Neighborhood Notes: Vandalism At Money Mart, Unlocked Tax Credits, And Many Events— Including Carnaval

San Francisco CA

28 May, 2021

3:55 PM

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By Annika Hom, Mission Local May 27, 2021 What's going on in the neighborhood? Vandalism at Money Mart on 16th and Valencia Around 7 a.m. on May 26, an employee at the Money Mart on 16th and Valencia discovered nine broken windows that had been shattered. While you may think a place called Money Mart would get looted, you'd be wrong. Police officers said that when they did a walk-through of the premises just shy of 8 a.m. that morning, they concluded nothing was stolen and the suspect never bothered to enter the building. An incident report has been taken, but the investigation continues. If anyone has info on what happened the police department encourages you to call the 24-hour tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or to text a message starting with "SFPD" to TIP411. Clara Sophia Daly contributed to this report. The Money Mart on Valencia St. had nine windows shattered., but nothing taken, according to police reports. Photo by Julian Mark. Taken May 26, 2021.After a robbery, Bernal Heights artist needs help to ramp up home security John Rampley, an 84-year-old painter who has lived in Bernal Heights for years, was robbed on May 18, 2021. Allegedly, a robber broke a window in the garage and snuck in through an open bathroom window, then discreetly nabbed Rampley's wallet and cash and a painting from off the wall — all while Rampley was asleep. Rampley is "understandably very traumatized and worried about his finances as he lives off of SSI,' his daughter Genveive stated on a fundraising page about the incident. She created a GoFundMe page asking for $5,000 to boost security upgrades in the house. So far, the page has received about $2,806. "I went to sleep watching a program on Channel 9 at around 10 p.m. I assumed they tried to get out through the bathroom window, which was wide open when I woke up," Rampley told Mission Local. "I have secured the door and am installing security cameras. The anxiety is overflowing." In the past, Rampley said he's had street murals featured at the de Young Museum and Fort Mason. More recently, he's had his work in the Far Out Gallery on Taraval Street. "John Rampley is a wonderful human and artist who has lived in Bernal Heights forever," a neighbor Vanessa wrote in an email to Mission Local. She hopes others will donate to his fund. If you're so inclined to help them meet their goal, donate here. Self-Help for the Elderly and Veritas expand senior escort program for Asian elders In a time of heightened Anti-Asian violence, many throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area are scared. Since then, anti-discrimination groups like Stop AAPI hate, which has some roots in the city, began popping up nationwide. The movement to end this harm has also paved ways for new actions from storied nonprofits. In the latest attempt to address the fear Asians feel, Self-Help for the Elderly, a San Francisco nonprofit that works with many Asian seniors, has teamed up with an unlikely partner: Veritas Investments, the real-estate company faced with several lawsuits and, the ire of many tenants' rights organizers. The two groups on Friday, May 28, will announce the expansion of a senior escort program, in which volunteers can opt to walk a senior home if they feel unsafe going to the doctor or purchasing groceries solo. Veritas COO Jeff Jerden said the company has pledged $30,000 for this effort, in large part to the company's CEO Yat-Pang Au, who identifies as Asian-American and feels the antagonism towards Asians "is personal." In addition, Veritas will show off some of the Stop Asian Hate signs that have usurped those advertising "Rent SF Now," which is a subsidiary of the company. These new bright orange signs include a QR code that links to Stop AAPI Hate's site, where users can report hate crimes or sign up for other actions geared toward addressing Asian violence. Deadlines Heads up: hundreds of dollars could come your way According to a study by United Ways of California, a nonpartisan state organization focused on health, education, and financial policy, some 7,100 low-income San Francisco residents missed out on a chance to get some moolah. Tax payers have failed to take advantage of two programs that offer tax-credits, the California Earned Income Tax Credit and the Golden State Stimulus. You can still apply for that tax credit if you are employed and made $30,000 or less in annual income last year, and you may get up to $3,000 back. You can also still get the Golden Gate Stimulus if you made $75,000 or less and have an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). This golden ticket awards you a one-time payment of $600 or $1,200. Need help filing? If you made under $66,000, you can have someone else file for you at myfreetaxes.org. Need rent relief? Apply for up to six months of rent today It's been a tough and stressful year for many in the Mission and beyond. We asked, and you told us: rent is the number one worry taking up your brain space. The mayor announced this week a total of $90 million that will be used to alleviate some of that debt — up to six months of rent, to be exact. Applications open Friday, May 28. If it's inconvenient to virtually apply, you can contact one of the community nonprofits enlisted to help by calling 311. In the meantime, Supervisor Dean Preston introduced legislation to stave off the local expiration of a rent moratorium, as the state's moratorium ends June 30. If you can pay 25 percent of your rent owed and declare it officially to your landlord, you are safe from nonpayment evictions. What to do this weekend… Indómitas The latest addition of "Indómitas," a live monthly podcast featuring "fierce women artists and activists" takes place tonight at 6:00 p.m. This edition has host Chelis López of KPOO and Radio Bilingüe interview a poet and novelist Lucha Corpi in Spanish. Tune in on Facebook Live via this link. The conversation is free to listen to, but donations are always welcome. To do so and support Brava Theater, which supports this presentation, or to support Indómitas, go here. Carnaval It's the little things, right? Though it's not quite back to its former glory of costumed parades, Carnaval 2021 has at least reclaimed its May launch after befalling a pandemic postponement last year. And perhaps the tweaked agenda is for the best, as the community is still suffering immensely from covid's economic consequences and are prioritizing resources for rent and jobs. And this year's installment boasts a whole lot of fun and resources for the community. For example, Carnaval and Mission Hiring Hall leaders are hosting a job fair, a health and wellness pavilion, Covid-19 vaccinations, and cultural exhibits. If you visit all eight booths and record it in a "Carnaval passport" (marked with stickers instead of stamps), you qualify for a raffle in August. And the prizes will be the envy of your friends: Bad Bunny Concert tickets, San Francisco Giants swag, and gift cards. Once you complete the rounds, drop by the Calle 24 booth at 19th and Harrison to enter your name before 4 p.m. Other local eateries are offering discounts for the celebration. Grab $2 tacos from La Palma or a $10 breakfast burrito and drink combo from Sun Rise Restaurant. Go to Calle 24 Latino Cultural District's Instagram for more details. Ready to join in on the fun? Come through May 29 and 30 at Harrison Street between 18th and 20th. The spectacle is open from noon to 5 p.m. on both days. Looking ahead Pass the popcorn I never really thought staring at a screen was a particularly meaningful social experience, but the lockdown changed my mind. This past weekend, Roxie Theater ushered in an in-person audience for the first time since the pandemic began. To honor the special occasion, the theater premiered an audience-chosen flick "Paradiso." In addition, Roxie Theater promises to host a slew of summer specials, such as SF Docs Fest (which celebrates its 20th anniversary!). The festival's opening night begins on June 3 with "Summer of Love," a documentary featuring "an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion." Roll on over to the Church of 8 Wheels for an after-party, too. To see what else is screening at Roxie Theater here, and the complete line up of SF Doc Fest can be found here. The Palacios Sisters To our Bay Area artists, we say brava. The Brava Theater presents a special screening of "The Palacios Sisters," a radionovela written by playwright Cristina García, who is a current playwright-in-residence in Berkeley. The story is inspired by Chekhov's "The Three Sisters," and adds a modern and Latina twist. This iteration of the story takes the main characters Olga, Maria, and Irinita Palacios and their brother, Andres, straight into 1985 Miami amid its cocaine-related crisis and growing AIDS epidemic. The family aims to navigate their new lives as recent immigrants from Havana and as fine-artists in America. In addition to García, the radionovela has been created thanks to director Adrian Alea, musicians Omar Sosa and Greg Landau, and scores of other Bay Area voice actors. If you'd like to tune in, purchase a ticket online on Brava's website. Tickets are priced on a sliding scale of $10 to $12. Once you claim yours, you can listen to the piece as many times as you like between June 4 and June 30 at midnight. Volunteers needed for Tucan's weekend The neighborhood remembers Sean Monterrosa, a Bernal Heights resident who was shot and killed by Vallejo Police at the site of an alleged Walgreens looting on June 2, 2020. Last year, his loved ones threw a block party for him in his honor — featuring a concert with local musicians and decorations with toucans, in honor of Sean's beloved nickname — and declared it an annual celebration. This year's remembrance is called "Tucan's Weekend," and takes place on June 5 and 6. Volunteers are needed to staff the event, according to a social media page. If you're interested, fill out the form at bit.ly/tucansvolunteers . If you want to check out and RSVP to the events, go here. Mission Local covers San Francisco from the vantage point of the Mission, a neighborhood with all of the promise and problems of a major city. You can support Mission Local here.