On February 7th, 11 people were criminally charged for an occupation which began on November 30th, 2011 of a former bank building, now owned by Wells Fargo, located at 75 River St. in Santa Cruz. The occupation was intended to turn the space into a community center hosting a slew of services the city does not offer. The accused are charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors, including conspiracy, trespass and vandalism. According to District Attorney Bob Lee, and reports in the corporate media, more people may still be charged.

California's Proposition 8 ban on same sex marriage was ruled unconstitutional by a three member panel of judges from the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Judge Smith dissented. The panel majority stated that California voters violated the 14th Amendment of the Federal Constitution when voting for Prop 8. San Francisco's City Attorney stated that officials are getting ready and changing marriage forms, but that until the stay is lifted same sex couples in California still cannot marry.

For the eighth year, anti-choice Walk for Life demonstrators bussed into San Francisco from across the state marched to protest the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion 39 years ago. However, pro-choice activists celebrated the anniversary of Roe v. Wade with gatherings in the city's Justin Herman Plaza and in downtown Los Altos. Supporters of the Walk for Life West Coast event bemoaned the lack of news coverage given their march.

One of the major issues now confronting the City of Santa Cruz, and residents outside the city limits, too, is whether or not the City should partner with the Soquel Creek Water District to construct a $100 million dollar desalination plant to meet the need for water during drought periods in the City of Santa Cruz water service area, and to help relieve the threat of groundwater overdraft in the Soquel Creek Water District. A kickoff party for the Right to Vote On Desalination initiative will be held on Sunday, February 12th in Santa Cruz.

In the pre-dawn hours of Monday, January 30th, a small group of activists hung a banner from the La Fonda HWY 1 overpass by Harbor High. The banner read "WIDENING WASTE$". The approximately one-mile widening project will cost almost $20 million, to be funded by the State Transportation Bond and State Transportation Improvement Program funds. There are a number of other projects competing for those millions of dollars that may now not be funded because of the high cost of the widening project.

At the last general assembly of 2011, Occupy Oakland decided to take over a large vacant building with the purpose of putting it to the use of the people of Oakland. Since then, move-in assemblies have been meeting twice a week to plan the move-in. This new social center will be launched with a two-day Oakland Rise Up Festival packed with speakers, workshops and performances. Occupy Oakland will meet at Oscar Grant Plaza at 1pm on Saturday, January 28th to march to the building that will be reclaimed for the movement.

On Friday, January 20th, thousands of people participated in a day of decentralized direct actions, bank blockades, flashmobs, cultural interventions, picketlines, office takeovers, a foreclosure auction disruption and a building takeover to Occupy Wall St. West -- the San Francisco Financial District. One group kicked off the day of action dressed as giant squids at Goldman Sachs, while others shut down Wells Fargo Corporate Headquarters on Montgomery St. by chaining themselves to the doors. Demonstrators also occupied Bank of America's main branch at Montgomery and California streets.

Women's rights advocates will celebrate the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza on the same day that the annual "Walk for Life" calls for its repeal in other parts of the city. On Saturday, January 21st, the Rally for Reproductive Justice will feature music, children's entertainment and speakers from 11 am to 1pm. All activities will take place under large tents so attendees can enjoy the event shielded from forecasted rain showers.

The Kenneth Harding JR. Foundation and Bayview residents and allies call for support to surround Candlestick Stadium on Sunday, January 22nd during the NFC Championship game in opposition to police brutality. A march to the stadium will begin at noon at 3rd St. and Oakdale in San Francisco and head via 3rd St. to Gilman and Jamestown. Kenneth Harding Jr. was murdered by the San Francisco police on July 16, 2011 for allegedly evading a two dollar Muni train fare. Event organizers ask that the community, "Join us in sending a message to the media and game attendees that the cops in the Bayview/Hunters Point Community are killing our children, violating our rights, and trying to silence the people for speaking out."

Gary Johnson, the homeless activist doing the nightly protest against the Sleeping Ban, the Lodging Ban, and the curfew at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse from late December until earlier this month, has been incarcerated since January 6 in what amounts to indefinite detention for the crime of sleeping. Johnson has received the bail amount of $5000 after having been arrested four times for "lodging" 647(e) and "trespassing" 602(o) during his protests.

The Save the Peaks Coalition is fighting the United States Forest Service in a legal battle to protect children from hazardous endocrine disruptors and to protect the San Francisco Peaks sacred site in Arizona from desecration. On Monday, January 9th, The Save the Peaks Coalition et al v. the United States Forest Service will be heard by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, CA. The case argues that under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, the Forest Service failed to adequately consider the impacts associated with ingestion of snow made from reclaimed sewer water in its Environmental Impact Statement. Organizers are calling for a strong turn-out for a march and rally before the court hearing, and a welcoming reception will be held the previous day on Sunday, January 8th.

Hundreds of people participated in the 7th Annual Last Night DIY New Year's Parade on December 31st, 2011 in downtown Santa Cruz. Hundreds more lined Pacific Avenue to watch and document the grassroots New Year's Eve celebration created by the community. The event has become both a homespun, family-friendly alternative celebration and a controversial embarrassment for the city.

In a call-out for a march at 1pm from 14th Street & Broadway to a rally at the Fruitvale BART station on January 1st, 2012, organizers write: "The movement that touched ground in January 2009 — the organizing to address police terrorism — laid the ground work for the movement against the 1% here in Oakland. The polarizing disparity of wealth and the numerous police killings in our communities are inextricably linked. To unravel a system that forecloses homes, pushes our families into poverty and criminalizes our youth while gentrifying our neighborhoods, we need to not only address a system based on greed but a system that needs police brutality to survive and thrive through state terror. On this 3rd anniversary of Oscar’s murder, lets take to the streets to show that Oscar Grant is gone but not forgotten. Oscar lives on in the memories of his family and friends and in our resistance to the police."

The twelfth and final profile in the series “Hidden in Plain Sight,” by Peter M, concerns Jose Manuel Martinez, whose creative life has been story telling. As a recording artist — a singer-songwriter — he made his mark in Rock, Latin Rock and Salsa. Now having just completed a Master’s degree in Education at Stanford University, he is an English teacher, relating to young people how stories can empower, and the ways they can bring people together.

On December 8th, the California Coastal Commission voted 10-1 to approve the controversial $5 million Arana Gulch Master Plan. The vote was expected to resolve a fifteen year long battle between cycling advocacy groups and environmental groups that oppose a bike path through the Santa Cruz greenbelt. But in a move that has some long time Sierra Club members crying foul, cycling advocacy groups are running a slate of three candidates for the board of the Santa Cruz County Group of the Sierra Club in the December election. This would be the second cyclist-sponsored candidate slate in two years, and is expected to decide control of the Santa Cruz Group Executive Committee.

On December 17, approximately 75-100 community members protesting the desecration of Rattlesnake Island, the spiritual center of the Elem Pomo community, marched to the Piedmont mansion of John Nady, the owner of Nady Systems, who has been one of those pushing for the development of the island as the location of two luxury-style vacation homes. Community members first circled up and held a rally near the Lakeview library branch in Oakland, then proceeded to march two miles up and into the hills of Piedmont where Nady owns a large home, and a short demonstration was held that featured speeches as well a spirited singing of the AIM song.

Eighteen months after he was first detained on accusations of revealing information to WikiLeaks, PFC Bradley Manning appeared before an Article 32 investigating officer for a pre-trial hearing on December 16th at Fort Meade in Maryland. Supporters gathered outside the gates of Fort Meade to call for Manning's freedom and denounce the proceedings as unjust. Supporters have long argued that PFC Manning could not receive a fair hearing due to unlawful command influence from President Obama, who publicly declared in April that the former Army intelligence analyst "broke the law."

Community pickets and mass mobilizations to blockade ports have been planned for December 12th by Occupy movements in San Diego, LA, Oakland, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver, and Houston. Occupy Anchorage, Occupy Denver, and Occupy Wall Street are targeting Goldman Sachs and Walmart on the 12th. Solidarity actions are being planned as far away as in Japan. In Oakland, marches to the port will begin at 5.30am at West Oakland BART. At 3pm, people will rally at 14th and Broadway, followed by a 4pm sharp march to the port. A 5pm march to the port will leave from West Oakland BART.

On December 8th at about 7 a.m., approximately 100 police from across Santa Cruz County outfitted in riot gear raided the Occupy Santa Cruz encampment in San Lorenzo Park. Six people were arrested and are being held in jail. Arrestees are reportedly being held on $25,000 bail each (one exception being held on $50,000) for various charges, including failure to leave the park.

A community park was established in downtown Santa Cruz on December 3rd when volunteer gardeners gathered at dawn to build raised concrete flower beds, plant shrubs and fruit trees, and build benches. By early afternoon they hung a sign to welcome people to the new community park. "This is an ongoing process of creation," said one of the gardeners, "We'll be planting through the winter. As these new sprouts take root it will be beautiful!"

On November 30th, more than a hundred activists in Santa Cruz demonstrated in front of a Chase bank, before marching to and occupying a vacant bank building at River and Water Streets. A communique handed out shortly after the building was entered states, "This building is being re-purposed in solidarity with Occupy Santa Cruz. Formerly a Coast Commercial Bank, the building was bought by Wells Fargo, closed, and has been vacant for the past three years. The company leasing the building manages foreclosures for Wells Fargo."

Friday, December 2nd will see a full afternoon and evening of protest on the streets of San Francisco. With the rallying cry, "Stop the Cuts! Tax the Rich!", labor and community activists will occupy the Federal Building plaza at 7th and Mission from 2pm. Later in the afternoon they will march past symbols of corporate and financial corruption, continuing into the evening with a rally and concert at the OccupySF encampment at Justin Herman Plaza.

For the 10th straight year, community members gathered on Black Friday to protest the desecration of the sacred Ohlone shellmounds in Emeryville that were disturbed when the Bay Street Mall was constructed on top of them. The demonstration was on November 25 this year, and organizers of the event hoped to educate shoppers about the Ohlone burial sites, and that there were other shopping alternatives located nearby. A short rally during this year's demonstration featured speeches by Ohlone and Native American activists as well as a representative of Occupy/Decolonize Oakland.

After effectively shutting down and preventing employees from starting the workday at the Hahn Student Services building at UC Santa Cruz starting at 5am on November 28, students held a rally at Quarry Plaza at noon followed by a general assembly at 2pm. After discussion of agenda items, students reached consensus on holding the remainder of the GA at the Hahn building to support those who were still maintaining the shutdown. At Hahn, it was decided that the building would be entered and occupied.

On November 21st, the United States Army scheduled an Article 32 pretrial hearing for PFC Bradley Manning, the Army intelligence specialist accused of releasing classified material to WikiLeaks. The pretrial hearing will commence on December 16th at Fort Meade, Maryland. This will be PFC Manning’s first appearance before a court and the first time he will face his accusers after 17 months in confinement. A rally and march in solidarity with Bradley Manning takes place on Tuesday, November 22nd, starting at 5pm at Market & Powell Streets in San Francisco.

On the afternoon of Friday, November 18th, UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi ordered the UC Davis police to clear student protesters from the main quad on campus. In a gesture of solidarity with UC Berkeley students and faculty, and the national Occupy movement, students at UC Davis had set up tents on the main quad. Police in riot gear arrived to remove the tents, and students responded by sitting in a circle and linking arms around the tents. Without provocation, police pepper-sprayed the students. UC Davis students, alumni and others will converge on Monday, November 21st at noon on the quad to show solidarity and support for the students who were beaten and pepper-sprayed, and for a conversation about the university’s future.

On Saturday, November 19th, a day of mass actions, Occupy Oakland will set up a new occupation in the park and empty lot on 19th and Telegraph adjacent to the Fox Theater in the rapidly gentrifying Uptown neighborhood and entertainment district. A massive march planned for the day will end at this park and Occupy Oakland will begin setting up a new camp. Occupy Oakland is asking for all committees and supporters to begin making plans in whatever way they can to assist the new occupation and come prepared to make it happen.

Local Service Employee International Union (SEIU) members participating in the Occupy Day of Action demonstrations which took place on bridges around the country, joined members of Occupy Santa Cruz and members of the local MoveOn.org council to rally at the Santa Cruz County courthouse on November 17 in support of improving and repairing local infrastructure to stimulate job creation. The demonstration began on Water Street Bridge where community members held signs along the pedestrian areas of the bridge.

UPDATE: The trial has been delayed. More details will be forthcoming.

On November 17th, a Jerusalem civil court will convene regarding the case of Tristan Anderson, an international solidarity activist from Oakland, California, wounded in March 2009 when he was shot in the head by Israeli border police in Ni'ilin, Palestine. He survived the attack on his life, but has been left paralyzed on one side of his body and with significant damage to his brain. To date, no one has been charged with any crime whatsoever related to the shooting of Tristan Anderson. Also on November 17th, supporters are invited to an event in Berkeley in solidarity with the trial featuring Tristan, an update from court from Gabby, and a discussion as well as music.