RICHMOND ROUNDUP

New Advisory Committee Named for Geary Blvd.
The SF Transportation Authority has created a new advisory committee to investigate and give feedback concerning the authority's plan to install a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system on Geary Boulevard.

An environmental assessment is now being made for the plan, which would dedicate traffic lanes on Geary for buses. There are two major plans, one calling for the lanes to be on the outside of the boulevard, as they currently are, and one (with two options) with dedicated center lanes.

The new members of the Geary Citizens Advisory Committee are: Joanna Fong; Bruce P. Osterweil; James Rodgers; Jette Swan; Margaret Massialas; Kieran Farr; Marissa Louie; Anthony Biancalana; Peter D. Ehrlich; James Misener; and Joel Ramos.

Teens Invited to Write in Essay Contest
In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, teens ages 12 to 18 are invited to enter an essay contest focused on the topic of "A Traveler's Journey."

The contest is limited to one entry of at least 1,000 words per person. The first-place winner will receive an iPod Nano (4GB) and the second-place winner will receive a $30 Borders gift certificate. Essays must include the participant's name, address, school, grade, phone number and e-mail address, and be submitted either in person or by mail (no e-mail) by Saturday, May 31, at 4 p.m. Send to Jewel Chen at the Chinatown Public Library, 1135 Powell St. For more information, call 355-2888.

Zion School Student Wins Poster Contest
The San Francisco Dental Society honored the winner of its 33rd Annual Dental Poster Contest during a special ceremony, on April 18, at the University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.

Zion Lutheran's fourth-grade student Liana Lum was this year's poster contest winner, which is intended to promote healthy dental care for children at a young age.

State Sen. Leland Yee presented Lum with the grand prize of a weekend stay at the Hilton Hotel in Santa Clara, two tickets to Great America and $50.

Lum said her goal was "to have something that was eye catching."

More than 2,500 submissions were received from various schools throughout San Francisco. Sixty children were honored at the awards ceremony, including Zion's fifth grade student, Joshua Sim.

The winning posters will be displayed in the International Wing at SF International Airport before being moved to the SF Main Library in the summer.

Safety Network Honors Local Activist
The Safety Network, a citywide partnership, has the mission to organize and engage local community members in developing and advocating for sustainable grassroots strategies to improve public safety.

On April 2, the Safety Network honored 13 individuals and organizations at an Awards Reception at the State Building.

Nominees from the Richmond District included Benny Dao, Devi Joseph, Emma Casey, Janet Zamecki, Patricia Kaussen and Yuri Kang.

Of the nominees, the Safety Network honored Dr. Devi Joseph at the awards ceremony.

Joseph, a retired marine geophysicist and analyst, returned to her home in San Francisco after living in Honolulu, Mississippi and Seattle pursuing her research in academic, military and commercial spheres. Devi grew up in a house next door to Cabrillo Playground in the Outer Richmond District that her parents bought in 1950.

After seeing the deteriorated state of the playground and witnessing the nightly activities of vandals that affected the quality of life in her old neighborhood and the safety of the playground, she and her neighbors started the Friends of Cabrillo Playground (www.cabrilloplayground.org) to urge the SF Recreation and Park Department to address the playground's safety hazards, general deterioration and lack of security.

"I realized that, in this day and age you have to take an active part in keeping your neighborhood safe," Devi said.

Chinese American Fight for Equality Exhibit
The Chinese Historical Society of America is presenting the Civil Rights Suite, a trio of exhibits comprised of "The Chinese of California," "Remembering 1882," and "To Enjoy and Defend Our American Citizenship."

The triumvirate of exhibits represents the Chinese American fight for equality.

In 1882, Congress passed the nation's first immigration law Ð the Chinese Exclusion Act. As legislation removed the constitutional guarantee of equal protection, discrimination and violent attacks against people of Chinese descent intensified, defining the fight for basic human rights and the very existence of Chinese Americans.

"The Civil Rights Suite links the fight for equality to every immigrant group in America," said Sue Lee, the historical society's executive director.

The groundbreaking exhibit explores the complex history and unique challenges of Chinese Americans in their fight for civil rights. The Chinese Historical Society of America is located at 965 Clay St. For more information, call 391-1188.

Blue herons at GG Park
Every year since 1993, great blue herons have returned to Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park to court, mate and raise their young.

This year, there are five active nests and the opportunity to observe the herons and their chicks. San Francisco Nature Education interns will be stationed with spotting scopes to offer spectacular views of the nests and the birds' behaviors.

Follow signs from the Stow Lake Boathouse to the observation site anytime on Saturdays, through May 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nature walks, including one for families with children, will also be given around Stow Lake from 10 a.m. to noon.

For more information, call 387-9160.

Athlete wins scholarship
Adrian Dorsey, George Washington High School's football and track star, will receive the 2008 Elwood "China" Lang Memorial Scholarship from the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame. He will be honored at the 26th annual banquet on Saturday, May 17, and receive $2,000 toward his college education.

Dorsey, an engineering and art major with a 3.28 grade point average, has been an All Academic Athletic Association Champion in 2005, 2006 and 2007 in the 65-, 110- and 300-meter hurdles, and a medalist in the 100- and 400-meter team relays. In 2007, he was the team's Most Valuable Runner and a state meet qualifier.

For more information, call Al Vidal at 826-3571.

Bike to Work Day coming
On Thursday, May 15, the City will celebrate its annual Bike to Work Day in an effort to promote alternative modes of transportation.

There will be "energizer stations" where volunteers will assist cyclists.

One station will be located at Arguello Boulevard and Cabrillo Street, where volunteers will give out free snacks, beverages and bicycle safety material to riders.

Last year, more bicycles were counted on Market Street than cars. Today, 16 percent of San Franciscans use bicycles as regular modes of transportation at least once a week.

During the last year the number of people bicycling in the City increased 15 percent. According to counts by the SF Municipal Transportation Authority, the intersection of Arguello Boulevard and Lake Street saw a 21 percent increase from 2006 to 2007.

"The ride from the Richmond to downtown is so pleasant that it slowly became part of my daily routine," says Joseph Montana, a regular bicycle commuter who lives at Fulton Street and 14th Avenue.

The SF Bicycle Coalition will host events leading up to the big day, including free bicycle education classes to educate riders on the rules of the road.

For more information, go to the Web site at sfbike.org/btwd.