SANTA CRUZ > Protestors occupy building adjacent to Wells Fargo
On Wednesday, Nov. 30 at around 2 p.m. in the afternoon, Occupy protestors marched across the intersection of River and Water streets and illegally entered the abandoned building currently owned by the Wells Fargo across the street. Protestors who wished to remain anonymous explained that they were able to pick the locks of the building without causing any damage to the doors.
Humans aren’t the only beings in need of some holiday cheer this season—four-legged companions face a higher risk of being handed over to shelters during the wintertime, when their owners are struggling with the financial burdens of the holidays, according to Lisa Carter, director of the Santa Cruz Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The nonprofit’s 17th Annual Holiday Pet Project is currently underway to help these needy pets by collecting pet food, toys, collars, leashes and identification tags and distributing them to low-income families and seniors. Visit santacruzspca.org for donation drop-off locations and to learn more. The group plans to have most packages put together by Dec. 18. ͬ
FRESH DIRT > First 5 launches parenting seminars
The holidays can be a stressful time for most people, especially the parents of young children. But First 5 Santa Cruz County, a resource center for children and parents, is working to make things easier on families with its Positive Parenting Program.
The initiative, also known as Triple P, is a series of seminars offered by First 5. The two-hour seminars aim to educate parents of children up to age 12 about ways to improve parent-child relationships and encourage a child’s healthy development.
The series will cover everything from the little scuffles to the big picture. The seminars will offer practical advice about day-to-day parenting issues, as well as information and resources about parenting techniques. Triple P aims to advise and instruct parents from every background with any number of parenting concerns. Donica Ericsson, a local Triple P instructor, knows the importance of tailoring advice to fit the needs of modern families.
The nice thing about Triple P is that it’s not one size fits all,” said Ericsson in a recent press release. “It acknowledges that we are not perfect, but we can always go back and change things.”
First 5 will kick off Triple P with The Power of Positive Parenting, the first in a three-part series of parenting seminars. The two following seminars, Raising Confident, Competent Children and Raising Resilient Children will be held throughout December.
SLUG REPORT > UCSC named ‘Most Vegan-Friendly College’ by peta2
Szechuan Sweet Chili Ginger Tempeh, Tofu Vindaloo, and Vegan French Onion Soup—these tantalizing meatless entrees are just a tiny taste of the vegan and vegetarian dishes dreamed up by Dwight Collins, the executive chef of UC Santa Cruz’s Dining Services.
FRESH DIRT > This Friday, Nov 25, Santa Cruz will join 40 other U.S. cities to provide shoes to those who need them. The Santa Cruz Homeless Shelter has partnered with the Soles4Souls Conti Project to help relieve some of the foot pain that the homeless often experience as a result of wearing old, ill-fitting, or low-quality shoes.
FRESH DIRT > Music and art festival promotes awareness of the movement
Last Saturday, Nov. 19, the courthouse on Water Street was the site of more than just the assortment of protesters that Santa Cruz has been accustomed to seeing since October. A number of musicians, including bands and DJs, came out to perform for what would be Occupy Santa Cruz’s (OSC) first music and arts festival, which was called "Building a Community." There was also an arts booth where people could get their faces painted, as well as a display of a variety of artwork. Donations were encouraged but not required of any people who happened to come by to watch.
FRESH DIRT > A look at an Occupy Santa Cruz landmark
The winter sun has bleached the colony of tents that house Occupy Santa Cruz protestors. Whether nostalgically lauded as a ’60s era throwback to communal living born of common cause or dismissed as the shantytown of squatters, one aspect of the tent town is undeniable—it is anchored by the stately teepee hoisted in its center, 20 feet tall and slicing the sky. Accounts of its conception differ—some occupiers claim it was the work of local Ohlone tribesman Blind Bear while others credit an intrepid woman who had a plethora of bamboo stalks gathering dust in her garage.
FRESH DIRT > Local students speak their minds at Occupy Santa Cruz
Tuesday night, Nov. 15, was a big night for many protestors occupying the land around the Santa Cruz Superior Courthouse on Water Street. Everyone seemed slightly on edge about the prospect of cops coming through at any point to take down the dome that sits in front of the courthouse steps. Nine people were prepared to chain themselves to the dome when that time came, including fourth-year UC Santa Cruz student Tom O’Leary, who has been camping out near the river by the courthouse for the past few weeks.
SLUG REPORT > UCSC-led research team to study toxic algae blooms
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) program has awarded a UC Santa Cruz-led team of scientist more than $4 million dollars to help fund research pertaining to the blooming of toxic algae along the Californian Coast.
Twenty-one years ago, New Leaf Community Market co-owner Scott Roseman started a simple program that would allow local businesses to support people in our community living with HIV. He called it BizAID. Every year since, participating businesses either donate a specific amount or commit a certain percentage of their sales in the 10 days following Thanksgiving to the Santa Cruz Aids Project. Look out for posters in storefronts that distinguish participating businesses during the week of Nov. 25 – Dec. 5. For more info, visit scapsite.org.
