No Collusion?
l3wis 
The Argus could soon have a new owner
So this was surprising;
The hunter has become the hunted. Newspaper publisher Gannett Co. may find it difficult to resist the advances of an activist investor and potential buyer.
MNG Enterprises Inc., the owner of the Boston Herald and Denver Post that’s backed by hedge fund Alden Global Capital, on Monday disclosed a 7.5 percent stake in Gannett and made an unsolicited offer to acquire it.
Someone wants to buy Gannett? Uh, okay. If it happens, I’m sure there will be changes to staff and content. I guess it all depends on if someone buys it.
We don’t need no stinking glass, or windows
There was a presentation yesterday for the new DT parking ramp and hotel. There was discussion about the changes to the structure. Besides the color and height one thing that was left out was the amount of glass used. Above you will see the proposed structure to the left, covered in glass in the lower retail area. The right image shows a bunch of pre-cast tan crap.
Hook, line and sinker. Reminds me of the ‘SAVINGS’ we got on the Denty when we decided to go with tin foil siding, that worked our great. I can’t wait to see the finished product, probably look like the London Tower.
Wednesday Tidbits; New Planning Director, Taxes, Drones & Ice Cream
PLANNING on . . . .?
So there has been some talk about who will replace Mike Cooper? First off, the rumor going around city officials is he was asked to retire a year before he planned on. I guess the only person to know would be Mike, oh and Erica, Paul and maybe TJ.
People are telling me that my prediction of Erica Beck being the new planning director is a little off and that she is perfectly happy being COS. And why not? She pretty much is running the city while the Deputy T.J. TypeOver is doing all of the Mayor’s dirty work.
An unusual name came up though, Jeff Schmidt, who suddenly disappeared after the joint jurisdiction debacle. The rumor going around is that he is preparing to take the reins. Talking to other city officials and councilors I get the same, “It’s a possibility.” But when I ask councilors if he could get confirmed, there seems to be some doubt.
I guess we will have to wait and see. Hopefully he will get a new office without urine stained walls.
DRONE ENFORCEMENT, IT’S ANYONE’S GUESS
Last night councilor Stehly with the support of councilors Brekke and Starr tried to defer repealing the drone ordinance, TWICE, and were shot down. Ultimately the entire council did repeal it (Soehl was AWOL). So why the deferral? Stehly said she attempted to contact the FAA but was unsuccessful because a majority of the agency is furloughed. She wanted them to testify or at least provide some information about who will be responsible for enforcing the Federal regulations, and thought it was a good idea to defer it a couple of weeks so we can hear from them. She was pretty much told by council chair Erickson that she should have done the research in advance. Other councilors just assumed with the city attorney that the SFPD would have to enforce the regs, but really no one knew.
And they wondered why Stehly wanted a deferral? They must have had axe throwing on their minds.
PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION
Last night when the topic of the property tax reduction came up, councilor Neitzert got very irate and said that the applicants met the criteria they were supposed to and that is why they got the reductions.
While I have NO doubt that is true (well, I do have some doubts), this isn’t about the applicants, this is about who granted the tax reductions, and it certainly wasn’t done with the blessing of the council. More to come on this.
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM
I guess the only one to bid on taking over the Falls Overlook Cafe was Stensland Dairy. That was easy.