In an episode from last Spring, “Civic” spoke with Tere Almaguer, an environmental justice organizer with PODER, which operates the Hummingbird farm in San Francisco’s Crocker Amazon neighborhood. As the state heads into another year of drought, we talked about how the drought already had an impact, and how the group has adapted to years of inconsistent rainfall.

NEW Another top city administrator resigns over dubious ethical conduct; a judge resurrects a lawsuit alleging ties between the mayor and a City Hall corruption scandal; school district deputy superintendent to resign over major payroll snafu; SF’s Ukrainian diaspora is angry and anxious; Ukrainian refugees coming to the Bay Area need homes. NEXT SF Election Commission will not remove redistricting task force members; ex-planning commissioner retaliation lawsuit settles for $1.8M; demolishing the private Kearney Street pedestrian bridge; a hearing on shelter access for unhoused BIPOC and pregnant residents; and new adult sex venue zoning in historically LGBTQ neighborhoods.

More than 4 million Ukrainians have fled the country as Russian forces destroy entire cities. A local aid agency is racing to get medical supplies into Ukraine and bringing refugees into the Bay Area. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, members of the Ukrainian diaspora are angry, anxious and desperate to connect with loved ones in their ancestral homeland. We caught up with a few during a sunny weekend afternoon in mid-March where hundreds gathered at the bandshell in Golden Gate Park music concourse for a show called "Slava Ukraini" — Glory to Ukraine.

First, what’s new? Laguna Honda hospital has two weeks to fix serious problems or risk closure. SF Public Press’s rent relief tracker found that requests exceed authorized funds by $116 million. New possible district boundaries are drawing furious backlash. And a new poll has uncovered a deep malaise among locals. What’s next? The Board of Supervisors urge the state and federal governments to help survivors of domestic violence. The Land Use and Transportation Committee weighs in on Car Free JFK, and on a controversial plan to end most single-family zoning in the city. And the Battery Bluff area of Presidio Tunnel Tops park opens on April 23rd.

San Francisco is not alone in experiencing an alarming rise in overdose deaths. A lot of them are due to fentanyl, an extremely powerful synthetic opioid. But many fatal overdoses are the result of multiple substances. In this episode, the second in a two-part series examining the factors contributing to increases in drug overdoses in San Francisco, we talk to experts and community advocates about what measures have been taken to address this health crisis, how people who use drugs are reversing overdoses themselves, other harm reduction efforts, what treatment and recovery can mean and how activists, volunteers and the city are trying to help people find their way there.

First, what’s new? A proposed ordinance would require the city to provide a safe place to sleep for every unhoused person. Supervisors decide to put a new Amazon warehouse on hold. Supervisor Preston wants a hearing on police propaganda, aka copaganda. San Francisco’s outmigration is the second largest in the country. What’s next? The Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit finally starts rolling. And the planning commission gets busy with hearings on the proposed Lake Merced recreational park, the massive San Francisco Gateway industrial project in Bayview Hunters Point, a new outer Mission residential complex, and more.

San Francisco saw more people die from drug overdoses than from COVID-19 over the last two years. We take a deep dive into the complex factors contributing to the crisis and possible ways to mitigate the problem in this first of a two part series.

First, what’s new? Former Supervisor Jane Kim is being investigated for ethics violations after failing to register as a lobbyist while on the payroll of a man campaigning to block a new apartment complex. Teachers hold a sit-in to force an agreement on proper payment procedures. A new poll shows DA Chesa Boudin may be on thin ice over his recall campaign. What’s next? Supervisors consider a new law to regulate how police store victim DNA. The public gets to weigh in on progress over San Francisco Department police reform. City and county union workers will march to demand increased staffing.

First, what’s new? Three new school board members were sworn in by the Mayor London Breed after three elected members were recalled. Vaccine mandates are lifted for most indoor public settings. The District Attorney will not re-file a case against a police officer charged with excessive use of force. after a jury acquitted him. Mayor Breed said the police department is making progress on reform, but needs to hire more officers. What’s next? The Board of Supervisors will vote on a measure pushing back on a state law that makes it cheaper to build housing. The supervisors will vote on the rules for restaurants who want to make their pandemic parklets permanent and they’ll take up Mayor Breed’s plans to crack down on rampant drug dealing and use in the Tenderloin.