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Joel Rosenblatt

Joel covers the forces in San Francisco — money, business, personalities, local law, and politics — that bind the city and pull it apart. He most recently worked for Bloomberg News reporting on state and federal courts.

Previously, he covered the crime beat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and was a freelancer in New York City. Before that, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal. He was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, studied public policy at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and has a Masters degree from Columbia Journalism School.

What’s San Francisco’s plan for security on Election Day?

After multiple reports of fires and threats around the country, the sheriff’s office maintains a watchful eye on drop boxes and polling places

November 1, 2024

What would happen if the state took over SFUSD?

Officials claim a takeover won’t happen. But CA’s DOE has taken over nine other districts under similar circumstances — and SF remains very much at risk

October 23, 2024

Punching up: Iconic comedy venue has sharpened the chops of legends like Patton Oswalt and Margaret Cho

At Punch Line’s S.F. Comedy Showcase, aspiring comedians (and professionals) can feel free to fail

October 10, 2024

SFUSD has leaned on parents to pay for gym, arts, and even classroom teachers. New rules may change that

As a funding crisis grips San Francisco Unified, PTAs have raised millions to keep their schools afloat

October 2, 2024

The Mission’s Little Spot Cafe to close in about a week

Owner Ken Kurita blames his landlord for the closure, among other stresses on the small business

September 17, 2024

X court win guts California’s modest attempt to curb hate speech, disinformation

'It's hard to imagine how the current lack of platform transparency could be remedied,' a legal expert told Gazetteer SF

September 4, 2024

Social media is making it weirder than ever to be a teen girl (or the dad of one)

As an anti-social-media dad, it’s a struggle to keep up with trends like ‘fit-checks’

September 3, 2024

Inside UCSF’s $530 million gambit to save three struggling San Francisco hospitals

The UC system has been snapping up community hospitals statewide, part of an ambitious plan to increase efficiency (and, ultimately, profit)

August 9, 2024

As Winston Drive deadline looms, cops force dozens of families living in RVs to move to Zoo Road

RV residents, many of them families with children, face an uncertain future as the city seeks to clear the streets

July 30, 2024