILEANA NICKOLOPOULOS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name SHEILA ILEANA NICKOLOPOULOS to proposed name SHEILA ILEANA GREGORIUS. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be

heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 03, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560834 Petitioner JULIO ANTONIO SANCHEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name JULIO ANTONIO SANCHEZ AKA JULIO A. SANCHEZ AKA JULIO ANTONIO SANCHEZ OLMEDO AKA JULIO A SANCHEZ OLMEDO AKA JULIO SANCHEZ to proposed name JULIO ANTONIO SANCHEZ-OLMEDO. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 08, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO Community Outreach Public Notice Prepared by The Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors Pursuant to Administrative Code, Section 2.81

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO Community Outreach Public Notice CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO Prepared by The Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors Pursuant to Administrative Code, Section 2.81

Community Outreach Public Notice

Prepared by The Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

San Francisco Board of Supervisors or Commission Vacancies: Pursuant to Board Administrative Code, Section 2.81 Participate on a Board or Commission! Sunshine Ordinance Task Force (SOTF) The SOTF is currently looking for interested individuals to serve! They work to make sure operations and decisions in San Francisco government are kept transparent and public. Vacant Seats: Seat 1 - Must be nominated by the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and be an attorney. Seat 2 - Must be nominated by the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and be a journalist. Seat 3 - Must be a member from the press or electronic media. Seat 5 - Must be nominated by the local chapter of the League of Women Voters. Seat 6 - Must be a member of the public experienced in consumer advocacy. Seat 7 - Must be a member of the public experienced in consumer advocacy. Seat 8 - Must have demonstrated interest in, or have experience in, the issues of citizen access and participation in local government. Seat 9 - Must have demonstrated interest in, or have experience in, the issues of citizen access and participation in local government. Seat 10 - Must have demonstrated interest in, or have experience in, the issues of citizen access and participation in local government. The Assessment Appeals Board (AAB) The AAB resolves legal and value assessment issues between the Assessor’s office and property owners. Hearings are quasi-judicial, conducted in a manner similar to a court setting, with evidence and testimony presented by the parties. The Board then evaluates the evidence and testimony and renders its decision. To be eligible for seat appointment, you must have a minimum of five years professional experience in California as either a: (1) public accountant; (2) real estate broker; (3) attorney; or (4) property appraiser accredited by a nationally recognized organization, or certified by either the Office of Real Estate Appraiser or the State Board of Equalization. For a full list of current or upcoming Boards, Commissions and Task Forces, please visit https://sfbos.org/vacancyboards-commissions-task-forces. Want to work for the City? Visit the website https://careers.sf.gov/ and find a job that’s right for you! Department Announcements Fire Department Lithium-Ion Batteries: Power Your Devices Safely Lithium-ion batteries power many everyday items such as smartphones, laptops, e-bikes, scooters, toys, and smoke alarms. While convenient, these batteries store a large amount of energy and can overheat, catch fire, or explode if damaged or used improperly. Protect Your Home with These Safety Tips: •Buy Smart: Choose devices and batteries tested by a nationally recognized safety laboratory. •Charge Safely: Use the charger designed for your device. Never charge batteries on beds, couches, or under pillows. •Watch for Warning Signs: Stop using batteries that become hot, change shape, leak, or make unusual noises. •Recycle Responsibly: Never throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash. Take them to a certified battery recycling location. •If a battery overheats or catches fire, move away and call 9-1-1. San Francisco Fire Department Protecting lives through presence, prevention, preparedness, and public safety. Human Rights Commission The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is the City’s charter agency for civil rights enforcement and provides a number of services to the public (with language translation available as requested) including: investigation and mediation of discrimination complaints in housing, employment, and access to businesses or other public places; investigation and mediation of complaints of noncompliance with the Sanctuary City Ordinance and the housing provisions of the Fair Chance Ordinance; and referrals of information to constituents, community groups, businesses, and government agencies. HRC additionally offers an internship for young people age 13 to 24; the Opportunities for All initiative provides San Francisco youth a chance for meaningful, intensive career development and mentorship. HRC is also a grantmaking City department, supporting local community-based organizations and service providers through our grant funding and management processes. Contact us at www.sf.gov/sfhrc and (415) 252-2500 and HRC.Info@sfgov.org to let us know how we can be of service. The CityServices and County of San Francisco encourages public outreach. Articles are Human Agency translated several The newspaper makes Are you aninto older adult,languages veteran,toorprovide personbetter livingpublic with aaccess. disability? The San Francisco Department of Disability and every effort to translate articles of general interest correctly.activities, No liabilityand is assumed Aging Services can helpthe you find care, meals, recreational more in the City. Learn more: SFHSA. org/DAS by the City and County of San Francisco or the newspapers for errors and omissions. You don’t need to be perfect to be a foster parent. You just need to care. You can foster SF. Learn how at FosterSF.org The City and County of San Francisco encourages public outreach. Articles are

The City and County of San Francisco encourages public outreach. Articles are translated into several languages to provide better public access. The newspaper makes translated into several languages to provide betterinterest public correctly. access. The makes every effort to translate the articles of general Nonewspaper liability is assumed every translate articles of general correctly. No liability is assumed by effort the Citytoand Countythe of San Francisco or theinterest newspapers for errors and omissions. by the City and County of San Francisco or the newspapers for errors and omissions.

CNSB # 4062480

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10 • Bay Area Repor ter • August 13-19, 2026

AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560698 Petitioner BARBARA JEAN JONES filed an amended petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name BARBARA JEAN JONES AKA BOBBIE JEAN JONES to proposed name BOBBIE JEAN JONES. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 15, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560815 Petitioner ROXANE SLIM filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ROXANE SLIM AKA ROXANNE SLIM AKA SLIM to proposed name ROXANE MORNING STAR SLIM. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 01, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560839 Petitioner SUNG WON YU filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name SUNG WON YU AKA SUNG WON LEW AKA LEW SUNG to proposed name SUNG WON LEW. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 08, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409920 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): HJ CLEANING SERVICES, 134 ARLETA AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): NORMA O JUAREZ HERNANDEZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/14/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/21/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409930 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): E&P BUILDING MAINTENANCE, 624 ELLIS ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): EMERSON FARFAN PENAGOS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/22/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/22/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409934 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CINEEL, 825 LINCOLN WAY #302, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): AVERY KATHERINE HOM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/22/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409952 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ARETULA, 137 AVOCET WAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): ABHISHEK NATH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/24/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409962 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BOBBYDTHERAPY, 500 FOLSOM ST #208, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): BOBBY DULAI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/28/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409925 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): KAVAI, 748 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): SOTER TECHNOLOGY, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/21/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/21/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409931 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): INSTAPLAY, 156 2ND ST #430, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): GENERAL CONTEXT LABS, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/24/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/22/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409773 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): GATHER TIP, 331B PAGE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): STRI LABS INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/30/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/30/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409860 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): IRISH HELP AT HOME LLC, 2021 TARAVAL ST #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): IRISH HELP AT HOME LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/17/1998. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/09/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409675 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): EXTRAVEGANZA EATERY, 1335 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): SF LAST CHEF STANDING LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/17/2026. JULY 30, AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560854 Petitioner YULIA TALYSHEVA AKA JULIA LIPSIT filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name YULIA TALYSHEVA AKA JULIA LIPSIT to proposed name JULIA LIPSIT. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 17, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF ROBERTO ALVAREZ IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: CASE NUMBER PES-26309665 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of ROBERTO ALVAREZ. A Petition for Probate has been filed by ROBERTO ALVAREZ & MARTA ALVAREZ in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that ROBERTO ALVAREZ & MARTA ALVAREZ be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: AUGUST 24, 2026, 9:00 am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.Petitioner: ROBERTO ALVAREZ & MARTA ALVAREZ, 140 LAGUNA ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102; Ph. (415) 850-7868. AUG 06, 13, 20, 2026 SUMMONS (DIVORCE) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO. NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: KAWALDEEP KHANDPUR ARORA, YOU HAVE BEEN SUED. PETITIONER’S NAME: STEPHANIE ANNE-LUEBBERKE ARORA. CASE NO. FDI-26-803276 You have been sued. Read the information below. You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call, or court appearance will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org) or by contacting your local county bar association. NOTICE – RESTRAINING ORDERS ARE BELOW: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party. The name and address of the court are: Superior Court County of San Francisco, 400 McAllister St. San Francisco, California 94102. The name, address and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or petitioner without an attorney is: STEPHANIE ANNE-LUEBBERKE ARORA, 1987 28TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116; (415) 359-7608, Date: 07/09/2026, Clerk of The Court, Anthony Mui, Deputy. STANDARD FAMILY LAW RESTRAINING ORDERS: Starting immediately, you and your spouse or domestic partner are restrained from: 1. Removing the minor child or children of the parties, if any, from the state without the prior written consent of the other party or an order of the court; 2. Cashing borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability, held for the benefit of the parties and their minor child or children; 3. Transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life; and 4. Creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in the manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court. Before revocation of a nonprobate transfer can take effect or a right of survivorship to property can be eliminated, notice of the change must be filed and served on the other party. You must notify each other of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least five business days prior to incurring these extraordinary expenditures and account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after these restraining orders are effective. However, you may use community property, quasi-community property, or your own separate property to pay an attorney to help you or to pay court costs. WARNING – IMPORTANT INFORMATION California law provides that, for purposes of division of property upon dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership or upon legal separation, property acquired by the parties during marriage or domestic partnership in joint form is presumed to be community property. If either party to this action should die before the jointly held community property is divided, the language in the deed that characterizes how title is held (i.e. joint tenancy, tenants in common, or community property) will be controlling, and not the community property presumption. You should consult your attorney if you want the community property presumption to be written into the recorded title to the property. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560838 Petitioner TIMOTHY RYAN-CONNER filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name TIMOTHY PATRICK RYAN-CONNER to proposed name REX PATRICK RYAN-CONNER. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 08, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560814 Petitioner KARLA JAQUELINE SALINAS DELGADO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name JOSUE AZAEL SALINAS DELGADO to proposed name JOSUE AZAEL CAMACHO and present name JOSUE UBALDO CAMACHO SALINAS to proposed name JOSUE UBALDO CAMACHO. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 01, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560843 Petitioner BRAVERY MARIE SCOTT filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name BRAVERY MARIE SCOTT AKA ASHLEY MARIE SCOTT AKA ASHLEY MARIE SEWELL to proposed name BRAVERY CHRISTOPHER SCOTT. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 15, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409837 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ORPHAN ANDY’S, 3991A 17TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): GOODRICH RESTAURANTS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/08/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560851 Petitioner DANIEL RUEZGA GONZALEZ AKA DANIEL RUEZGA RUEZGA GONZALEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name DANIEL RUEZGA GONZALEZ AKA DANIEL RUEZGA RUEZGA GONZALEZ to proposed name DANIEL RUEZGA GONZALEZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 15, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409961 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): VINEWORLD SECURITY SERVICES, 6246 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): GODDEN TIOH NKWETA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/27/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409956 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SEVEN STARS NOTARY & DOCUMENT SERVICES, 2374 22ND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): W.H. SUZI MUI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/27/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/27/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409958 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CLEARVIEW CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, 660 WEST FIELD RD #282658, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): DOUGLAS ANTONIO MARTINEZ-CORDOVA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2019. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/27/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409983 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ZERO HOUR MEDICAL, 2090 BROADWAY #604, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): SCOTT J CAMPBELL MD MPH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/29/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409888 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SPARKLE TEAM CLEANING COMPANY, 3288 21ST ST #65, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): EVA LETICIA JOVEL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/16/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409954 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BP SHUTTERS AND SHADES, 3832 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): SAUL BAMACA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/31/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/24/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409998 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SFC DISPENSARY, 1545 OCEAN AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/ Owner(s): BASA NOVA INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/30/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/30/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409984 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LEGACY WRECKING & DEMOLITION, 1251 THOMAS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): NORTH BAY HAULING INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/28/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/29/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409845 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): INNERBLOOM, 1101 POLK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): THE VESTA GROUP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/08/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410012 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ASHBURY MARKET, 205 FREDERICK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): KINGS TRUST LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/03/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410017 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): DARK MATTER SALON, 660 MARKET ST #205, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): DARK MATTER SALON, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/03/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE 2026-0408566 The following has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as SF NANNIES, 274 12TH AVE #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business was conducted by a general partnership and signed by EVA KANTOR & ORSOLYA STEINER. The fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/23/2026. The abandonment of fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/29/2026. AUG 06, 13, 20, 27, 2026 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560833 Petitioner MICHAEL BABATUNDI MCNAIR filed an amended petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MICHAEL BABATUNDI MCNAIR AKA MICHAEL MCNAIR to proposed name MICHAEL MCNAIR. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 17, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410026 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PIRATE KING TRAVEL, 935 KEARNY ST UNIT 64, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): GARRETT LEE COLLINS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/30/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/04/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560860 Petitioner MARGARET JESSICA SULLIVAN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MARGARET JESSICA SULLIVAN to proposed name JESSICA SULLIVAN NOE. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 17, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560861 Petitioner MICHAEL S. PYUN JR. filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MICHAEL S. PYUN JR. to proposed name MICHAEL S. PYUN and present name LIEM ANH PYUN JR HA to proposed name LIEM ANH HA. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 17, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560864 Petitioner MARIA CHRISTINA RESENDEZ GONZALEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MARIA CHRISTINA RESENDEZ GONZALEZ to proposed name MARIA CHRISTINA RESENDEZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560862 Petitioner AUDRIE LOK filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name AUDRIE LOK to proposed name AUDRIE LEE. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-561859 Petitioner ALEXANDER CAMERON GOLDENHAR filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ALEXANDER CAMERON GOLDENHAR to proposed name ALEXANDER CAMERON GOLDENHEART. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 17, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560790 Petitioner ELLA MAE SMITH AKA ELLA MAE BOWERS filed an amended petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ELLA MAE SMITH AKA ELLA MAE BOWERS to proposed name ELLA MAE SMITH. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-26-560863 Petitioner JARROD WAYNE DANIELS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name JARROD WAYNE DANIELS to proposed name JARROD CHRISTOPHER SCHINELLA. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 9:00am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409807 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CONFECTION CRAVINGS, 10 JUDAH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): ZOE POINDEXTER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/02/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410062 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): FABRICS VETTED, 166 CASTRO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): WILLIAM MORRIS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/15/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260409896 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CABANA CT. H&G, 36 THOR AVE #C, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): LORIN GEORGE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/16/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/16/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410030 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SAFETY PRO TEAM, 239 NEY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): TERESA HARTE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/04/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410053 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): EPIC EATS, 122 HARRISON ST #6613, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): RAYMOND RODGERS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/04/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/05/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410086 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PICCOLO PLUMBING, 299 BONVIEW ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): LAUREN HAYNES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/22/2005. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/10/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410002 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): THE RUFF HOUSE, 816 SHOTWELL ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): LALA MOSS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/04/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/30/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410056 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ALDER, 600 DE HARO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): REAL PROPERTY AI CORP (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/04/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/05/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410069 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): H&L AUTO; AMAZON AUTOBODY, 1255 MONTGOMERY AVE, SAN BRUNO, CA 94066. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): GTOP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/06/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410070 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): GTOP RENTAL; HONEY BEE AUTO; BEE AUTOMOTIVE; VISTA AUTO WORKS, 1255B MONTGOMERY AVE, SAN BRUNO, CA 94066. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/ Owner(s): GTOP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/06/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410068 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): HUES, 3053 FILLMORE ST #237, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): TAKE HUES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410065 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PORTAL MINDFUL RETREATS LLC, 1655 MISSION ST #1030, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): PORTAL MINDFUL RETREATS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/06/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410083 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CASITO, 4601 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/ Owner(s): UMAMI FAMILIA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/06/2026. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/07/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410020 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): SAIKO HANDROLL BAR, 943 COLE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): CLOVER RESTAURANT GROUP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/03/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 20260410052 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): KAMELEON, 490 POST ST #2462, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): KAMELEON GROUP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/05/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE 2026-0408151 The following has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as PORTAL MINDFUL RETREATS, 1655 MISSION ST #1030, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by LAURA E. RAMOS. The fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/07/2026. The abandonment of fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/2026. AUG 13, 20, 27, SEP 03, 2026

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Somewhere that’s Greene

Ellen Greene, star of ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ celebrates the film’s 40th anniversary

Ellen Greene with Audrey II in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

by Charlie Smith

the razor-sharp writing and the undeniably infectious songs by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken, every element of the production is executed at the highest level.

Feed me

The origin story of “Little Shop of Horrors” is a surprisingly juicy one. A black and white dark comedy that debuted in cinemas in 1960, the first version was a low-budget B-movie. The film included many of the storylines we’re familiar with in the 1986 version, from the flower shop, Seymour, Audrey, Audrey II, the dentist, a man-eating plant and even the ending which mirrors the musical play and 1986 film’s director’s cut. How-

picture

ult film favorite “Little Shop of Horrors,” starring Ellen Greene and Rick Moranis, about a man-eating plant from outer space, marks its 40th anniversary this year. The movie musical is marking the occasion with a multi-city screening tour, hosted by Greene, who will be at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco on Sunday, August 16. For those not familiar with the 1986 film, the story follows a down-and-out florist, Seymour Krelbourn (Moranis) and his coworker crush, Audrey (Greene), after his fateful discovery of a

strange and unusual plant, which turns the previously unpopular flower shop into the talk of the town. Unfortunately, the plant, coined Audrey II, affectionately named in honor of Greene’s character, survives off human blood, ultimately leading to the deliciously campy climax: the potential destruction of human existence. Since its release, the film has become a perennial favorite on lists recognizing offbeat cinema. But what sets “Little Shop” apart is that, while its premise embraces the outrageous, every aspect of the film is A-list. From the exceptional vocal and acting performances of the entire cast of acclaimed Broadway and Hollywood cast (even John Candy and Steve Martin make cameos) to

‘A Very Oral History’

Filmmaking team to document queer history

A vintage gay San Francisco moment in the forthcoming documentary, ‘A Very Oral History’

by David-Elijah Nahmod

roducer Ricky Vidrio and director Jeremy Von Stilb are on a mission. The filmmaking duo are now in the midst of creating “A Very Oral History,” which is what they describe as a “kaleidoscopic history of queer San Francisco in the ’70s and ’80s.” The film will be divided into six chapters, beginning with AutoErotica, the Castro store which has become a living museum of queer history. Chapter two will focus on magazines, such as the legendary Drummer. The chapter will recall how queer publications built community before the internet. Chapter three will focus on literature, while chapter four will tell the story of queer film, recalling ’80s gay porn legend Al Parker and his studio Surge, along with other studios like Raging Stallion. Next will come chapter five, which will recall how high energy music became an anthem for queer liberation. This chapter will pay tribute

to disco and dance music composer Patrick Cowley and his collaborations with Sylvester. Finally, chapter six will recall how the community was devastated by the AIDS pandemic.

Gay stuff

Vidrio and Von Stilb have already released “AutoErotica: We Buy Gay Stuff,” a short (17 minutes) documentary on the store featuring an extensive interview with owner Patrick Batt. That film tells the story of how the store nearly closed during the COVID pandemic, until a customer named Bradley Roberge stepped in, launching a GoFundMe and an Instagram account which now has more than 60,000 followers, thereby saving the store and turning it into a global archive of 50 years of queer history. The store has relics from long shuttered gay bars, vintage leather magazines, vintage porn, activist pins, and rare 8mm film, all curated by Batt over a period of decades. “AutoErotica: We Buy Gay Stuff ” has played at more than twenty

film festivals, including Frameline, and can now be viewed for free at Vidrio and Von Stilb’s website, www.autoeroticadoc.com. The film is a living tribute to Batt’s life’s work and serves as a preview of sorts to what “A Very Oral History” will be.

More than collectibles

In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Vidrio and Von Stilb talked about the importance of preserving the items in AutoErotica.

Director Jeremy von Stilb and producer Ricky Vidriomoment in the forthcoming documentary, ‘A Very Oral History’

ever, it is a horror-noir that exists in a world without our beloved comedic lines and catchy tunes. So how did we get to the version we know and love today? Well, the producer and director of the 1960 film, Roger Corman, inadvertently changed theater history when he decided against copyrighting the film and story. When Ashman and Menken came across it, they retooled it into the play version, debuting off-off Broadway at the WPA Theatre with Ellen Greene and Lee Wilkof originating the lead roles onstage. Greene is fiercely proud that she was the first to play the role of Audrey. She remembers, “[AshSee page 13 >>

“I think some people assume AutoErotica is simply a porn shop, but it’s really something much more significant,” said Vidrio. “It’s a living archive of queer culture. For many LGBTQ+ people, especially those who lived through the AIDS crisis, the magazines, posters, photographs, films, and books inside AutoErotica aren’t just collectibles. They’re reminders of friends, lovers, artists, photographers, writers and entire communities that were lost far too soon. “For younger generations like ours, many of those people became a lost generation. We never had the opportunity to meet them, learn from them, or hear their stories firsthand. Places like AutoErotica allow us to reconnect with those voices through the things they created.” “The store is like a portal to a very valuable moment in queer history,” added Von Stilb. “It’s also like a tomb. There are a lot of physical memories of people who possibly weren’t properly memorialized. If you died of AIDS, a lot of times your belongings got tossed out or even burned. This is a record of these people and the beautiful ways that they presented themselves.” Vidrio said that reactions to “AutoErotica: We Buy Gay Stuff ” has been overwhelmingly positive, and it began with a sold-out screening at Frameline. “What surprised me most is how differently generations connect with the film,” said Vidrio. “Younger audiences often see it as a bridge to queer ancestors they never had the chance to know. Older audiences frequently tell us it reminds them of friends they lost and inspires them to think about collecting their own collections and stories. It’s become much more than a documentary, it’s become a conversation.” See page 13 >>

AutoErotica owner Patrick Batt with photographer/archivist Bradley Roberge

12 • Bay Area Repor ter • August 13-19, 2026

<< Cabaret & TV

Emily Skinner entertains herself

Broadway’s musical chameleon plays Feinstein’s at the Nikko

by Jim Gladstone

n her cabaret shows at Feinstein’s at the Nikko this week, Broadway star Emily Skinner will not be sharing the saga of her life in the theater. “Oh no! That’s so deadly,” exclaimed Skinner during a recent interview with the Bay Area Reporter, immediately slipping into a supercilious tone. “And then I moved to New York, and then I fell in love, and then…Oh God, Ai-yi-yi!” Skinner, whose life in the theater is, in fact, fascinating (It includes leading roles in 11 Broadway, including “Billy Elliot,” “The Full Monty,” and the 1992 cult favorite, “Sideshow,” for which she and co-star Alice Ripley, playing conjoined twins, shared a rare dual Tony nomination), also won’t be indulging in those other cabaret tropes, “Selections from the Great American Songbook” or “Thematically Linked Lyrics.” “I’ve tried to put together shows with a theme and I’ve always ended up feeling boxed in,” she said.

Loose and lively

Instead, Skinner, 56, who hasn’t performed in the Bay Area since a Venetian Room concert in 2016, is leaning into the spirit of a song famously per-

formed by Judy Garland in the 1949 film “In The Good Old Summertime.” ‘You see, I’m sort of independent/I am my own superintendent/…That’s why I don’t care.’ “I Don’t Care” was one of the first tunes that came to mind in 2021 when Skinner began developing “A Broad with a Broad Broad Mind,” the set she’ll be performing at Feinstein’s. Just after the loosening of pandemic regulations, producers at New York night spot 54 Below asked Skinner to help relaunch their cabaret programming. “I hadn’t sung at all during the pandemic,” she recalled. “And, quite honestly, I really didn’t miss it. I’m one of those weirdo performers who, when things shut down, said, ‘You know what, I’m kind of okay.’ I missed the Broadway community, but I didn’t really miss all the shucking and jiving we do. So, to put this show together, I had to think about what would really make me feel good to open my mouth and sing. It’s a set of things that are pleasing and fun for myself, and I hope, therefore, for an audience to listen to. I always feel like I can tell if I’m watching a performer have a good time; and then I have a good time, too.”

Fascinating mishmash

“When I go to cabaret shows, I feel like I can tell which songs someone suggested to the performer and the ones that are being sung because the audience expects them, versus the material that the singer genuinely loves. There’s a whole different quality of feeling to them.” Among the feeling-imbued numbers Skinner will perform in addition to “I Don’t Care” are songs made famous by Mae West, Elton John, and Stephen Sondheim as well as several lesser-known gems, including the heart-wrenching “My Brother Lived in San Francisco.” New York critic Lane Williamson described “A Broad with a Broad Broad View” as “thriving on the particular homosexual-to-diva energy that is often attempted, but rarely achieved.” The breadth of Skinner’s cabaret material echoes the similarly far-flung assortment of shows she’s been cast in, from “James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’” to “The Drowsy Chaperone” to “Billy Elliot.” “They’re so eclectic and all over the place,” she concured. “They have this crazy range. I’m very proud to be a true character actress.”

Emily Skinner

In “The Cher Show,” Skinner played two roles: Georgia Holt (mother of the mononym) and Lucille Ball. “It’s very weird to be vetted by Cher to play her mother,” said Skinner. (No vetting by Lucie Arnaz was required). “For a couple years, Cher sent me flowers for Mothers’ Day, which was adorable. I’ve never met a celebrity

‘Grantchester’

with less-self edit. What you see is what you get with her.” Likewise, Ms. Skinner.t Emily Skinner, ‘A Broad with a Broad, Broad View,’ August 14-15. $45.55-$76.45. Feinstein’s at the Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinssf.com

The final season of the PBS series that redefined the post-war mystery

by Laura Moreno

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Post-war trauma

Set in the 1950s and 1960s in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester, its moral complexity allows the television series to express the contradictions of its time and place in a changing Britain. It doesn’t shy away from the tensions between post-war optimism and lingering trauma, between social progress and entrenched prejudice, class divisions and religious skepticism to the lingering trauma of war and the changing roles of women in society. The storylines of the mysteries are clever without being overly convoluted or dark, and nostalgic while remaining of great interest to contemporary audiences. It’s intellectually stimulating viewing while not bombarding audiences who may already be over-stressed with more stress, like many shows. Directed primarily by Al Weaver, Edward Bennett, and Tom Brittney, it is written by James Runcie (whose books inspired the series) as well as Jamie Crichton and Kacey Ainsworth. From the opening shot, the cinematography captures the picturesque beauty of the English countryside. Equally, the delightful –at times almost ethereal– soundtrack was written by Emmy-winning composer

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captivating ITV drama in its 11th and final season, the successful series “Grantchester” masterfully transforms the familiar British murder mystery into something far more consequential than the sum of its parts. “Grantchester” has made its mark by turning the traditional “whodunnit” into an intriguing and thoughtprovoking “whydunnit.” It does so by pairing a whiskey-drinking vicar who loves jazz, cycling and enjoying life with a hard-nosed detective. The ingenuous partnership makes for a fascinating post-war series that transcends the conventions of the genre. What sets “Grantchester” apart is its willingness to explore faith, doubt, and redemption alongside its murder investigations. Through an unflinching examination of human nature and conscience itself, “Grantchester” dares to ask questions like what justice means when the law and morality diverge. The series takes the mystery to the next level.

4/2/26 10:11 AM

PBS

Robson Green and Rishi Nair in ‘Grantchester’ season 11

John Lunn, who also wrote the music for “Downton Abbey,” “The Last Kingdom,” and many others.

Divine detection

The series has continued to evolve over time. The opening season originally featured Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers played by James Norton, then vicar Will Davenport played by Tom Brittney after Norton’s departure. And now Rishi Nair stars as vicar Alphy Kotteram. Each new vicar brings a new and different perspective to the role while maintaining the core dynamic with Detective Inspector Geordie Keating played by Robson Green, whose character has remained a constant throughout the series. The genuine friendship and contrasting approaches between the emotionally intuitive clergyman and the methodical police inspector are a

PBS

Al Weaver in ‘Grantchester’ season 11

major part of the show’s appeal. Keating relies on procedure and evidence while the vicars employ empathy, intuition, and a real understanding of human nature. The vicar and the detective approach each case from opposing angles and achieve more together than they would be able to do alone. Set in 1963, Season 11 takes place in a United Kingdom that still penalized same-sex relationships. Leonard Finch (played by Al Weaver) is a gay man who is bookish, quiet, and deeply empathetic. In previous seasons Finch ran a local literary café, set up a halfway house for ex-convicts, and lost his position in the church when he was tried and sent to prison briefly for homosexuality. This season, Leonard Finch misses serving in the church as an assistant priest and explores the possibility of returning. His deep personal faith has endured despite his trials and he would like to serve the community again. It’s a storyline filled with nuance, and the series allows Finch to exist in the complicated middle where real life happens. After a successful 11-year run, “Grantchester” has carved out a special niche in the pantheon of detective series. The secret to its success is its satisfying combination of intellectual and emotional depth that has rarely been equaled in the genre.t Now streaming on PBS Masterpiece, PBS Passport, and Amazon Prime Video. pbs.org/show/grantchester amazon.com/s?k=grantchester

Film>>

August 13-19, 2026 • Bay Area Repor ter • 13

‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ by Gregg Shapiro

he new full-length feature “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” (Mubi), written and directed by filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun, is a vast improvement over their unwatchable debut movie “We’re All Going to The World’s Fair,” while continuing the trajectory of the slightly better “I Saw the TV Glow.” An homage to genre filmmaking with a twisted sense of humor, it features a polyamorous Gen Z filmmaker unable to achieve orgasm and a ruthless killer known as Little Death (la petite mort, get it?). “Sundance wunderkind” Kris (Hannah Einbinder) is researching her dream film project: a reboot of the popular hyper-violent “Camp Miasma” slasher series. A significant piece of her exploration includes securing a meeting with the reclusive Billy (Gillian Anderson, who wields a country bumpkin accent that makes her sound

Ellen Greene

From page 11

man and Menken] had been writing jingles and wanted to write a hit like ‘Grease.’ A success, right? Not something that’s so arty. And so, they decided to do something like ‘Grease,’ and they wrote ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’” Greene recalled, “I had met Howard a few years before and we just loved each other, so they sent me the script and I thought it was very campy. And I was on the unemployment line, actually, listening to ‘Somewhere That’s Green,’ and I just knew. I started singing along and I just knew there was Audrey inside of me ready to be born. Then I went in, I sang Green, Alan got behind the piano, and the three of us were just bonded for life.”

Off-Off success

The play debuted at the WPA in 1982. According to Greene, the theatre was “very, very tiny. It was very, very hot. It was over a massage parlor on Fifth Avenue, and we got paid $50 a week. But [the play] was born out of love.” The play gained a following, moved off-Broadway, and eventually made its way to Hollywood. Greene recalled that several directors were tied to

Mubi

Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson in ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’

like Dolly Parton’s less well-informed sister), the movie’s original final girl. Fortunately for Kris, Billy, who resides the film, the first being John Landis (“Animal House,” “Trading Places”), who was the one who first told her she would be in the film. At lunch at the Russian Tea Room, Landis casually mentioned, “‘Oh, by the way, you’re Audrey in the movie.’ And I said, ‘Excuse me,’ went to the restroom and lost my whole lunch, because I was so shocked that he said that.” Landis didn’t stay attached to the film, however. Perhaps surprisingly, Martin Scorsese was next in line to direct. But ultimately, and perhaps most fortuitously, Frank Oz, of The Muppets and “Star Wars” fame, took the reins. “I knew Frank from ‘Sesame Street,’” explained Greene. “I got to be friends with him and Jim Henson, and the two of them just worked. Jim was like all white keys of the piano, and Frank was all dark keys of the piano. They were seamless together.” The rest, as they say, is cinematic history. And while the movie is forever on rotation on streaming channels, you can still catch the play in New York. It has one of the longest Off-Broadway runs in history and a myriad of well-known rotating lead performers. Ethan Slater (“Wicked,” “The Spongebob Musical”) and Betsy

A vintage magazine in the racks at AutoErotica

Oral History

From page 11

Expanding stories

Vidrio explained how “A Very Oral History” will expand the story of “AutoErotica: We Buy Gay Stuff.” He and Von Stilb will be exploring the people who preserve queer culture in all its forms through music, photography, publishing, nightlife, film and community archives. “It’s a celebration of the people who refused to let our history disappear,” he said. “We’re fortunate to be working with an extraordinary group of artists, historians, archivists, musicians, collectors and community leaders. Every conversation opens another door and reveals another incredible story. While history is at the heart of the project, we don’t want the film to feel like a museum exhibit. Queer history is funny,

joyful, sexy, emotional, creative, and deeply queer. We want audiences to laugh as much as they learn.” Von Stilb said that the story of the film will be told as though the viewer were perusing items in the store. “Each vignette will have a distinct feel and style,” he said. “You pick up one magazine and it tells you one story with a particular visual, you pick up a book and it gives you a different visual. The film is like an afternoon spent at AutoErotica.” The duo is interviewing a diverse group of people for the new film, all of whom have deep connections to queer history. “Patrick Batt remains one of the central voices in the film,” said Vidrio. “We’ll also be interviewing Jack Fritscher, writer, historian, and the original creative director of Drummer Magazine, one of the most influential publi-

on the abandoned Camp Tivoli set in the wintry Pacific Northwest, agrees to connect.

As the director and actor get acquainted with each other, their backstories play a major role. For example, Kris tells Billy, the original “Camp Miasma” movie was part of her queer awakening. There is also the important backstory of Little Death. Before becoming the murderous fiend, they were a bullied camper at sleepaway Camp Tivoli who received special treatment for their gender dysphoria; a bed in both the girls’ and boys’ bunks, before being drowned by some boys in the camp’s lake. This is depicted in the movie within the movie when Kris and Billy watch Billy’s original cut of “Camp Miasma.” In the midst of it all, Kris is beginning to lose her grip on reality. She’s dissatisfied with the arrangements she has with her girlfriend (and her girlfriend’s boyfriend), her fast-talking agent (Sarah Sherman), and some studio execs (including Jeffrey played by Dylan Baker). She also firmly believes that Little Death,

with their square air-vent head, is waiting to re-emerge from the depths of the lake. With “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” Schoenbrun reigns in the homage realm. After paying tribute to online gaming in “… World’s Fair” and influential TV shows in “…TV Glow,” Schoenbrun turns their attention to celebrating horror/slasher flicks with a wide range of references including David Lynch, the “Friday the 13th” franchise, the body horror of David Cronenberg’s “Videodrome,” and the current trend of horror comedy. As Billy tells Kris, “Camp Miasma” was about two simple things: flesh and fluids. The same can be said for Schoenbrun’s film. Rating: Bt ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ opens August 13 at AMC Kabuki and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema New Mission. www.mubi.com/en/campmiasma

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Ellen Greene Fan Page

Left: Ellen Greene with Rick Moranis in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ Right: Ellen Greene with Howard Ashman on the stage set of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Wolfe (“& Juliet,” “Death Becomes Her”) are the stars in the current stage production at the Westside Theatre Upstairs. The film, and the role of Audrey, with her over the top costumes, hair and voice, have always been especially embraced by the LGBTQ community. Asked why she thinks that is, Greene shared, “We all know what it’s like to not fit in, to want to be someplace where we’re loved and where we can love. And I’ve always had an affinity for anyone who is unique and sees the

world that way. ‘Little Shop’ is a world of whimsy and silliness, but there’s deep moral underpinnings that people just get.” Those universal themes of acceptance, individuality and belonging continue to resonate with audiences decades after the film’s release. And what of that hair and skintight leopard-print dress? They’re Greene’s creation, of course. She discovered them at a Halloween shop on 14th Street in New York. The wig was originally long and was cut into the iconic

bob we now know. And that voice? “I have no idea where the voice came from. It just came out of me,” Greene explained. Some things are just serendipitous.t

cations in the history of gay leather culture. We’ll also be speaking with Jeanie Tracy, the internationally acclaimed recording artist, entertainer, and longtime San Francisco icon, as well as Josh Cheon, founder of Dark Entries Records, whose label has become internationally recognized for preserving and reintroducing overlooked LGBTQ+ musicians and recordings.” Beyond that, they’ll be interviewing community elders, photographers, artists, filmmakers, publishers, collectors, adult film creators, composers and people who are working towards preserving queer history today. “It’s about bridging a generational gap,” said Von Stilb. “It’s about talking to the people who were there in person, and finding the people who make sure the stories and the memories are preserved. Its survivors and the people who make sure their words and artwork survive for decades.” Vidrio and Von Stilb said they hope that, upon its completion, “A Very Oral History” will have a strong run at festivals like Frameline, then expand to festivals around the world. Ultimately, they hope it will find a home on a major streaming platform. “More than anything, I hope the film reaches younger generations,” said Vidrio. “So many queer people are searching for a connection to the generations that came before them. If ‘A Very Oral History’ can help create that connection while also celebrating the humor, resilience, creativity and

unapologetic spirit of our community, then I think we’ll have accomplished what we set out to do.”t

towards the completion of “A Very Oral History,” please visit www. filmindependent.org/sponsoredprojects/a-very-oral-history www.autoeroticadoc.com

To make a tax-deductible donation

The 40th anniversary screening event of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ will include a Q&A with Greene and a performance of ‘Somewhere That’s Green,’ at the Curran Theatre, $47-$218, August 16, 7:30pm, 445 Geary St. www.us.atgtickets.com

<< Books

14 • Bay Area Repor ter • August 13-19, 2026

Scott Heim

Author’s ‘Mysterious Skin’ to be reissued along with film adaptation

by Gregg Shapiro

people who ever even want to write a book, and of those, a small fraction actually do it and finish it. And then of those people, even fewer find an agent, and then an editor, and get a book published. And then of those people, a tiny percent have their book made into a film. And of those –and I know this is true because of the writers I’ve chatted with whose books also became films– very, very few actually like the film adaptation. So, I’m a huge rarity, a writer whose book was made into a film who actually loves the result. And now here I am, 20+ years after the film’s initial release, still immensely proud of the movie, still good friends with Gregg and Joseph and Brady and Mary Jane (the film’s producer), still flattered and humbled by the response the film has gotten over the years and all the new younger fans, some of whom are the same age I was when I wrote the novel and were barely even in diapers when the film came out.

ay writer Scott Heim has a couple of reasons to celebrate. First is that his acclaimed 1995 debut novel “Mysterious Skin” has been reissued by Harper Perennial in an anniversary edition featuring a new afterword written by Heim. Second, the 2004 movie adaptation of “Mysterious Skin,” directed by gay filmmaker Gregg Araki, and starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Brady Corbet, along with Michelle Trachtenberg and Elizabeth Shue, is being rereleased theatrically in a 4K restoration in August. Gregg Shapiro: Scott, is there one character from “Mysterious Skin” who you could point to as the inspiration for the novel? One who got the ball rolling, so to speak. Scott Heim: I was working on my MFA at Columbia University, and I turned in a story that was basically about the character Neil in the present day (although I think his name was different in that story). While writing it, I was doing some research on “recovered memory,” its questionable aspects, the different ways that people can remember similar past events, that sort of thing. By coincidence, I was also reading books by Budd Hopkins about UFOs and UFO abductions, and I realized how similar the memories (whether real or imagined) of abuse survivors and UFO abductees often sounded. I suppose that’s the moment when my ideas for a novel began to take shape. Can you explain the multiperspectivity device you employed in the novel, where individual

Michael Lowenthal

Author Scott Heim

characters — Brian, Neil, Wendy, Deborah, Eric — narrate firstperson sections. At its core, “Mysterious Skin” is primarily a book about memory and its inconsistencies and how no story is ever 100% true, that to really know something as clearly as possible, you have to hear as many sides or versions, to keep peeling back layers of a story’s “skin” or “mystery” to get at the closest truth. Neil’s version of events is so different from Brian’s version of events, and for the reader to understand the truth as best as possible, I felt the best method of getting there would be to have multiple voices tell the story from different perspectives. I guess the title

is ironic, in a way, because there’s no mystery for the reader. To me, the interesting thing was always taking the reader on a journey to figure out how the characters themselves are going to learn what is true about their memories and what is false. How soon after “Mysterious Skin” was published were you approached about a movie version? In retrospect, I realize that it really wasn’t very long at all; within the first two years, maybe two and a half, a production company had contacted my literary agent asking about the rights. This wasn’t Gregg or his producers, though. It was some of the people who’d produced the film “Swingers,” which came out in 1996, a year after “Mysterious Skin” came out in hardcover. That might seem a little strange, as the plot and characters and setting of “Swingers” really couldn’t be more different than my book, but they were dead set on doing “Mysterious Skin,” and they brought me out to L.A. to work on a screenplay closely with them. Eventually that all fell through; the old story of money and funding falling through, etcetera, but my script, and eventually my novel, got into Gregg’s hands, and he wound up being even more passionate about making the film than the original production

company had been, so everything worked out perfectly in the end. Were you a fan of Gregg Araki’s previous movies? I remember enjoying some more than others. For instance, I thought “Nowhere” was genius but feeling mixed about some of his earlier films. But how can you not admire the energy and passion and visual aesthetic in any Gregg Araki film, no matter who you are? So, of course, when Gregg became a strong possibility, I went back and watched everything again and watched the few I hadn’t seen for the first time, and I got more and more excited by the possibility of working with him. In my mind constantly were thoughts like ‘Gregg has the precise energy and passion and aesthetic and music taste that I’d want, but very different dialogue and setting and characterization.’ How would my focus on screwed-up Kansas kids and all their internal traumas translate through Gregg’s eyes? I don’t think I adequately imagined how beautifully it succeeded. How do you feel about the movie being rereleased in theaters? It’s all so overwhelmingly exciting. I often think about how there are so few

The rare “Mysterious Skin” soundtrack CD, which you mentioned in the afterword, is sought after by collectors far and wide. What would it mean to you to have the soundtrack made available again, perhaps on vinyl? Having Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd do the soundtrack was one of the most exciting things to happen for me and also for Gregg; both of us are massive Cocteau Twins fans, and I was listening to Harold’s early records as a kind of ambient inspiration while I was actually at the computer writing the book in the first place. And in the years since that soundtrack came out, I’ve been sort of fascinated by how the CD went out of print and became a hard-to-find rarity. Well, you might know this by now, but 4AD Records is doing a reissue, so it will indeed be coming out again, probably around the time of the 4K Restoration release in theaters midAugust. People who’ve been unwilling to shell out the money for the rare CD will finally get the opportunity to own a physical copy of the music again.t

Read the full interview on www.ebar.com. www.scottheim.com www.harpercollins.com/blogs/ authors/scott-heim

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Scott Heim and Gregg Araki in 2025

“Listen. I wish I could tell you it gets better. But, it doesn’t get better. You get better.”

—Joan Rivers

Books>>

August 13-19, 2026 • Bay Area Repor ter • 15

John D’Emilio’s ‘Memoir of a Scholar-Activist’ by Brian Bromberger

n the new autobiography, “Making Gay History: Memoir of a ScholarActivist,” John D’Emilio, Emeritus Professor of History and of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago, shows how historical research can affect contemporary civil rights. D’Emilio notes, “If we jump back to the late 1960s, there would be no LGBTQ history to ban from classrooms and virtually no LGBTQ-positive books to remove from our libraries. These reactionary politics are only possible because of the tremendous gains and changes that have happened over the last half century. College faculty are constructing entire courses around this history and many universities are able to offer LGBTQ studies as a minor.” How queer history moved from being virtually nonexistent to an exciting study subject with a huge number of books to cover it is the subject of D’Emilio’s magnificent book, using himself evidence of its progress.

Generational change

His previous memoir, “Memories of a Gay Catholic Boyhood,” (2022) detailed his coming of age in the 1960s through his being accepted as a graduate student at Columbia University. As he did in this previous memoir, his new one is constructed like a threeact play. Part I covers the period from 1971 until 1983 when he lived in New York City. He describes how his identities as a young gay man in the postStonewall decade and as a graduate student exploring American history came together. D’Emilio writes, “It portrays the activist study groups that I and others formed, the politically conscious social networks we built, and the challenges in-volved in finding and inter-

Author John D’Emilio

preting a history that no one had yet written about.” His research in gay American history led to his Ph.D. in 1982 from Columbia University. His dissertation thesis chaired by a very-well respected history professor, William E. Leuchtenburg, meaning no one would reject it, was transformed into the landmark book, “Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making of a Homosexual Minority in the United States, 1940-1970,” published in 1983. Because of his work, he not only outed himself to the entire faculty, but came out to his conservative parents, who eventually were supportive of him. Part II, stretching from 1983 to 1995, found D’Emilio searching for an academic job when LGBTQ his-

tory was still sidelined. He had met his partner Jim Oleson, the start of a 35year partnership. Through his social contact, he obtained a faculty position at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, teaching U.S. history courses. He integrated materials about sexuality and identity into his classes where he was nicknamed the “wild radical.” This was the first time students encountered such an unorthodox history class or was taught by someone openly gay.

Politics & policy

Part III found D’Emilio’s return to a major urban area to reconnect with gay activists. But in the early 1990s, few universities were hiring faculty who researched and taught LGBTQ history, so he didn’t find an academic

job. Instead, he joined the staff of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to create a policy institute from 1988 to 1993 as a member of the board of directors, co-chairing for two years. This section covers D’Emilio’s years in Washington, D.C., “working to build an organization that provided information and guidance on key policy goals that the LGBTQ movement was pursuing,” noting how the movements had exploded in size since his early days of queer activism in New York in the 1970s. D’Emilio also began research on a biography of Bayard Rustin, the gay Black civil rights and peace activist, who had organized the 1963 March on Washington that included Martin Luther King’s iconic “I have a dream” speech. He helped inform King about nonvio-

lent resistance, yet was little known. In 2003, his book, “Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin,” was published and was one of five finalists for a National Book award. However, as much as D’Emilio found his work with the National Task Force rewarding, he missed time doing historical research and writing. D’Emilio is proud that his book “Intimate Matters” was cited by the landmark U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion in Lawrence vs. Texas, which declared consensual sodomy laws to be unconstitutional. He also coauthored a historians’ friendof-the-court brief in support of the challenge to the Texas sodomy law, also cited by the Court. He writes, “I had never before felt such unequivocal confirmation that history matters, that historical research and writing can be a tool in the fight for justice and a better world.” The book brilliantly balances D’Emilio’s private and professional lives. He’s vulnerable about his disappointments and struggles. He comments on the internecine battles within these LGBTQ alliances, as well as his favoring forming coalitions with other oppressed groups, rather than queer issues alone. Through these various activist groups, he not only made LGBTQ history, whether it be opposing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy or protecting samesex partnerships, but he helped form and popularize the subject itself. He genuinely loves history, believing it can offer us encouraging lessons in difficult times.t

Read the full review on www.ebar.com. ‘Making Gay History: Memoir of a Scholar-Activist’ by John D’Emilio. Duke University Press, $32.95 www.dukeupress.edu

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