In the continuing fallout of the Nuru corruption scandal, a residential property jointly-owned, renovated and eventually purchased in full by now-PUC head Harlan Kelly and his wife, now-City Administrator Naomi Kelly is coming under scrutiny as previous co-owner and family friend Melanie Lok has $8 million in PUC contracts through her consulting business. Kelly says the transaction was above board, that Lok secured contracts before Kelly was head of the PUC, and that an internal review is to provide the public peace of mind.

Meanwhile, the Chronicle Editorial Board pens a scathing editorial in the wake of the widening federal probe into corruption in San Francisco City Hall.

As coronavirus cases surge statewide, and fading antibody tests complicate vaccine hopes, testing begins to falter in San Francisco, as glitches in obtaining testing supplies lengthens the process.

Meanwhile, as businesses shut back down again, local workers are feeling the health and financial pinch, as Labor advocates sound the alarm on worker safety amid inspector shortages, and those without a safety net need additional assistance from the City to be able to afford not to work if sick. Additionally,  Gov. Newsom is to offer guidance today on reopening the state’s schools - all in Friday’s coronavirus roundup. 

The Board of Supervisors and Mayor Breed are approaching a deal that would keep dueling gross receipts tax measures off the November ballot - instead moving forward with one unified measure.

The SFMTA expands the Slow Streets program with 14 additional streets citywide, and the city launches a 3-month pilot program to allow businesses on slow street corridors to operate outside.

On Thursday, the Planning Commission unanimously approved an expansion of an affordable, educator-oriented housing program that will boost the number of three-bedroom units created, under changes set forth by local Proposition E.

Senator Feinstein is pushing for States that refuse to institute a mandatory mask order be left out of Federal funding in the next coronavirus bill. While over half the states that currently receive funding mandate mask wearing, Arizona and Florida - two states where the virus is surging - do not.

The Examiner provides an update to what has become a mandate that SFPD stations hang Black Lives Matter posters in all locations, a move decried by the San Francisco Police Officers Association. 

We have some sad news. With the impacts of the pandemic, your editors have made the difficult decision to suspend posting on Suspects, with Friday 7/17/20 as our last day of operation. Continuing this San Francisco institution has truly been a privilege and an honor, and we were glad to be at the helm over the past three years.

If you are reading this and thinking “Oh no! This cannot go away- I and a (larger than I think will be necessary) group of humans will continue the tradition!” Congrats, that’s how we started too! Email us at usualsuspectssf@gmail.com, we will give you the rundown and rules from our founder Alex Clemens, and if it makes sense for everyone, we are happy to hand over the keys to the jalopy.

Either way, this site will be live in its current form through the November 2020 election.

Thank you again, and we look forward to bringing you the news for the rest of this week.

Jennifer, Nicole and the rest of the team: Denise, Alex, Rianna, Armand, Spencer, and Peter.

Your SF Usual Suspects.