This Week In Noe Valley: It's Pride Week (And A Few Other Things)

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Omnivore Book's Celia Sack made a quiet announcement Wednesday [@omnivorebooks]
• So it was Andy Anduha who was arrested near Bernal last week for stealing packages [SF Examiner; also NVSF]
• FOCC is looking for help to green Ames and Quane St - two alleys at the eastern edge of Noe Valley [FOCC]
• Some of British writer Tony Quarrington's pictures of his time in Noe Valley [Tony Quarrington]
• Jerry Kuns is blind and has a beautiful garden full of texture, smells and sound [San Francisco Magazine]
• Joyriding kids take out a stoplight and flee from the awesome Prius that labels them Noe Valley hoodlums [f6x]

[Photo: zoxcleb]

Verdict: 24th St Rapist Is Guilty

The man accused of beating and raping three women last year was found guilty today:

Frederick Dozier Jr., 33, sat silently as a court clerk read guilty verdicts for 25 felony counts on Tuesday, including attempted rape, kidnapping and forced oral copulation. The jury acquitted him of one count of attempted murder.

Evidence against Dozier included DNA and testimony from the victims (2 of whom were in court today). The serial rapist DA Gascón called "an animal" will be sentenced on December 14th.

Another important bit from the SFGate article:

The Fair Oaks Community Coalition has raised $16,000 for the victims. Coalition member Charles Moser said donations can be sent to the 24th Street Survivors Fund at the Sterling Bank on 24th Street.

[SFGate: DA Gascón: "Frankly, he is an animal."]
[NVSF: 24th St Rape Suspect In Custody]
[NVSF: Sketch And Video Of 24th St Rape Suspect]
[NVSF: Crime Beat: Rape]

Update: 24th St Assault Survivors Receive Donations

This from the Fair Oaks Street Group:

On Friday, each of the survivors of last year's 24th Street corridor assaults received greeting cards with notes and messages of support, along with a $4,000 check from a fund established for their benefit by the Fair Oaks Community Coalition. Cards and checks were delivered by the District Attorney's office of Victim Assistance. One of the women, who has been aided since the attack by close friends in Noe Valley, asked those friends to share this message with the community:

Dear Fair Oaks Street Group and Other Generous Donors:

I was so moved by your most heartfelt card, good wishes and generous donations. Indeed, I am feeling better every day. I was both surprised and very happy to receive your many wishes for my recovery and huge amount of financial help. This has been especially important since I have been unable to return to work so far. I hope it will not be long before I am able to go back to work.

I am also very grateful to the paramedics, San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Recovery Center, Kaiser Permanente and to the San Francisco Police detectives who all have helped me to recover and feel safer and less anxious about going out when it gets dark. Thank you so much for everything you have done for me.

Best regards,
Your friend and neighbor from Noe Valley

The Fair Oaks Community Coalition is heartened by the public's generous gifts and good wishes for the survivors. Donations are still being accepted, and will be disbursed to all 3 survivors. Contributions (cash or check) can be made here:

24th Street Survivors Fund
c/o Sterling Bank and Trust
3800 - 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Community Meeting Regarding Recent Sexual Assaults

The Fair Oaks Neighborhood Coalition has organized a community meeting. A reader alerted us to this Mission Local article:

Residents near 24th Street and Fair Oaks, where a violent sexual assault took place last week, have asked city and law enforcement officials to meet with the community on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at St. James Church to discuss the investigation.

...the goal of Wednesday’s meeting is threefold: to get an update on how the victims are doing, to set up a fund to help them financially, and to find out how the investigation is going.

We called the Mission Station, but no one was able to confirm SFPD will attend.

Our reader added a few more details:

The first victim, who is a personal friend of ours, is a Noe Valley resident who was walking to the SamTrans bus stop in order to get to work early at the airport to cover a co-worker's shift.

...In addition to these two assaults, the Dec/Jan edition of the Noe Valley Voice listed three other sexual assaults, which according to a police officer that I spoke with may or may not be related to the other two. They were listed as occurring on Jersey, Church and Sanchez during the month of October. The police are considering whether or not all 5 might be related, but the most recent two certainly seem to be. In addition to the surveillance photo that is posted on your site, the first victim did a face/head sketch which has not been widely distributed.

Also, the Fair Oaks residents are apparently trying to set up some sort of fund to help the victims, at least the one attacked near Fair Oaks. If there were any interest in helping out the Noe Valley victim, I would be happy to discuss that further with her and anyone interested in making such a contribution. She will remain off work into January as she is still recovering from her injuries. She lives paycheck to paycheck, and we are providing direct financial support to her so that she doesn't need to worried about rent, etc. on top of everything else.

Stay tuned for more info on how to help the victim. Meanwhile, consider attending the meeting tomorrow night and be safe.

What: Community Meeting Regarding Recent Sexual Assaults
When: Wednesday, December 14, 7:00PM
Where: St James Church, 1086 Guerrero St at Alvarado

Update: More from the Fair Oaks Community Coalition

Dear Neighbors,
In response to the terrible assault that occurred on Fair Oaks at 24th Street on December 8, a public meeting will be held this Wednesday, December 14, at 7:00 PM at St. James Church, Guerrero at 23rd Streets. All neighbors, local schools staff and students, church and community organizations are invited to attend.

• To assist the survivors of this and another similar attack in November (also on the 24th Street corridor in the Mission), several options will be discussed;
• City officials and the San Francisco Police Department will provide updates on the investigation;
• Flyers to warn the public will be available for posting in streets, shops, restaurants, BART and bus stops (or print your own from the attached flyer);
• An online list-serve is being developed for the neighborhood – get details and sign up! Recommendations on self-defense will be provided;
• Advice on safeguarding your home will be discussed;

Our neighborhoods can combine strengths to stop these attacks if we heed the guidelines at this SFPD web site.


Please share this invitation with others, and bring your ideas to the meeting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, stay alert and stay safe!

And another update:

Andrew Segal of the Fair Oaks Neighborhood Coalition...confirmed that...Supervisors Weiner and Campos will attend, as well as representatives from SFPD and the DA's office. There are three goals: solving the crimes, identifying some way of supporting the victims, and identifying an avenue for community healing.

[NVSF: Crime Beat: Rape]
[SFPD: Wanted: Sexual Assault Person Of Interest]

Crime Beat: Rape

Via the Fair Oaks Community Coalition:

Dear neighbors:

Today at 6:30 AM, a woman was attacked on 24th Street and raped around the corner on Fair Oaks Street. The woman has been hospitalized and is under care in San Francisco. The SFPD cordoned off the northwest corner during their investigation, and the fire department was later called to wash blood from the sidewalk. [A neighbor] who lives across the street found a bloody undergarment in shrubs near her home and gave it to the police, who have classified this as a “very violent crime,” and are giving it their utmost attention.

There were apparently no witnesses, and are no suspects at present – however, in the event that you may have heard or seen something in this area at that time, PLEASE NOTIFY THE POLICE DIRECTLY. Believe it or not, the preferred contact method is not by phone (which ties up the station’s switchboard), but by email or Twitter:

• Email: SFPDMissionStation@sfgov.org
• Twitter: SFPD_Mission

But if your only contact method is telephone, please call the TIP LINE: (415) 392-2623.

Three Fair Oaks neighbors went to Mission Station late this morning to ask how our community might best offer support and assistance to the woman. Officer Salvador suggested that cards and notes could be forwarded to her from Mission Station. Needless to say, her identity will not (and should not) be made public, but assuming that she’s unable to work for a while, some financial assistance might be welcome, particularly at this time of year. As soon as a fund can be established, contribution information will be provided to this email list.

While the case is under investigation, the police strongly advise all of us neighbors not to discuss any “facts” that we may have heard or believe to be true. The reason is simple: Misinformation made public can prejudice a case, and could provide the perpetrator’s defense attorney grounds for dismissal when it comes to trial.

In the meantime, Officer Salvador recommends that extra attention be paid to the personal safety of our families and our homes in the following ways:

• Never, ever walk down a public street while talking or texting on your phone! C.W. Nevius’ recent column in the Chronicle explains why. Doubters should note that at Mission Station this morning, two young women walked in to report exactly this sort of attack. One of them had just been mugged from behind while talking on her phone on busy Mission Street at 10:30 AM!
• Lock the doors and windows of your home! Burglars are looking for holiday gifts, and will be delighted to take yours.
• Lock your car, and leave nothing of value on view inside. Even a trash bag full of used tissues may prompt a smash-and-grab – especially if it’s a recycled bag with an interesting label. The thief will get nothing for his efforts, but you’ll still have a broken window to replace.
• When you’re away from home, leave the lights on, inside and out. And always keep your porch lights on when it’s dark outside (morning & evening commute hours). Set them on timers, if possible, and add a radio for sound effects. Like germs, burglars thrive in the dark.
• If you’re going out of town, cancel mail, package and newspaper deliveries, or ask a neighbor to pick them up from your front steps. Why advertise that no one’s at home?
• When you see something suspicious – even a little bit suspicious – call 911 immediately! The police will never, ever scold you for giving them the opportunity to stop a crime while it’s happening. And if it’s a false alarm, they’ll still thank you for staying alert.

These are commonsense precautions that should be heeded by all. For more ideas, please check http://www.sfsafe.org.

In the interval since the above email went out a suspect has been identifed: "a black male, mid 30’s, 5’9” – 6’00”, medium build last seen wearing a black hoodie, and dark pants." More info on the SFPD website. 

Update (12/13): Get involved. Go to the community meeting on December 14.