Marjorie Knoller Faces Third Parole Hearing in 2001 SF Dog Attack
Twenty-five years after the Pacific Heights dog mauling that killed Diane Whipple, convicted killer Marjorie Knoller appears before parole board again.
Dan Lesin
News Reporter
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About Dan
Dan Lesin spent five years at the San Jose Mercury News covering the South Bay beat before joining San Francisco Download. His breaking news coverage has earned recognition from the California News Publishers Association, and his enterprise reporting on housing issues has influenced local policy discussions. A Stanford graduate, Dan brings rigorous fact-checking and clear prose to every story.
Articles by Dan
San Francisco’s Gap launches Old Navy resale partnership with ThredUp
Gap Inc. is expanding its involvement in the secondhand clothing market through Old Navy, launching a new online resale program in partnership with ThredUp that will be available to customers in the S
San Francisco Lawmakers Press for Stronger Youth Vaping Restrictions in California
San Francisco lawmakers are pushing for tougher statewide rules on flavored tobacco and youth vaping, arguing that California’s existing controls are not doing enough to keep e-cigarettes away from mi
49ers run defense under spotlight in divisional rematch with Seahawks
The San Francisco 49ers will face the Seattle Seahawks for the second time in three weeks, this time in a divisional round playoff game at Lumen Field, and their ability to stop the run is emerging as
San Francisco Plans Civic Center ‘Homecoming’ for Late Grateful Dead Legend Bob Weir
San Francisco will honor the life of Bob Weir with a public “Homecoming” celebration at Civic Center Plaza on Saturday, Jan. 17, following news of the Grateful Dead guitarist’s death last weekend. Org
Three arrested after triple stabbing at 16th and Mission BART plazas
Three people were arrested after a daytime stabbing that left three men injured at 16th and Mission streets on Saturday, in the middle of a city funded effort to activate the BART plazas with vendors
Hundreds march in San Francisco after fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis
Hundreds of people rallied in downtown San Francisco on Wednesday night to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, ac
Power restored after outage hits 11,000 PG&E customers in northwest San Francisco
Thousands of San Francisco residents in and around Golden Gate Park briefly lost electricity Sunday night after another Pacific Gas and Electric outage swept through the northwest side of the city, ca
Free Coffee, Light Shows and Late‑Night Skating: Christmas Eve in San Francisco
San Francisco residents looking to get out of the house on Christmas Eve will find a long list of events across the city, from free coffee and outdoor light installations to ice skating, concerts and
Explosion at Mission District Shell station rattles homes, no injuries reported
An explosion and fire at a Shell gas station in San Francisco’s Mission District on Monday afternoon shook nearby buildings, sent a plume of black smoke over the neighborhood, and prompted an extensiv
Half Moon Bay Hits 80 Degrees While San Francisco Shivers Through Record Cold
San Francisco is experiencing some of its coldest winter temperatures in more than a century, yet just 30 miles away, a coastal town saw summer-like heat. The National Weather Service Bay Area reporte
San Francisco Sues Major Food Companies Over Ultra-Processed Products
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has filed a lawsuit against nine major food manufacturers, alleging that their ultra-processed products are fueling a public health crisis and driving up healthc
Shake Shack to Close as Westfield San Francisco Centre Clears Out Tenants
Shake Shack will permanently close its location inside the Westfield San Francisco Centre on December 14. The announcement follows an ownership change at the downtown San Francisco mall that triggered
Judge Orders Elon Musk to Testify Again in SEC Investigation of Twitter Deal
A federal judge has ruled that Elon Musk must sit for a second deposition in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s investigation into his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter. The decision, issu
Amazon Rolls Out 30-Minute Delivery in Seattle and Philadelphia
Amazon is rolling out a new delivery option that promises to bring select items to customers in 30 minutes or less. The service is now live in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia, as the company pushes
Casa Borinquena to Close Saluhall Location Amid Downtown Challenges
Casa Borinquena, a vegan Puerto Rican restaurant based in San Francisco’s Saluhall food hall, will shut down its location on January 1. The closure is the latest in a string of exits from the downtown
Remaining Tenants at Former Westfield Mall Face Eviction by New Owners
Most of the remaining tenants at the former Westfield San Francisco Centre are being forced to vacate, following the mall's recent sale to a consortium of banks. The group, which includes Deutsc
Trump Administration Sues California Over Law Banning Police Face Coverings
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging a new California law that prohibits law enforcement officers from covering their faces during public demonstrations. The law, Assem
S.F. Developers Face Tough Reality as Optimism Meets Market Slowdown
In San Francisco's stalled real estate sector, confidence has long been a developer’s currency. But as deals drag and capital dries up, the line between strategic patience and misplaced optimism
Mayor Grapples With Fallout After Controversial Sunset Appointment
At 6 p.m. Friday in the mayor’s office, nearly 24 hours had passed since a political decision created swift backlash in the Sunset District. Mayor London Breed had appointed Joel Engardio to represent
Greg Flynn Bets on San Francisco’s Comeback with Major Investments
Greg Flynn, whose restaurant and hospitality empire spans the U.S., is banking heavily on San Francisco's recovery. The founder of Flynn Properties was recently named one of the city's 202
Growing Buy Now, Pay Later Use Signals Rising Consumer Strain
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services have become a lifeline for millions of Americans, increasingly used for everyday necessities like groceries. Once pitched as a way to finance discretionary spending,
Former Gov. Newsom Chief of Staff Indicted in Federal Corruption Case
Dana Williamson, who served as Chief of Staff to Governor Gavin Newsom from 2022 to 2024, was indicted Wednesday on 23 federal charges following a multiyear corruption investigation, prosecutors annou
San Francisco Centre Mall Foreclosed After Two Years Without a Buyer
The San Francisco Centre Mall, a high-profile retail property in downtown San Francisco, has officially been foreclosed after sitting without an owner for more than two years. The foreclosure marks an
SFPD Shoots Man and Dog After Unprovoked Bite Near Union Square
San Francisco police shot a man and his dog near Union Square on Sunday after the dog allegedly bit a bystander and later attacked an officer. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. near Market and O’
Paso Robles Winemaker Sticks to Roots with High-Elevation Vines and a 2003 Chevy
Bob Tillman drives a worn 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup with over 365,000 miles on the odometer, using it to reach his high-elevation vineyard in Paso Robles. As the founder of Alta Colina Vineyard and
Section 415 Brings Bay Area Sports Coverage to Email and Podcast Platforms
Bay Area sports fans have a new way to stay informed. Section 415, a dedicated sports initiative, has launched both a newsletter and a podcast focused on local teams, stories, and personalities. The S
Families Sue OpenAI Over GPT-4o's Alleged Role in Suicides, Psychiatric Harm
Seven families filed lawsuits Thursday against OpenAI, accusing the company of releasing its GPT-4o language model without adequate safety measures. The lawsuits claim that ChatGPT reinforced delusion
Coinbase CEO Hints at Potential Relocation Amid Regulatory Uncertainty
In a recent statement, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong expressed concerns about the lack of regulatory clarity in the United States for the cryptocurrency industry. He mentioned that if the situation doe
Multichain Bridge Offers Solutions for Regulators
Local firms (including Coinbase) have been under attack by American regulators in recent months as they, under the guide of consumer protection, work to dismantle the cryptocurrency industry. One inte