Drew Chapin Calls BS on Popular SEO Tools
The online reputation firm founder just released a free toolkit and says the subscription model is about to collapse.
Marcus Reed
Politics & Business Reporter
PoliticsBusinessEconomic DevelopmentTech PolicyElections
About Marcus
Marcus Reed previously covered California politics for the a regional newspaper, including two legislative sessions and a gubernatorial election. His investigative work on campaign finance and lobbying has been cited in policy debates at the state capitol. At San Francisco Download, he focuses on how political decisions in Sacramento and Washington affect Bay Area residents and businesses. He holds a political science degree from UCLA.
Articles by Marcus
DesignOps Is Becoming a Real Software Category. Here's Who's Building It
A wave of startups is betting that designers need operations software, not more creative tools. The category barely existed two years ago. Now it has real money behind it.
Set Your Watches: Elizabeth Holmes Is Leaving Prison in December 2028
A federal judge just shaved a year off Elizabeth Holmes's sentence. With good-time credits factored in, the woman who defrauded investors of $450 million could walk into a halfway house by Christmas 2028.
Yolo County Officials Ignored Illegal Fireworks Site Before Deadly Blast
A civil grand jury report finds Yolo County officials knew about an illegal fireworks operation in Esparto for years before an explosion killed seven men.
Netflix's MLB Opening Night Broadcast Was a Disaster
Netflix's first major MLB showcase turned into a three-hour mess of celebrity segments, tiny scorebugs, and fog-blinded cameras at Oracle Park.
Sunset District Shooting: Suspect and Victim Identified
San Francisco police identified the suspect and victim in a fatal Sunset District shooting, investigating whether the gun was fired accidentally.
SF Downtown Safety Ambassador Program Expands With $5M Grant
The SF Downtown Development Corporation commits $5 million to expand safety ambassador programs across Union Square, Yerba Buena, and downtown BART stations.
Lafayette Homicide: Christopher Jaber Identified as Victim
Christopher Jaber, 34, was fatally stabbed in Lafayette, marking the city's first homicide since 2022. Suspect David Prince arrested on $1 million bail.
Annie Altman Lawsuit Dismissed: Sam Altman Case Update
A federal judge dismissed Annie Altman's abuse lawsuit against Sam Altman on procedural grounds, while approving his defamation countersuit against her.
Union Square Tulip Day 2026: Get 80,000 Free Tulips Saturday
Union Square's annual Tulip Day returns this Saturday with 80,000 free tulips, 8 per person. Gates open at 1 p.m. but lines form as early as 9 a.m.
West Portal Crash Vigil Held as Lurie Safety Deadline Nears
Dozens gathered to remember a family of four killed at a West Portal bus stop as Mayor Lurie's 100-day street safety deadline approaches in San Francisco.
Ex-SF Fire Marshal Now Consulting on Sprinkler Rules He Wrote
Former SF Fire Marshal Kenneth Cofflin drafted the city's high-rise sprinkler mandate and now runs a consulting firm helping condo associations navigate it.
Tony Phillips Jailed Again After Mayor Lurie Bodyguard Clash
Tony Phillips returned to jail after violating stayaway orders, days after a judge ruled Mayor Lurie's bodyguard had initiated the original altercation.
Swalwell Leads California Governor's Race in New Poll
Eric Swalwell pulls ahead in California's 2026 gubernatorial race at 17%, edging out Republican Steve Hilton in new Emerson College polling.
United Airlines' First Female Most Senior Pilot Is SF-Based
Captain Chresten Wilson made history as United Airlines' most senior pilot after 42 years in the cockpit, plus Bay Area labor and allergy news.
SF Community Reunites Homicide Victim's Dog With Family
Carl Jones Jr., a SoMa homicide victim, had his dog Teddy G rescued by a neighbor after the shooting. The SF community worked to reunite the dog with family.
Lawyer Calls Mayor Lurie's Tenderloin Outreach 'Performative'
The defense attorney for Tony Phillips, charged with assaulting Mayor Lurie's bodyguard, blames the mayor's 'performative' Tenderloin outreach for the incident.
Meta Acquires Moltbook, the Social Network for AI Agents
Meta is buying Moltbook, a Reddit-style social network for AI agents, while OpenAI hires one of its developers in a major AI industry shakeup.
The Insider Who Allegedly Stole a Bay Area Tech Startup From the Inside Out
A federal RICO complaint alleges that Joshua Paul Lintz, hired as COO of a La Jolla software staffing startup, engineered a data exfiltration operation from the inside -- downloading 2.5 million contractor records and corporate files before incorporating a competing company 33 days later. GBQ Partners subsequently acquired that company for an undisclosed sum.
How Brent Cassity Gives Voice to an Invisible Community
Earlier this year, Stanford Law professor Joe Bankman sat down for a rare public conversation about the implosion of his son's crypto empire. But this time, it was not with Anderson Cooper or a
Glenn Martin's Unlikely Path to the Oval Office
Glenn E. Martin served six years in a New York State prison for armed robbery. Two decades later, he walked through the gates of the White House to advise a sitting president on criminal justice reform — and was treated like an inmate on the way in.