Mission Dispatch

Life on the Bail Trail
Legendary bondsman recounts colorful past By George McConnell Oct 08, 2006
With nary a file hidden in a cake or a skeleton key secreted past a guard, bail bondsmen have been helping people get out of the slammer since before the last century. But the public's image of the bail bondsman, according to Jerry Barrish, a veteran of the industry for nearly a half-century, does not jibe with reality.

On the Road With Dr. Yin
Busy veterinarian knows the secret to a happy pet By George McConnell Sep 13, 2006
It’s Saturday morning at something known as chicken training camp. For the next five days, a small group of trainers will teach chickens to do peculiar things like peck at a black dot on a laser cue or knock down colored bowling pins in a sequence. A secret weapon being developed for the Pentagon perhaps, or something to do with the Central Intelligence Agency?

Ray Beldner’s Bernal Heights Laundromat of the Future
Former college professor gives new meaning to the weekly wash By George McConnell Aug 05, 2006
In the laundromat of the future, you might expect a bevy of attractive, scantily clad attendants busily washing, drying, ironing and folding your togs to your exacting specifications as you relax in a comfy recliner with a tray of exotic drinks and tasty canapés while catching another mesmerizing episode of reality TV. Unfortunately, even with current technology, that possibility is more than a few years away. What you have today is the classic storefront laundromat complete with washers and dryers, and if you are among the very lucky, a soap and bleach machine. All in all, however, it's still much better than beating your clothes on a rock down at the stream, which is how they used to do it way back when.

The Secret Life of a Banker
Some money matters in your neighborhood By George McConnell Jul 14, 2006
It is often said that bankers are a breed apart. In San Francisco, financial institutions proliferate throughout the city's 49 square miles, and the latest tally showed there are about 80 banking and savings and loan companies, with hundreds of branches and thousands of employees here. From your money, banks in turn make loans for homes and businesses and community projects, and in so doing, they help shape the neighborhoods they serve. Sol Oquendo, a banker in the Mission District, has been in the industry for a while, and she is known for her relaxed and accommodating manner and greeting all her customers with an unassuming “Hi, what can I do for you.”

Presto-Chango, Abracadabra and Alakazam: It’s a Magician’s Life!
Wizard's career began with a stage accident By George McConnell, Business Reporter Jun 06, 2006
The world of magic has a unique calling all its own. For Heather Rogers, it began when she turned twenty. “I ran away and joined the circus, it was my first career choice,” she said.

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