Bayview Buzz: Political big wheels, election-rumblings and bagels galore

“Bayview Buzz” is a recurring column on changes, tidbits and other news from Bayview. Got news? Send tips to marina@missionlocal.com. 

While most of us are still recovering from the June primary election, the race for the November general election, during which District 10 residents will vote for Supervisor Shamann Walton’s successor, is heating up. 

A scrum of 10 candidates have already qualified for the ballot. Former mayor Willie Brown chose to endorse two of them: Likely frontrunners DJ Brookter and Theo Ellington. Though Brown hasn’t been in office in more than 20 years, he has held great political sway over San Francisco politics from the sidelines. 

Brookter is endorsed by Walton, among a crew of other progressive politicians, including former mayor Art Agnos and former supervisors Aaron Peskin and Dean Preston.

Ellington has obtained a more moderate-leaning following, the likes of which include former mayor London Breed and Senator Scott Wiener. Brown, who first endorsed Brookter in March, announced earlier this month that he’s endorsing Ellington as well. 

Meanwhile, Ellington recently made an appearance at an event hosted by Y Combinator’s Garry Tan at the company’s headquarters in Dogpatch’s Pier 70, a stone’s throw away from Bayview. Also making an appearance: Governor Gavin Newsom. 

The former mayor hasn’t endorsed a candidate for San Francisco supervisor before — though he has in San Mateo’s supervisor race. Ellington is slowly racking up a long list of endorsements from the local and state’s political establishment, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis. 

At the event, according to attendees, both Tan and Newsom pointed to the importance of getting involved in local elections, including the school board and district supervisor races, in shaping broader political goals. 

Ellington first met the governor in 2005 when he was in middle school filming his documentary, “Homeless Orchestra,” which was submitted by the then-mayor to the World Economic Forum. When the two saw each other again last week, they had a reunion. 

“He wished me luck and asked me to follow up,” said Ellington. “There’s no indication of an endorsement yet, but I’m hopeful.” 

For Tan, despite throwing a disparaging comment here and there toward Newsom on X, Newsom’s appearance is a validation of Tan’s growing influence on San Francisco politics.

Tan supported 2022’s school board recall, the recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and, most recently, pushed to overturn the Overpaid CEO tax by donating thousands of dollars against the proposition.

The divisive techie has also obtained a massive following of like-minded Silicon Valley moderates and a reputation as a bit of a Twitter troll for, among other things,  wishing death upon several members of the board of supervisors two years ago.

Juneteenth and Father’s Day land just two days apart this year, making for one big blowout annual festival. As one of the few historically Black communities in San Francisco, excitement in Bayview is brewing. 

On Sunday, festival-goers will fill Gilman Playground Park, bordering Candlestick State Park.

Burge LLC Productions, owned by Tamara Walker, who has thrown multiple Fillmore-based community events since the start of the pandemic in 2020, is hosting the event, along with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and the African American Arts and Cultural District. 

The Juneteenth Father’s Day Festival will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring live performances, amusement park rides, food and retail vendors, prize giveaways and a car show. The lineup of performances include hip-hop and R&B acts, featuring 1Umbrella, Next and Lakeside. Entrance to the festival is free. 

Residents frustrated by the lack of bagels in Bayview — or in California as a whole — need fret no more. 

The Bayview Maker’s Kitchen will now be slinging bagels out of its to-go window located at Smoke Soul Kitchen at 4618 Third St. Vanessa Lee, the owner of the acclaimed barbecue joint, also manages the incubator kitchen. 

The bagels will be available on Saturdays from the early morning hours up until they sell out, which Earl Shaddix, the director of Economic Development on Third Street and the Bayview Maker’s Kitchen, guesses will likely be 10 a.m. 

The bagels are made by the kitchen’s up-and-coming chefs, who work out of the kitchen that provides a workspace for emerging chefs to make and sell their products before they can afford a kitchen of their own. 

“We have been perfecting the bagel recipe and giving out many samples,” wrote Shaddix in his weekly newsletter. “Keep an eye out. Third Street is going to have some great bagels!!”