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First Annual High Times Medical Cannabis Cup in San Francisco

The first annual High Times Medical Cannabis Cup was held on the weekend of June 19th and 20th at Terra in San Francisco. The two-day event featured a presentation by internationally renowned, best-selling author Jorge Cervantes. It was his first U.S. appearance, and he went without his signature cap, shades and dreads.

In his presentation, Cervantes focused on growing cannabis outdoors and organically. He used Switzerland as a case in point, showing photographs of healthy plants freely growing in fields in the most conservative region of the country. “You can really grow some good medicine in greenhouses and outdoors,” said Cervantes. He also stressed that, “You can grow outdoor in many climates. You don’t think of Switzerland as a place for growing outdoors, but as you can see it works, and it works well.” Read More and View Photos

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Hundreds Demand Justice for Oscar Grant Outside L.A. Courthouse

On June 14th, hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Los Angeles Superior Court at 210 W. Temple to demand justice for Oscar Grant. Angelenos made it very clear that the significance of the trial of Johannes Mehserle is bigger than just Oscar Grant’s case, and that police brutality is part of systematic oppression. Connections were drawn between police killings in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, as well as in New York.

And not forgetting the six month long uprising, which began on June 14, 2006, loud cries of “Oaxaca Vive Vive, La Lucha Sigue Sigue” rang through the downtown streets. Read More and View Photos

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Thousands Attend the International Cannabis and Hemp Expo at the Cow Palace

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.

Established activist organizations dished out information to prospective members, and hundreds of vendors pitched their freshest accessories to thousands of medical marijuana patients and connoisseurs. At the same time, prominent members of the cannabis community discussed a wide-range of topics, including marijuana cultivation, medication and prohibition. 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. Read More and View Photos

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Santa Offers Hugs, Hot Chocolate, Cookies and Clothing in Santa Cruz

On Sunday, December 20th, Santa was hanging out at the corner of Pacific and Soquel in downtown Santa Cruz offering hugs, hot cocoa, cookies, conversation and warm clothing to passers-by. Many people were receptive and appreciative of Santa’s kind spirit and the elf giving out cocoa and cookies.

Several people inquired about the motivation behind Santa and the elf, assuming there was an organization or cause seeking publicity and donations. However, the motivation was solidarity and mutual aid within the community, and it was accomplished through direct action. There was no involvement, or ulterior motives, from any charity, non-profit or civic organization. Read More and View Photos

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Taking a Pledge in Support of the Homeless Community in Santa Cruz

vasilis-greek_7-3-09-sm On July 3rd, a busy pre-holiday afternoon in downtown Santa Cruz, numerous stores were displaying a declaration printed by local homeless rights advocates. The pledge reads, “This business does not discriminate. We support Human Rights for the homeless community, including the right to sleep at night–not anywhere and everywhere–but somewhere.”

Since around mid-June, homeless rights advocates, including HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom), have been approaching local businesses and asking them to support human rights for the homeless by displaying the pledge either outside or inside their store. It is possible that some stores could see the pledge as little more than a cheap marketing opportunity or perhaps as something as simple and socially-accepted as a peace-sign. However, the stores are taking a stand against backers of a Santa Cruz Municipal Code known as the “homeless sleeping ban.” The influential backers of the sleeping ban include City of Santa Cruz bureaucrats, the Santa Cruz Police Department and the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz, which claims to represent hundreds of Santa Cruz businesses.

The sleeping ban prohibits the act of sleeping between 11pm and 8:30am anywhere outdoors or in a vehicle on both public and private property within the city limits. Homeless rights activists are dedicated to ending this ban and finding what they say are real solutions, such as “Safe Sleeping Zones” for vehicles and campers. Read More and View Photos

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