San Francisco Chronicle reporter Rachel Swan was reporting on the anti-panhandling ordinance last year when she met rapper Tone Oliver, whose story became symbolic of how this ordinance can impact artists like him.

You can follow her reporting at the San Francisco Chronicle website or on Twitter @rachelswan.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Muni Diaries podcast to keep up with more first-person stories about life in San Francisco. And if you have your own story to contribute, email us at [email protected].

You know when a way-too-crowded bus followed by a nearly empty bus right behind it, and you'd wonder, why doesn't anyone get on the empty bus? In this episode, Muni operator Ricardo sheds some light on why this happens, and how he tried to bail out a rookie Muni driver in this predicament.

This story was read by Steve Pepple of VibeMap, who's also a Muni Diaries Live alum.

We are always looking for stories about life in San Francisco, on or off the bus. What's the best thing that happened to you here? Did something or someone in SF change you? We want to hear all about it. Anyone can submit a story to this collective online journal: just email us at [email protected].

In today's episode, rider Tara got to do something that most bus passengers never get to do. This story is read by Muni Diaries reader Amanda Staight.

A couple of San Franciscans created a project that truly made lemonade out of all the lemons that 2020 has thrown at us. Paint the Void matches mural artists with shuttered storefronts, and since April, the nonprofit has matched artists who beautified over 84 shops and restaurants, making walking around in San Francisco a joy again.

In today's podcast episode, we invite Lisa Vortman, the Co-Founder, Director of Photography, Media and Storytelling of Paint the Void, to share the story of the first mural she photographed for the project. Go to MuniDiaries.com to see photos of the mural she talks about in the story.

Muni, like many other public transit agencies around the country, is facing a financial "death spiral" in the face of the pandemic. In today's podcast episode, we talk with Jeffrey Tumlin, the Director of Transportation of the SFMTA who started in his role right at the end of last year after the underground meltdown.

Where do neon signs of yesteryear go to retire? In this episode, we invite two neon historians to tell us about their neon "white whale."

Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan are the creators of San Francisco Neon, an organization of historians, educators, and advocates for the beautiful neon signs you see all over our city. They are also the authors of the book, San Francisco Neon: Survivors and Lost Icons.

SF Neon now has evening virtual presentations about the history behind beautiful neon signs in the Tenderloin and Chinatown. There's an online version of their festival called Neon Speaks which is in September. You can find out more at SFNeon.org.

Muni Diaries reader Amanda Staight shares why she misses the bus, and after this many months of sheltering in place, we bet you feel the same.

Amanda is a lover of neighborhoods, communities and casual conversations. She collects and tells stories as a passion and occupation. Her favorite seat on the bus is next to the rear door, up the little steps in the back.

If you have your own Muni tale or sentiment to share, or a pandemic tale of San Francisco living, we want to hear from you! Email us your pitch at [email protected].

Today's episode features a story submitted by Muni rider Wil, who seized a moment of connection on Muni. This story is read by Muni Diaries reader Dayne Watai.

In the last few weeks we have all been re-examining social justice in our communities and our place in it - we've had some healthy debate on our social media about whether Muni should be used to transport police and protestors, and the role of public transit in race and class. Follow us @munidiaries on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to chime in. We'll continue these conversations while also bringing you stories of everyday San Franciscans, as we always do.

If you have a story to share, our inbox is open for your pitch. Email us at [email protected].

Today's story is from Eden Stein, the owner of Secession Art and Design, an art gallery and boutique in Bernal Heights. Eden has seen the ups and downs of San Francisco in over a decade of keeping her store afloat. In this episode, Eden tells a story about one evening a few year ago when a man walked in, intending to rob the store.

Eden says that she is transitioning from in-store to online sales these days. In the past, 80% of her sales came from people shopping at the store in person, and it's been a major change to transition to an online-only business. You can find Secession at SecessionSF.com.

The set of an obscure sci-fi film became the catalyst of building a new space in the Mission. Storyteller Noel Von Joo shares how he and a couple of friends started to build a quirky, inventive space for artists to gather in the Mission. Hidden in a nondescript building, the Secret Alley is a pirate ship, old diner, and indoor garden all at once.

This story was recorded at Muni Diaries Live in 2019. We are continuing to bring you stories about our city, submitted by readers like you. Please share this podcast with your friends and rate us on Apple Podcasts.