THIS WEEK AT THE VOICE FOR THURSDAY, FEB. 26, 2026
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by Mike Ege
Editor in chief, The Voice of San Francisco
If San Francisco Assemblyman Matt Haney has his way, every May 17 will be Bruce Lee Day in California. Haney, along with Assemblymen Mike Fong and Alex Lee, introduced the legislation Feb. 20.
May 17 is reportedly the date the Jeet Kune Do master and action film star returned to San Francisco from Hong Kong to finish his education. He was born in the city’s Chinese Hospital on Nov. 27, 1940.
Much of Lee’s youth was spent in Hong Kong during World War II. He learned kung fu there on streets and rooftops, and another reason for his being sent back to the City by the Bay was to disentangle him from Hong Kong’s gang culture. Determined to excel as a practitioner, Lee also got into confrontations with San Francisco’s kung fu establishment, then led by a former enforcer in the Hop Sing Tong.
Lee ended up only spending three months in San Francisco before moving to Seattle to enroll in college and open his own martial arts school there. He later opened a second school in Oakland, and after high-profile championship wins, Hollywood soon beckoned.
Meanwhile, this year’s endorsement season is off to a mixed start, based on the results from the recent California Democratic Party Convention in the city. While Scott Wiener confirmed his lock on state party support for his Congressional bid, there was no pick for governor or lieutenant governor. Or treasurer. Or state school superintendent, for that matter.
The convention did have some interesting parties, however, including one thrown by Jane Kim’s Working Families Party, dubbed “The People’s Party” at Temple San Francisco. We did hear some comments about how the words “People’s” and “Temple” were a bit too close together for some attendees’ comfort. Kim is running for state insurance commissioner, and the state party failed to endorse in that race as well.
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Top News
ELECTIONS 2026
California Governor’s race: Too many choices?
Facing Trump and demographic change, new leadership needs a new direction.
by Mike Ege
Last Friday, the California Democratic Party kicked off its convention in San Francisco with what can only be described as a binge-watching session of fireside chats, as local party chair Nancy Tung interviewed all nine Democratic hopefuls in the race for California governor at the Commonwealth Club downtown. By the end of the convention, the state party had made no formal endorsement of any of the candidates, surely a setback for some but an opportunity for others. But which of them can meet the long-term challenges California faces in the future?
EDUCATION
Major questions for school district leaders after the teachers’ strike
Student success depends on decisions over the next nine months.
by John Trasviña
LAW AND ORDER
Two felonies, one essay, one murder
A man caught with a loaded gun got diversion and a homework assignment. Thirty-six days later, someone was dead.
by Garry Tan
Quote of the week
“I really think that if you don’t look at what’s going on in San Francisco with homelessness, with crime, with addiction, a public health crisis first and foremost, then you’re never going to get to the root of it.”
— Former San Francisco Examiner editorCarly Schwartz on the role of addiction in the city’s problems, in “Carly Schwartz: From San Francisco to Panama and back home“
Nomi toon
In Case You Missed It
RIGHT STUFF
Carly Schwartz: From San Francisco to Panama and back home
Q. & A. with the former San Francisco Examiner editor and author
by John Zipperer
EDUCATION
Group working to reform city charter proposes to cut funding for sports, libraries, arts, and music
“Unintended consequences on steroids“
by Carol Kocivar
A&E
The Museum of Craft and Design bridges media and material in ‘Video Craft’
Exhibition explores encoding, looping, and media discourse.
by Sharon Anderson
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EVENTS
Out and about Feb. 26–March 4, 2026
What to do this weekend and beyond.
By Lynette Majer
Managing Editor, The Voice of San Francisco
From music to dance to flowers, authors on tour, and more, here are my picks for the upcoming days.
Thursday, Feb. 26
Although I usually focus on events in our fine city, there are three reasons why I’m including the climate crisis After Happy production in Berkeley. First, it’s a comedy. Second, it’s at the Berkeley City Club, a Julia Morgan-designed building of incredible character. Third, the space where the club hosts live theater feels like a cozy, charming living room. O.K., and fourth, the cast and production crew have some serious cred, like Berkeley Rep, ACT, and more. Twist my arm for a fifth: The club also has a restaurant and lounge, and it’s a hotel, so that makes for a great little getaway. 8 p.m. tonight (preview); through March 29. Tickets: Pay-what-you-can tonight; other performances from $35.
Friday, Feb. 27
The San Francisco Orchid Society will present its annual Pacific Orchid Exposition and Plant Sale this year, Orchid Obscura: A Celebration of the Mysterious and Rarely Seen Orchids, which will highlight the rare and unusual varieties. 10 a.m. through Sunday at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park. Tickets from $4.
Premiering tonight at the San Francisco Ballet is choreographer William Forsythe’s The Blake Works, an “electrifying” three-part series paired with the vocals and electronic score of Grammy Award-winner James Blake. It’s described as “high octane, rhythmically charged, and visually striking. … as daring as it is unforgetable.” 8 p.m. at the War Memorial Opera House through March 7. Tickets from $459.
Saturday, Feb. 28
Alerting all foodies: Eat Me Artisan Food Fair is the place to be this weekend, with the extra bonus of it being in a historic building, originally the William Randolph Hearst print plant built in the 1920s. It’s now called The Box S.F., which also features a historic letterpress printing and a vintage advertising mercantile modeled after a 1850’s country store. Free.
Hear Gov. Gavin talk about his new book, Man in a Hurry, at Unscripted: An Evening with Gavin Newsom. 6 p.m. at the Golden Gate Theatre. Tickets from $60.
Welcome the Year of the Horse with the San Francisco Symphony at its annual Lunar New Year Concert, celebrating Asian traditions, music, and community. Tickets from $145.
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