Complaint dismissed The San Francisco Ethics Commission – after three and a half hours of closed-session debate Sept. 13 – voted to dismiss the complaint against top commission staffers Ginny Vida and Mabel Ng for ordering, last January, the destruction of an inadvertently received document that seemed to show a plan to illegally funnel unregulated donations from Mayor Gavin Newsom's inaugural committee to cover the debts of his campaign committee (see "Newsom's Funny Money," 2/11/04). The vote was 3-1, with commissioner Waukeen McCoy in dissent and commissioner Joe Lynn recusing himself.

Although the deliberations were secret, the commissioners based their decision on an investigation they commissioned from Dan Purnell of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission. That Aug. 23 report – obtained by the Bay Guardian under a Sunshine Ordinance request – concluded that it was unclear whether the commission had jurisdiction to punish the offense, that there was a legitimate difference of opinion over whether the document had "legal significance," and that there weren't enough facts to establish that the violation was "willful."

The investigation focused narrowly on the question of the document destruction. No agency has ever investigated the alleged scheme that was hatched in the office of Newsom campaign treasurer Jim Sutton, and Sutton has long denied such a plan existed or would have been implemented. (Steven T. Jones)

Threat withdrawn The agency that operates California's electric grid backed off its threat to delay closure of the Hunters Point power plant and laid out detailed plans for shutting down all existing power plants in the city following strong community pressure and a recent Bay Guardian article (see "Extortion," 9/1/04).

The state Independent System Operator said in an Aug. 24 letter it would continue operating the Hunters Point plant unless San Francisco environmental groups dropped their appeal to block an upgrade for the Potrero power plant. But the ISO backpedaled from that position at its Sept. 15 board meeting.

"It was clear to me that the board wanted to make this problem go away, and that is because the community was united and is standing up to them," Greg Karras, senior scientist with Communities for a Better Environment, told the Bay Guardian.

The two dirtiest Hunters Point generators can be closed once seven Bay Area transmission projects are completed, which is scheduled to happen sometime between December 2005 and March 2006, ISO staff said. The agency still recommends the Potrero plant upgrade – which its claims could save ratepayers money and minimize air emissions – but it's now studying other options, ISO spokesperson Gregg Fishman told us.

Based on the ISO's action plan, the agency could vote to cancel its agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. for operating Hunters Point next September. Then it could cancel agreements with Mirant Corp. for operating Potrero power plants in 2006 and 2007.

These developments earned praise from city leaders, but after years of battling to close San Francisco's power plants, the mood in the community remained cautiously optimistic at best.

"We feel like we're really close to a big victory here," Potrero Boosters president Tony Kelly told us. But in case the power plants keep running much longer, he said he knows of a few people who are ready to file lawsuits to shut them down. (Matthew Hirsch)

Workers win Two immigrant workers who were sued by their former employer for trying to collect thousands of dollars in back pay owed to them (see "Insult to Injury," 4/28/04) have won an important victory.

Day laborers Israel Mendez and Miguel Pérez and advocates at La Raza Centro Legal had begun picketing in front of former employer Marvin Maltez's East Oakland home to get him to pay the money he owed them for carpet-laying work, so Maltez sued the workers for harassment.

More than a year into the showdown, the California Labor Commission ruled Aug. 11 that Maltez owes the men – both impoverished natives of Chiapas, Mexico – more than $22,000 in back pay, overtime, and late fees.

Then, on Sept. 9, Alameda County Superior Court judge James Richman threw out Maltez's suit, saying the workers and activists were within their rights. Now all that remains is for Maltez to actually pay – something that "could take years," according to Hillary Ronen, an attorney with La Raza Centro Legal who's been working with the two men. "We'll probably hire a collections agency." (Camille T. Taiara)

Paying the rent The San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness, which has been a city institution for 17 years, has received what members call an "overwhelming" response from the public, following a Bay Guardian story in June revealing the organization was in a serious financial crisis (see "Homeless Coalition Facing Homelessness," 6/30/04).

Large and small donors have pitched in to support the group, which is often the lone advocacy voice speaking out publicly on behalf of the city's homeless population. While the group's financial troubles aren't over, the concern that the coalition would lose its offices has abated, according to executive director Paul Boden. The group has rehired some of its staff (although at very reduced salaries), and "there is no talk of closing," Boden told us. "There's too much incredible community support. [Mayor Gavin] Newsom, [Sen. Barbara] Boxer, [secretary of state Kevin] Shelley, [President George W.] Bush – all of them will be dealing with the coalition for a long time to come."

To further help the cause, comedian Doug Ferrari is scheduled to headline an Oct. 5 fundraiser at the Great American Music Hall. For more information, see next week's issue of the Bay Guardian. (Rachel Brahinsky)