Feature Archives

Despite opposition from the City of Scotts Valley and the County of Santa Cruz, PG&E continues to install inaccurate, potentially health damaging 'smart' meters onto homes and businesses. Some Scotts Valley residents have had enough. They are directing employees of Wellington Energy, local contractors for PG&E, to not install smart meters for their homes.

The Federal court decision on California's Prop 8 was announced on August 4th. Judge Vaughn Walker ruled for the plaintiffs in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court that challenged the constitutional validity of California's Proposition 8. The plaintiffs sought to have the federal court strike down the proposition, saying it is contrary to the 14th Amendment's guarantee to equal protection. Rallies were held in response throughout the the Bay Area and elsewhere in California.

Josh Hart with Scotts Valley Neighbors Against Smart Meters reports that PG&E continues to install their inaccurate, carcinogenic, and overpriced smart meters onto peoples' homes in Scotts Valley, despite the City and County demanding a halt to any further meter installation. Neighbors are denying access to PG&E contractors, Wellington Energy, and demanding that the CPUC put a halt to this ill-conceived program.

Saying that Meg Whitman's election would threaten their meal and rest breaks and put patient care in jeopardy, nurses protested in front of the Republican candidate's home on July 15th. Nurses decided to take to the streets in large numbers after Whitman mailed letters and fliers to nurses' homes telling them not to believe statements made by the California Nurses Association. The day of action started with over 1,100 people chanting in protest in front of Whitman's Atherton home and ended with a rally and speakers' event at Cañada College.

Iraq Veterans Against the War, SF, write: The flag is a symbol of our unity and the blood sweat tears of those that came before us. The flag also has a purpose, some times it is a beacon or a message a warning that something is wrong. Jacob Crawford and Josh Wolf write: While millions across the United States of America celebrate freedom (for some), a flag [was burned] to send the statement that many are still waiting to reclaim true freedom.

The International Cannabis and Hemp Exposition took place at the Cow Palace in Daly City on April 17th and 18th. The expo, which had the first permitted area for the use of medical marijuana, was the largest event of its kind to hit Northern California. Prominent members of the cannabis community discussed a wide-range of topics, however the main buzz, on and off stage, was the initiative to "legalize, control, and tax cannabis in California," which is to be decided by voters in the state during the November 2010 elections.

Four-Twenty (including 4:20, 420 and 4/20) has long been associated with marijuana use and marijuana activism. 4:20 is a time of day when people smoke marijuana. April 20th has evolved into a counterculture holiday, known for large gatherings of people celebrating and consuming marijuana, a.k.a. cannabis. Thousands of people gather annually in Boston, Boulder, New York, Santa Cruz, Seattle and many other cities in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and elsewhere around the world.