Third Street Stroll …

by Rochelle Metcalfe

CRUSHED! Disappointed the 49ers did not play SUPERBOWL SUNDAY! The NFC CHAMPIONS should have been there! HEARTBROKEN over the loss to the Seattle Seahawks. MISSED opportunity to have ONE MORE victory parade down Market Street, one last hurrah!

Sam-Jordans-sign, Third Street Stroll ..., Culture Currents Like many fans who watched the game in SAM JORDAN’S, popular bar on 3-street, disappointed over the outcome! Among those in the mix, owner Lil’ RUTH JORDAN and CLYDE COLEN, JOE “THE PEANUT MAN” CELESTINE, BOBBY MATHIS, ANITA HINES, READY to jump for joy, holler, HOW SWEET IT IS, San Francisco 49ers going to the SUPERBOWL! INTERCEPTION! ALAS, no celebration!

NO more roars from sell-out crowds at Candlestick Park. This season, 2014, the Niners move further on down the road to their NEW home, LEVI Stadium in Santa Clara. Economically, a BIG loss to the city!

Memories linger in my mind, of years covering the S.F. GIANTS and 49ers at the ‘STICK – ON the field to capture in my camera lens the HISTORIC CATCH: JOE MONTANA’S HAIL MARY to DWIGHT CLARK and a 49ers spectacular win that propelled the FIRST SUPERBOWL in 1981! AND a 49ers FAITHFUL season ticket holder from 1975 to 2011!

SAD to say FAREWELL TO CANDLESTICK, BUT, GOOD NEWS – plans move ahead to develop the site, soon to be Candlestick Point where new housing, shopping mall, an entertainment venue will be developed,

AND replacement of ALICE GRIFFITH HOUSING, located behind TRUE HOPE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST – REV. ARELIOUS WALKER EXCITED ABOUT THAT! Once the site is demolished later this year, will clear the way to build his housing complex on the intersection of Arelious Walker Drive and Egbert Avenue. TIMING IS EVERYTHING! KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BAYVIEW – THE LAST BASTION FOR BLACK FOLKS! STAY TUNED!

Mid January, attended an important meeting at Southeast College in the Alex Pitcher Jr. Community Room, conducted by the city’s Community Investment and Infrastructure Commission (formerly S.F. Redevelopment Agency), chaired by CHRISTINE JACKSON, to discuss Alice Griffith housing, attended by concerned Bayview activists long on the front lines fighting for the survival of their community, that included DR. ESPANOLA JACKSON (she will celebrate her ??? birthday FEB. 9), DORRIS VINCENT, ROBERT WOODS, ACE WASHINGTON (at-large community activist, videod the meeting; FEB. 25 will be his birthday), DR. VERONICA HUNNICUT, KATHY PERRY, DR. ARELIOUS WALKER, REV. ARNOLD TOWNSEND, KEITH JACKSON, LINDA RICHARDSON.

The plan was agreed upon by the agency to move the Alice Griffith project forward! Not all agreed with their action, wanting to ask the agency to further study the project. Some felt the area too TOXIC to build homes there – DR. JACKSON for one, and VERY outspoken by the Commission’s decision! Suggests Alice Griffith was built in 1962 on an area that was toxic! STAY TUNED!

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Black-Cuisine-Groundbreaking-030114, Third Street Stroll ..., Culture Currents SUNDAY, Jan. 24, RUTH JORDAN and siblings, that include brother ALLEN JORDAN, chef, Jordan’s House of Ribs, located in the back of the club, celebrated the LANDMARK club’s 55th anniversary. A tribute to their parents, SAM JORDAN and RUTH JORDAN, who passed many years ago. The Jordan family carry on the legendary club. Many of the patrons, now seniors, who frequented the popular club no longer go out; some have passed on. Notice BILL FOOTES, retired airline SKYCAP, STILL active.

A NEW ERA under Lil RUTH JORDAN, as she’s lovingly called, and her partner CLYDE COLEN. A young adult crowd frequent the spot, some following in the footsteps of their parents who made Sam’s their spot!

Back during the early years of the club, SAM JORDAN’S was a great spot for the older crowd to enjoy a cocktail, party and meet down home folks. The MAN, Sam Jordan, was well respected by his community and beyond. With the assistance of his wife, RUTH, a beautiful lady, built the house of Sam Jordan’s. During the ‘60s he ran unsuccessfully for MAYOR of this town, but made his mark in the Bayview – a 3-street ICON!

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TGIF HAPPENING! The SWINGING SENIORS, members of Dr. George Davis Senior Center, and friends traveled to GRAFTON CASINO in Rohnert Park, off Highway 101. The casino is huge! Dropped a few coins in the slots, but main enjoyment was late lunch at MY CHINA, FIRST CLASS Chinese restaurant! Among those taking in the bus trip: CAROLYN “CC” BROWN, STEPHANIE GAINES, MRS. CHESTENE MASON, JEANETTE ROLSTON (stepping in her high heels), DOROTHY PATTON, PATRICIA JEFFERSON (she was the gracious hostess at the receptionist desk in the 49ers Stadium club – everyone loved her!), tall ‘n’ FOXY HERMAN PHILLIPS, GERI PITCHER and my seat companion, CAROLINE EXCELL.

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FORMER San Francisco MAYOR WILLIE BROWN Jr., still making his MARK in California and San Francisco. The NEW EASTERN SPAN of the Bay Bridge sparkles in brilliance – while the old portion stands strong, connected with the new bridge beyond Treasure Island. Startled many, which included myself, when late last year, the California Assembly politicians voted to rename the old section of the bridge – the WILLIE BROWN span, and APPROVED. THANK YOU – at least THIRD street will not change to Willie Brown Boulevard, as suggested by former Mayor GAVIN NEWSOM! AND a few Black members of the 3rd Street Merchants Association pumped up the idea! REALLY, the man is worthy of something bigger than that!

Rochelle-Metcalfe-web, Third Street Stroll ..., Culture Currents In his column, WILLIE’S WORLD, featured every Sunday in the S.F. Chronicle, dated Jan. 9, he announced Feb. 11 is the date for the bridge renaming ceremony to be held on Treasure Island AND is also the date of his late Mother’s birthday .

Bound to be the most celebrated, memorable historic Day in honor of the man who hailed from Mineola, Texas, made his mark in California politics, now rub elbows with the ELITE RICH! AN AMAZING LIFE! Whether one agrees or disagree on the renaming, let’s CONGRATULATE DA MAYOR!

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HEADS UP! SENIOR MOMENTS! MARCH 1 – a BIG day in the Bayview! The long awaited ground breaking ceremony for the NEW Dr. George W. Davis Senior Center and Housing to be built at 5800 Third St. at Carroll – `a COMMUNITY DREAM realized! Ceremony will start at 10:00 a.m., FOLLOWED by the 34th Annual BLACK CUISINE, on Yosemite off Third and Lane. For more info, call the center at (415) 822-1444. Get out your favorite recipe to enter into the Soul Food contest.

The festival celebrates Black culture, there will be live entertainment, SOUL food – neck bones, pigs feet, chitterlings, ham hocks, greens, corn bread, IF you catch my drift! Not healthy eating, but vitals OUR ancestors looked upon as SURVIVAL food!

HEY, IT’S NICE TO BE NICE AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE … LOOK FOR ME … I’LL BE THERE …

Email Rochelle at iheard@earthlink.net.