SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Mayor London Breed lost her reelection race to Levi Strauss heir Daniel Lurie.
The Associated Press called the race Tuesday.
In conceding the race to Lurie, Breed, 50, pledged a smooth transition for the incoming mayor.
“Being Mayor of San Francisco has been the greatest honor of my lifetime. I’m beyond grateful to our residents for the opportunity to serve the City that raised me,” she said in a statement last week.
Breed’s victory six years ago as the city’s first Black female mayor — who grew up poor and in public housing — showed that no dream was impossible in the progressive, compassionate and equitable city.
She won election as mayor in June 2018 to serve out the remainder of Ed Lee's term, who died suddenly while in office.
But the honeymoon was short-lived as the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered stores and tech workers retreated to home offices. Tent encampments proliferated, as did public drug use, and her opponents said she did too little and too late.
Streets did become cleaner and homeless tents harder to find this year, but the daytime shooting in September of 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall in a popular central shopping district reignited a debate over public safety.
She was reelected in 2019 to a full term that has lasted five years instead of the typical four, after voters changed the election calendar to line up with presidential contests.
Mayor London Breed speaks during an election night watch party at Little Skillet in San Francisco on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Gabrielle Lurie/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
After conceding the mayoral race in a news conference, incumbent Mayor London Breed attends a separate event on her schedule at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Francisco. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Incumbent San Francisco Mayor London Breed concedes the election to challenger Daniel Lurie during a news conference at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in San Francisco. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Sparks have hired Utah coach Lynne Roberts to fill their vacant head coach position, the franchise announced Tuesday night.
Roberts has spent the last nine-plus seasons at Utah and led the team to three straight NCAA Tournament berths. She was the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023. The Utes have started this season 3-1 and will be coached by Gavin Petersen, who was the school's associate head coach.
“Lynne is an outstanding coach and leader,” Sparks Governor and Managing Partner Eric Holoman said. “We are thrilled to bring her decades of winning coaching experience to our organization. Through our comprehensive international search, Lynne’s modern view of basketball, her communication skills, and ability to build relationships made her the right choice for the role.”
Roberts inherits a team that has a strong young nucleus of Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink and Dearica Hamby. The Sparks have the No. 2 pick in next year's WNBA draft. Los Angeles finished 8-32 last season for the league's worst record.
“I am honored to be named the next head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks,” Roberts said. “I want to thank our ownership group for this incredible opportunity. From conversations with Eric Holoman and Reagan Pebley, it is evident that we share a like-minded commitment toward creating a winning culture and team."
She replaces Curt Miller, who was let go in September and now is the GM of the Dallas Wings.
Roberts is the second current college coach to be hired this month. Karl Smesko of Florida Gulf Coast got the Atlanta Dream job last week.
There are still three openings in the WNBA with Washington, Connecticut and Dallas looking for coaches.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
FILE - Utah head coach Lynne Roberts, right, speaks with an official during the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Wash., March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Young Kwak, File)
FILE - Utah head coach Lynne Roberts reacts in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against South Carolina, Dec. 10, 2023, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
