Feature Archives

Musicians and artists from the bay area are coming together in Santa Cruz on Friday, June 27th in order to raise money for Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and to help the brand new Santa Cruz Chapter get off the ground. IVAW has 3 objectives -- 1) Immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, 2) Reparation for the Iraqi peoples, 3) Proper care, treatment and support for Iraqi and Afghani vets.

San Francisco renters took to the streets on May 31st to reclaim public space and call attention to the urgent need to protect tenants' rights in this ever-gentrifying city. The action was timed to raise awareness about the urgent need to stop Proposition 98 and save rent control in the June 3rd election.

Utah Phillips, a seminal figure in American folk music who performed extensively and tirelessly for audiences on two continents for 38 years, died Friday of congestive heart failure in Nevada City, California a small town in the Sierra Nevada mountains where he lived for the last 21 years with his wife, Joanna Robinson, a freelance editor.

The Santa Cruz Film Festival welcomes independent filmmakers, musicians, and artists to Santa Cruz for a 9-day celebration of film and culture May 9-17. The Santa Cruz Film Festival is a growing international festival that fosters cross cultural exchange by screening independent films and producing multi-disciplined art events throughout the year. This year's films stir the soul and contemplate the BIG picture, from war and oil to the meaning of life.

On May Day, there was a Reclaim the Streets action in San Francisco. A little over 100 people participated. The mobile party started in Civic Center and went all the way to Golden Gate Park. There was some confrontation early on while leaving Civic Center. The participants were pushed back onto the sidewalk for about five blocks and then claimed the streets once again.

On Wednesday, April 9th, the Olympic Torch came to San Francisco. The Olympics will be taking place between August 8th and 24th in Beijing, China. Many human rights groups are concerned that China is cracking down on dissidents ahead of the games. Some pro-Tibetan organizations have called for a boycott of the Olympics, and organizations such as Amnesty International are upset with China's involvement in the crises in Darfur and Burma. Thousands of people gathered in an Francisco to either cheer or protest, but few saw the torch as the relay did not go along the announced route and the closing ceremony was cancelled. One torchbearer tried to display a Tibetan flag but the SFPD quickly took the torch from her and pushed her onto the sidewalk.

On March 10th, Roxy Scarmichael, Robin YoLife, and Charlie Red Stick, three members of the Santa Cruz Roller Girls (SCRG), spoke with Phil Free in the Freak Radio studio about the art of roller derby, creating SCRG and their upcoming first season starting March 15th at the Civic in Santa Cruz.