A.M. Splash: Trustees Say SF City College to Stay Open; SF Stop-and-Frisk Idea Blasted; Yoga Instructor Fired for Silencing Phones

A long, bright future is ahead for City College of San Francisco, but it's going to take a lot of hard work to get there. That was the message Tuesday from the school's board and interim Chancellor Pamila Fisher, who met in public for the first time since last week's revelation that the 90,000-student school is so poorly run that it could lose its accreditation and close next year.

Mayor Ed Lee came under attack Tuesday for suggesting that San Francisco police officers should employ some form of “stop and frisk” tactics to combat gun violence. Even as New York City’s version of the policy was under attack by civil liberties groups for encouraging racial profiling, Lee said to reporters last month that he was considering something similar for San Francisco.

When Alice Van Ness started teaching yoga to Facebook employees at the company's Menlo Park campus a few months ago, she didn't expect to be taught a lesson. And a costly lesson it was. The 35-year-old San Carlos resident was fired last month for trying to restrict cellphone use in her class.

As a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, her politically active family's sole Democrat, and a sister with three brothers, Laura Ricketts is comfortable being the odd woman out... So Ricketts immediately embraced an idea by a fellow Chicago businesswoman who approached her a few months ago about creating a first-of-its kind political action committee to champion candidates and causes that appeal to lesbian voters. LPAC, as the independent super PAC was christened, will be launched Wednesday...

It's a small world after all, as Bay Area motorists were reminded after the settlement of a 16-day strike by Norwegian oil workers caused global prices to drop sharply Tuesday, promising further relief at the pump. In Norway, where oil rig roughnecks have names like Øyvind and Audbjørn, the mood was mournful. "It's very sad," said trade union leader Leif Sande. But across Northern California -- where the cost of a gallon of regular has plunged 41 cents in just the past month -- drivers were øverjøyed.

In his career, Manougian has ordered so many OxyContin pills for low-income patients that he ranked a few years ago as one of the state’s most prolific prescribers... Now, Manougian's practice has drawn the attention of federal investigators.

In another sign of the turbulence affecting cleantech, global clean technology venture investment dropped to $1.6 billion in the second quarter, down 14 percent from the previous quarter and 25 percent from the $2.1 billion invested a year ago, according to the San Francisco-based Cleantech Group... San Francisco-based Sun Run raised an additional $60 million this quarter, while San Jose-based NanoSolar raised $70 million. Milpitas-based Soladigm, which makes energy-efficient glass for commercial buildings, raised $55 million. Campbell-based Coulomb Technologies, which makes networked electric vehicle charging stations, raised $47.5 million. In North America, California led the way with $831 million in investments, followed by Massachusetts with $157 million, and Texas with $57 million.

Eastbound lanes of the lower deck of the Bay Bridge were covered in sand and gravel this morning after CHP investigators believe a dump truck dropped it on the roadway and drove away. The spill spanned 200 to 300 feet near the Treasure Island tunnel and was reported about 6:30 a.m. Sand piles as deep as eight inches were reported.

A warming trend this week should peak Wednesday with highs breaking 100 degrees in the East Bay, prompting the third Spare the Air alert this summer. High temperatures stir up pollutants and smog, turning the air particularly unhealthy, said Lisa Fasano, a spokeswoman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which issues the alerts. Tuesday was also a Spare the Air day.