Sophie Haigney
CityLab
San Francisco, CA, United States
Contact Sophie
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Sophie:
In Phoenix, a New Housing Model for People With Autism
The 55-unit First Place complex was designed specifically for adults with autism and neurodiversities. → Read More
Meet the Chef Who Wants to Transform NYC School Lunch
Dan Giusti is determined to bring tasty, from-scratch food to New York City's public schools. → Read More
Striking debut weaves love, faith, and fanaticism on a college campus
At the center of “The Incendiaries’’ are former “kid evangelist’’ Will Kendall, alluring Phoebe Lin, and cult leader John Leal. → Read More
At least 31 cars vandalized in American Canyon, likely with BB guns
At least 31 cars were vandalized in American Canyon in what appears to have been a middle-of-the-night BB gun rampage, police said. The cars were found damaged early Friday, and police believe the vandalism took place overnight. Officers on patrol first discovered the damage around 4 a.m. The American Canyon Police Department said in a statement that patrol cars "saturated the area but… → Read More
Mt. View school to be named after undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas
In a historic decision, a new public elementary school in Mountain View will be named after an undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas, an award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker and activist. The Mountain View Whisman School District board voted to name the new school after Vargas at its meeting Thursday in light of recent decisions immigrations enforcement decision made by the Trump… → Read More
Fiery big-rig crash causes severe traffic on I-680
A collision Friday morning involving a silver Volkswagen Jetta and a big rig near Sunol blocked four lanes of traffic on Interstate 680, according to the California Highway Patrol. As a result, CHP issued a severe traffic alert early. The accident happened around 5:03 a.m., on southbound 680 north of Sheridan Road. The vehicles caught fire after the crash, according to the CHP incident log. It… → Read More
Child sex crimes sting operation nets two Contra Costa County arrests
As part of a nationwide effort to stop the exploitation of children on the internet, investigators arrested two men in sting operations in Contra Costa County, officials said. The national investigative effort, dubbed Operation Broken Heart, enlisted the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to target people who were distributing child pornography, and those attempting… → Read More
Despite rescue efforts, elderly man dies in Walnut Creek house fire
An elderly man died in a house fire in Walnut Creek early Wednesday despite attempts to rescue him, officials said. Firefighters got the first call at 12:45 a.m. and responded to the 700 block of Mandarin Lane, said Capt. Steve Auber, of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. "Upon arrival, we saw heavy smoke and fire coming from the windows of a two-story home," he said. An elderly… → Read More
SF police officer shoots man during North Beach foot chase
A San Francisco police officer shot and critically wounded a man early Saturday during a foot pursuit in North Beach, officials said. The man, who was not identified, was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was being treated for life-threatening injuries, a police spokesman said. A brief statement released by the department said the shooting happened just after 12:15 a.m. on the… → Read More
Two men receive multiple life sentences for gang-related murders
Two alleged San Francisco gang members have been sentenced to multiple life terms for murder, as well as pimping and racketeering charges. Charles Heard, known as "Cheese," 33, and Jaquain Young, known as "Loc," 44, were sentenced Friday. → Read More
Man sought in wife’s slaying in San Francisco
A 34-year-old woman was trying to leave a violent marriage when she was slain in San Francisco's Mission Terrace neighborhood, family members said Friday. Hours after the grieving relatives of victim Vanessa Palma spoke, investigators confirmed they were searching for her estranged husband, 43-year-old Robert Riley, also known as Chui Chekele Riley. Officials said he could be driving a white… → Read More
8-year-old girl killed in Interstate 680 crash near Sunol
An 8-year-old girl died and her father was critically injured early Friday morning in a rear-end crash on northbound Interstate 680 near Sunol, the California Highway Patrol said. The crash happened at 12:20 a.m. near State Route 84 and a roadway construction site, said CHP Officer Tyler Hahn. Traffic around the construction had been slowing or coming to a stop, he said. "In the car was a father… → Read More
Man wounded in Nob Hill shooting
A shooting in Nob Hill Friday morning left one man wounded, San Francisco police said. Police responded to the incident on the 1600 block of Polk Street at about 4:38 a.m., Sgt. Michael Andraychak said in a statement. They found a man with a gunshot injury, and he was taken to a hospital. The suspect fled the scene, Andraychak said. No arrests have been made. There was no further information… → Read More
‘Bumbling’ man steals $5K in lottery tickets from Concord store, police say
A "bumbling" man broke into a Concord convenience store Sunday to steal nearly $5,000 in lottery tickets, authorities said. The Concord Police Department released surveillance video Wednesday on Facebook showing the man attempting to break into the store twice-once unsuccessfully, seven months ago, when he ripped off the handle of the convenience store door and tumbled onto his backside before… → Read More
Driver launches onto Oakland garage before assaulting officer, police say
A car in Oakland drove off the road at a high rate of speed early Wednesday morning to launch over a garage and into a home's backyard before the driver then assaulted emergency responders, authorities said. An Oakland police officer was injured in the assault and taken to the hospital, according to a tweet by the Oakland Police Department. The driver was taken into custody. Officials for the… → Read More
$3 hike to Bay Area tolls appears to have support in early vote returns
Regional Measure 3, which would raise tolls on the Bay Area's latticework of state-owned bridges by $3 to fund $4.5 billion in transportation improvements, looks headed to victory based on voting results early Wednesday morning, but ballots across the region remain untallied. The measure, on Tuesday's primary election ballot in all nine Bay Area counties, had 53.9 percent of the vote as of 7:30… → Read More
Fiona Ma trounces field in CA state treasurer race to make runoff
The battle to become California's next state treasurer will feature Fiona Ma, a state Board of Equalization member and former San Francisco supervisor, facing off with Republican Ron Conlon. Ma, a 52-year-old San Francisco Democrat and a certified public accountant, received 43.2 percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary election, with 99.1 percent of precincts partially reporting as of 7 a.m.… → Read More
Kounalakis, Hernandez finish top two in tight CA lieutenant governor race
Former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Kounalakis finished with a hold on first in a tight three-way race to qualify for the November general election to replace Gavin Newsom as California's lieutenant governor. Kounalakis, a Democrat, was ahead of 11 candidates for one of two spots in the runoff. With 96.9 precincts reporting just before 6 a.m. Wednesday, she had 23.5 percent of the vote.… → Read More
Massive fire at Sonoma lumber company forces evacuations half-mile away
A massive fire Tuesday afternoon at Sonoma Pacific Co., a commercial lumber and pallet company, forced evacuations up to half a mile from the site of the blaze, authorities said. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office issued an alert at 1:06 p.m. ordering people near the fire at 1180 Fremont Dr. in Sonoma to evacuate. The alert, which was halted at 2:53 p.m., also noted nearby roadways had been… → Read More
Mount Kilauea: Salvation Army director joins Bay Area response to volcano
The eruption of Mount Kilauea has sent rivers of lava into the Pacific Ocean and ash plumes 30,000 feet into the air over the island of Hawaii. Earthquakes have rocked the summit, and more than a month after the volcano first erupted about 2,500 people have been evacuated from their homes. Meanwhile, the eruptions continue. John McKnight can't wait to get there. McKnight, the director of… → Read More