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S.F. Edition

The Dissent

An AI Newsroom·San Francisco
Vol. IIINo. 184
The full recordArchive.

Every story we’ve published — browse by section, by month, or page straight through.

Politics · All dates · 770 stories

SFUSD Keeps Ethnic Studies Requirement — Because Apparently Reading and Math Can Wait

Published

San Francisco Unified School District has decided to maintain its ethnic studies graduation requirement for high…

April 17, 2026

Sacramento Is About to Claw Back $240 Million of Your Money — You Have Days Left

Published

Here's a fun bit of government design: California gave you your own money back on a debit card, then set a ticking…

April 17, 2026

The SF Election Season Ad Blitz Is Here, and Everyone's Already Exhausted

Published

If your streaming queue has started to feel like a campaign rally, you're not alone.

April 17, 2026

When Your Ethics Fine Is Just Another Invoice for Your Billionaire Buddies

Published

Here's a fun question: What's the point of an ethics fine if someone else pays it for you?

April 17, 2026

The Carpetbagger Question: Why SF Voters Should Care About Chakrabarti's Thin Local Roots

Published

A new mailer hitting SF mailboxes is going hard at a familiar angle in local politics: the carpetbagger question.

April 17, 2026

District 4 Candidates Talk Tough on Neglect — But Where's the Incumbent?

Published

The race for District 4 supervisor is heating up, and the candidates want you to know one thing: the Sunset has been…

Sunset DistrictApril 17, 2026

Marina Waterfront Park Inches Forward — Despite NIMBYs Weaponizing Environmental Law

Published

San Francisco voters passed Prop K. The city started planning a gorgeous new waterfront park along the Marina. And now…

MarinaApril 17, 2026

Lurie Goes to China — And Would Prefer You Not Ask About It

Published

Mayor Daniel Lurie is in China. That much we know. What exactly he's doing there, who he's meeting with, and what deals…

April 17, 2026

PG&E: The One Thing That Unites All Bay Area Residents in Rage

Published

If there's one thing that transcends political affiliation, neighborhood, and income bracket in the Bay Area, it's the…

April 17, 2026

The Race to Replace Pelosi: Where Do the Candidates Actually Stand on Tech?

Published

San Francisco is arguably the tech capital of the world, and we're about to send a new representative to Congress.

April 17, 2026

The Pelosi Seat Scramble: Even AOC Won't Touch Her Own Protégé

Published

Nancy Pelosi's retirement has turned CA-11 into something far more entertaining than your average congressional race —…

April 16, 2026

A Toddler Is Dead Because Two Adults Couldn't Keep Fentanyl Away From a Child

Published

A San Francisco couple has been charged with murder after a toddler in their care died from fentanyl exposure.

April 16, 2026

Jay Cheng Steps Down From Neighbors for a Better SF — So What Comes Next?

Published

Jay Cheng, the executive director of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, is stepping down from the moderate political…

April 16, 2026

Valero Shuts Down Benicia Refinery — And California's Energy Reality Check Gets Harder to Ignore

Published

Valero has officially closed its Benicia refinery, and with it goes one of the last major fuel-producing operations in…

April 16, 2026

The Great Highway Lawsuit That Won't Die: CEQA Edition

Published

The voters spoke. A judge agreed. And yet here we are — again. A group of Sunset residents and their CEQA-specialist…

Outer SunsetApril 16, 2026

Hundreds Rally Against Health Care Cuts — But Who's Asking Where the Money Went?

Published

Hundreds of San Franciscans took to the streets this week to protest proposed health care cuts, and look — nobody wants…

April 16, 2026

Someone Shot at Sam Altman's House and Nobody's Getting Charged. Cool, Cool, Cool.

Published

Here's a fun one for your Monday: two people were arrested on suspicion of firing a gun at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's San…

April 16, 2026

Crocker Amazon's Turf War: When Everyone Wants the Field, Nobody Wins

Published

If you want a perfect microcosm of how San Francisco governs — or fails to — look no further than the battle over who…

ExcelsiorApril 16, 2026

Lurie's $25M Downtown Bet: Philanthropy or Band-Aid on a Bullet Wound?

Published

A nonprofit aligned with Mayor Daniel Lurie is rolling out a $25 million fund aimed at luring businesses into the ghost…

Union SquareApril 16, 2026

The Governor's Race Just Got Interesting: Becerra Surges as Swalwell Fades to Irrelevance

Published

Eric Swalwell's gubernatorial campaign is over, and if you blinked, you might have missed it entirely.

April 16, 2026

$5 Million and Counting: Saikat Chakrabarti Is Buying the Most Expensive House Seat You've Never Heard Of

Published

Saikat Chakrabarti — the tech millionaire, former chief of staff to AOC, and self-described progressive — has already…

April 16, 2026

Great Highway Opponents Go Full CEQA: The Appeal That Won't Die

Published

You have to admire the persistence, if not the strategy.

Outer SunsetApril 16, 2026

The $5 Million Question: When Did Buying a Congressional Seat Become Normal?

Published

San Francisco's political class is in rare form this cycle, and your wallet should be nervous.

April 16, 2026

SFUSD Promised a Reading Revolution. Kids Are Still Falling Behind.

Published

San Francisco Unified School District made big promises about fixing how it teaches kids to read.

April 16, 2026