Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: SF Student Wins International Award For AI Language Model Project

And on the San Francisco Patch calendar - New Queers Eve

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Tuesday December 30th Patch AM
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Good morning San Francisco! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • SF teen’s AI tool breaks language barriers for SFUSD Thai families
  • Could SFPD’s license plate cameras be ruled unconstitutional?
  • How much help are Sunset small businesses really getting after outages?

Also on today's calendar: New Queers Eve and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in San Franciscofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: The world champion tongue twister just got arrested! 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in San Franciscofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Tuesday: Sunshine and a few clouds, with a high of 53 and low of 47 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Periods of rain, temps: high: 53, low: 47.
  • Thursday: Periods of rain, with a high of 58 and low of 54 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. SF Student Wins International Award For AI Language Model Project (patch.com) — San Franciscans can take pride in local high school junior Arjun Raj, who just won a major international AI competition for creating a Thai-language assistant tailored to San Francisco Unified School District families. His SFUSD Thai Family Liaison GPT translates school policies into clear Thai, helping immigrant parents access enrollment, transportation, and other key district services while offering a model that could be adapted to other languages and districts.
   

2. Retired teacher fights SFPD's ‘Orwellian' camera surveillance (sfstandard.com) — A retired teacher is suing San Francisco in federal court, arguing the SFPD’s Flock license plate reader network is an unconstitutional, “Orwellian” surveillance system that tracks his everyday drives around the city. The case challenges how the cameras are used, how long data is stored, and the sharing of San Francisco plate data with out-of-state and immigration authorities, potentially reshaping local policing and privacy rules.
   

3. San Francisco businesses struggle after prolonged outages (nbcbayarea.com) — Small businesses in San Francisco’s Sunset district are reeling after power outages during the crucial pre-Christmas shopping weekend cost them thousands of dollars in lost sales. PG&E has offered bill credits, but many Chinese merchants say the compensation is far too low and are pushing for significantly higher payments to help them recover.
   

4. 7 Science-Backed New Year's Resolutions for Better Brain Health (beingpatient.com) — San Francisco’s own UCSF Memory and Aging Center features prominently in new research-backed advice on protecting your brain in 2026, including simple “awe walks” that boost mood and resilience. The piece rounds up seven science-supported habits—covering movement, diet, sleep, stress, social ties, and supporting older loved ones—that can help lower dementia risk over time.
   

5. Take That, Fox News: SF Crime Was Down 25.5% in 2025, Third Straight Year SF Crime Went Down (sfist.com) — San Francisco just logged a 25.4% drop in overall crime for 2025, marking the city’s third straight year of major declines and its lowest homicide count since 1954. Police data show big drops in robberies and car thefts, with only human trafficking reports rising slightly. City leaders, including Mayor Daniel Lurie and SFPD’s new chief, are watching how this shift affects San Francisco’s national reputation.
   

📸 Around San Francisco

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🗓 Upcoming Events in San Francisco

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

    Wednesday December 31
  • New Queers Eve
    San Francisco Eagle Bar, 398 12th St, SF
    7:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 San Francisco Shout Outs!

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I got Rosy back , thank you so much for everyone’s help‼️ Couldn’t have done it without any of you!
    Thank you to Peter who spotted her and Jenny who also spotted her and brought me food to bring her down which worked great! She was very hungry and… (Nextdoor SW Bernal Heights)
  • Anyone thinking of making a physical change for the year, just want to say you can do it and never too late.
    I'm 45. I never believed it, but here I am. The first picture is from June 2024, so this took a year and a half. Maybe 30 min of gym every other… (Nextdoor Cathedral Hill)
  • The John Stewart Company posted a job opening for Janitor - Hunters View Phase 2 in San Francisco. Apply here.
  • Deloitte posted a job opening for Seasonal Tax Delivery Manager - Global Employer Services in San Francisco. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near San Francisco here.

Ok San Francisco! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I hear they’re giving him a really tough sentence.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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