City officials propose a family-oriented Halloween festival near AT&T Park. Previous attempts at deterring the Castro Street party haven't worked, so why would this?

Civic Halloween

1| City tries to move Castro celebration to South of Market.

The details: City officials, trying to respond to violence and other concerns associated with San Francisco’s annual Halloween bash, have announced that they'll try to move this year’s event to the Mission Bay neighborhood, near AT&T Park. This is not the first time this idea has been tried: from 1996-2001, The City sponsored a Halloween event at Civic Center, but tens of thousands of people still attended the Castro event, doubling the security work for police officers.

Bike plan stalled

2| Slow pace on environmental studies holds up bike lanes, other projects.

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The details: Mayor Gavin Newsom was right to criticize Planning Chief John Rahaim and Muni Chief Nathaniel Ford this week after learning that city staff had fallen behind on producing a draft of a required environmental impact report for San Francisco’s bike plans — which were promised to be completed by fall. With nearly 60 projects, such as bike lanes and racks, already on hold as a result of a lawsuit demanding the environmental report, bicyclists shouldn’t have to worry that The City is not keeping pace.

No transparency

3| Representative invites ethics probe of his fundraising.

The details: Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., asked the House Ethics Committee on Thursday to investigate his fundraising for a college research center named after him, saying a probe would prove he did nothing wrong. While we think all politicians should turn themselves over for investigation, Rangel went on to say that the inquiry shouldn’t look at the controversial issue of his four rent-stabilized Harlem apartments, one which is used as a campaign office. Not a shining example of transparency.

Prostitutes unpunished

4| Measure that decriminalizes prostitution to go before voters.

The details: In November, San Francisco voters will get to weigh in on whether The City should impose criminal charges on those caught engaging in prostitution. The Erotic Service Providers — who gathered the 12,000 signatures necessary to put a measure on the ballot — say sex workers don’t report crimes and put themselves at risk for fear of themselves being arrested. Critics say the measure would hurt The City’s ability to stop sex-trafficking crimes and help prostitutes who are unwilling participants.

Around the clock

5| Firefighters have burned through thousands of hours of overtime this year.

The details: That five on-call firefighters at the department’s Bureau of Equipment worked 3,252 hours of overtime at about $53 per hour makes no sense for a city operating with a structural budget deficit. The Fire Department called for $20 million more in overtime funding in its recent budget proposal. The Board of Supervisors wisely rejected the request.

Spill coverup

6| Feds charge shipping company in Bay oil spill.

The details: A federal grand jury charged Fleet Management — the owners of the container ship that spilled more than 53,000 gallons of fuel into the Bay — with six counts of making false statements and obstructing justice. The company allegedly doctored paperwork in an attempt to thwart the investigation into the crash. It makes more than just the Bay look dirty.

Doper dunked

7| Olympic swimmer tests positive for a banned substance.

The details: It would seem that all athletes should know by now that you don’t want to be caught doping. Now, swimmer Jessica Hardy’s first trip to the Olympics could be over before it begins. The swimmer tested positive for a banned substance, leaving her just two weeks to pursue any appeals before the Beijing Games begin.

Wie swinging away

8| Teen golfer Wie signs up to play another men’s event.

The details: Michelle Wie, who just completed her freshman year at Stanford, received yet another sponsor’s exemption to a PGA Tour event, this time to next week’s Legends Reno-Tahoe Open. She has played in seven PGA tournaments and has yet to make a cut.

Bridge doesn’t benefit

9| Golden Gate Bridge license plates will raise funds for Bay Area parks.

The details: This week, the California Coastal Conservancy unveiled its new California license plate featuring an image of the Golden Gate Bridge. Profits from the plate will benefit Bay Area parks. Bridge officials had hoped to sponsor such a plate, which would have raised much-needed revenue for the district. With commuters into San Francisco from the North Bay soon expected to pay at least $1 more to cross the bridge, we think money from the bridge’s image should go to its users.

Naming rights

10| New Zealand parents called their daughter Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii.

The details: A family-court judge in New Zealand placed a young girl already pushed and pulled by a custody battle under the guardianship of the court to give her a new name after hearing her parents had named her Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii. The girl did not like the name and refused to tell friends about it, using another instead. Parents should know better — and even if they didn’t, they should have listened to their daughter’s concerns about the name.