Feature Archives

On January 13th, candidates whose names will appear on the California Green Party primary ballot on February 5th came together for a debate in San Francisco. Cindy Sheehan was the moderator, and Cynthia McKinney, non-candidate Ralph Nader, Jared Ball, and Kent Mesplay were in attendance.

On Friday, January 4th, prosecutors in the San Francisco 8 case announced that they are, in effect, dropping the conspiracy count against 5 of the men because the statute of limitations on conspiracy charges has expired. Ray Boudreaux, Richard Brown, Hank Jones and Harold Taylor now only face one count, the alleged murder of a San Francisco Police Officer in 1971. The case against Richard O'Neal must now be dismissed since he was originally charged only in the conspiracy count. On January 10th, their lawyers will ask that the conspiracy count be dropped against the other 3 men.

On Saturday, January 19th, San Francisco pro-choicers celebrated the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, which made abortion legal for women in the United States. For the first time in years, pro-choice marchers were granted a permit for a rally in San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza. Following the rally, pro-choicers protested the "Walk for Life," in which thousands of anti-choice people from all over the state marched down the Embarcadero for an anti-abortion rally on the Marina Green. Pro-choice organizers said that "Roe v. Wade must be defended and expanded."

The San Francisco 8 continue to speak out about the injustices committed against them in their case, and they have garnered international support in the past several months. In spite of this, those who are out on bail continue to face harassment from law enforcement officials. The Attorney General attempted to have Harold Taylor's bail revoked after Harold was arrested in Florida. The next hearing for all of the SF 8 will be Thursday, January 10th at 9:30am in Department 23, 850 Bryant Street, San Francisco. Motions to dismiss one of the counts will be heard, and the men will be also be entering their Not-Guilty pleas.

The DEA has raided over 50 medical cannabis dispensaries in California this year -- more than three times last year's figure. In early December, the San Francisco DEA office "leaked" to the SF Chronicle that they would send forfeiture threat letters to the landlords of all the medical cannabis dispensaries (MCDs) in Northern California. In Southern California, dozens of MCDs closed over the summer after the DEA threatened their landlords with the loss of their property or jail time. Nine San Francisco dispensaries have reported receiving the letters. Local patients and their supporters are asking SF Mayor Gavin Newsom to take a public stand supporting medical cannabis and Representative Conyers's recent statement condemning the landlord letters, and opposing the DEA's intimidation tactics.

December 17th marks the 5th Annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. The day calls attention to hate crimes committed against sex workers. The Sex Workers Outreach Project conceived of the event as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River murders in Seattle, Washington. This day empowers sex workers and their supporters to come together to organize against discrimination and to remember victims of violence. A press conference on Monday on the steps of San Francisco City Hall (Polk side) at 11:30am will announce that the 5th Annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers will take place in Civic Center Plaza at 6pm.

From December 14th through the 16th, striking writers held picket-lines at the Disney Store on Post and Powell Streets in San Francisco from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The strike is against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade organization that represents the interests of American film and television producers. On December 13th, the Writers Guild filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against the AMPTP for its refusal to bargain in good faith.