Memorial Service for Melanio Duarte to be May 8

A memorial service for Caffe D’Melanio owner Melanio Duarte will be held May 8 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Ingleside Presbyterian Church, 1345 Ocean Ave.

Mr. Duarte, a native to Argentina, was an anchor in the Ingleside community for many years. He and his companion Laurie Martin worked hard to build up the restaurant, providing live music and neighborhood events on top of its dining and coffee.

The remembrance and potluck on May 8 will be intentionally held on Mother’s day because Mr. Duarte’s mother was the most important person on earth and heaven to him, according to his loved ones.

Reverand Roland Gordon of Ingleside Presbytarian will lead the celebration. Musicians will perform and friends will deliver thanks and remembrances. A potluck will be held afterward so dishes to be shared will be appreciated.

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, it has been asked that donations be made to Ingleside Presbyterian Church to help pay their share of the Ocean Avenue Community Business District. Any funds over that amount will help pay for expenses to return Melanio’s ashes to Argentina.

For more information, visit www.caffemelanio.com or call (415) 239-9495.

McLaren Park Plaza Spruce-Up Nearly Complete

McLaren Park Garden

McLaren Park gardeners at work. Images courtesy of Help McLaren Park.

McLaren Park’s gardening crew planted three new flower beds at the Gambier Street entrance April 11 as part of an ongoing rebuild of a former play area that had been torn down years ago. With the sand removed and new granite surface in place, the three oval shaped beds were ready for the annuals to go in the ground.

Help McLaren Park’s Charles Farrugia said in an e-mail the plaza won’t be complete without the fountain that will be used as a raised planter.

“The fountain will eventually contain colorful annuals,’ he said. “The annuals planted (April 11) were left over from another park’s work party and our park supervisor donated them.”

Farrugia said the annuals in the ground would be joined by perennial Phylum’s that don’t need as much water.

New Bill To Improve Local Access to Cow Palace Board

Cow Palace

Front of the Cow Palace. Photo by Dante Alighieri. Image used under Creative Commons Share Alike license.

San Francisco and Daly City stand to gain influence over the Cow Palace if a Leland Yee-sponsored bill passes in Sacramento.

Senate Bill 249, Yee’s office announced April 5, would give both cities two appointments to the nine member board of directors, a move that should increase oversight by the Cow Palace’s neighbors. This would be especially important to those neighbors in light of a May 2010 party that resulted in several drug overdoses, hospitalizations and deaths.

Friends and Advocates of Crocker-Amazon and the Excelsior said in their April newsletter they “hoped for quality programming to be offered at the Cow Palace.” With this bill, FACE would have more access to the board through the local appointment.

“The lack of local representation on the Cow Palace Board has resulted in decisions, especially regarding issues of public safety, that do not reflect the wishes and needs of the community,” Yee said in a press release.

The bill passed the Senate Agriculture Committee, April 5, and could move to the Senate floor within a few weeks, Yee’s Chief of Staff Adam Keigwin told The Light. The bill must still pass the state Assembly before reaching the governor’s desk, and if signed then, would go into effect Jan. 1, 2012.

“Senator Yee’s bill will give Daly City and San Francisco a much-needed voice at the Cow Palace, as well as allow us to coordinate with them to better deal with potential problems,” Daly City Mayor Carol Klatt said in a press release.

Keigwin said Assemblywoman Fiona Ma supports the bill and would help get it through the Assembly.

“We’re pretty confidant we can get this to the governor,” Keigwin said.

The Cow Palace is officially the 1-A District Agricultural Association, part of the California Department of Food Agriculture’s Division of Fairs and Expositions. Its current board of directors is appointed by the governor. Yee’s bill would let the mayors of each city name two members apiece.

Taraval Station to Restore Daily Crime Reports

Taraval Police Station’s Capt. Curtis Lum is bringing back daily crime reports, an activity performed by previous Capt. Paul Chignell in 2009.

“There will still be the Friday newsletter with the crime information in this format, but when I can, I will send out only crime reports in this format Monday through Thursday,” Lum said via e-mail. “If I get busy, I will have to skip a day or so, but if I can I will try to do this daily.”

To sign up for Taraval Station’s crime reports visit taraval.org.

Taraval Station Capt. Curtis Lum