UCSC’s African-American Theater Arts Troupe presents meaty play about women in the war-torn Congo

In the 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Ruined,” by Lynn Nottage, Mama Nadi runs a whorehouse deep in the heart of a modern day, civil war-torn Congo. There, young women depend on Mama Nadi for more than just a job—in the fractured country where gunfire rattles the air and rape is common practice, Mama represents a chance for survival.

The story—reproduced Feb. 24-26 by the UC Santa Cruz African-American Theater Arts Troupe at Second Stage Theater—is a frank and frightening, but ultimately hopeful, portrayal of the gut-wrenching atrocities occurring in the Congo, and the incredible resilience of the women who endure it.

The Amgen Tour of California will once again feature a finishing line in Santa Cruz County this year. Stage two of the 2012 bicycle race, to be held on May 14, will start in San Francisco’s Marina District and wrap up at Cabrillo College in Aptos. In between, cyclists will pedal south for 117 miles, first on Highway 1 and then through Bonny Doon. Marketing Director Albert Saporta says the racers could be whizzing into Aptos between 3:15 and 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. “With only 8,000 feet of elevation gain over 117 miles, this stage will be fast,” Saporta says. “That means a sprint finish will probably be the order of the day, with speeds hitting 30 to 40 [miles per hour] running down Soquel Drive from Soquel to Cabrillo College.” Keeps tabs on the event at amgentourofcalifornia.com or on Facebook.

SANTA CRUZ > Citizens propose to amend NDAA

On Tuesday, Feb. 28, a group of demonstrators are planning on proposing the adoption of a Resolution to Restore Due Process and the Right to Trial at the Santa Cruz City Council’s regular meeting in City Hall on Center Street.

SANTA CRUZ >  Occupy Santa Cruz protests at Wells Fargo

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, around 50 demonstrators associated with Occupy Santa Cruz gathered in front of the Wells Fargo on Front Street. The group was protesting the charges against 11 activists who had been involved the 75 River St. occupation that took place late last year, as well as the city's overall treatment of homeless people.

“After being out on the streets, you definitely start to realize that we live in a police state,” said "JP," an activist holding signs condemning capitalism. “And now that the camp by the courthouse has been split up, homeless people are scattered around and business owners are starting to get upset again.”

SLUG REPORT > Famed oceanographer Sylvia Earle to speak at UC Santa Cruz

TIME magazine’s first “Hero for the Planet” is stopping by UC Santa Cruz this week. Well-known and highly regarded oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle will present the sixth installment of the Fred Keeley Lectures on Environmental Policy. The lecture will take place this Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the UCSC Music Recital Hall.

Earle’s lecture, titled “Oceans, Life and Survival,” will focus on the unique role oceans play in supporting life on land, as well as issues of climate change of pollution. Nicknamed “Her Deepness” by the New Yorker and the New York Times, Earle has more than 40 years of marine accomplishments under her belt.

SANTA CRUZ > Campaign to bring desalination to voters kicks off

Close to 100 Santa Cruz residents gathered at India Joze Restaurant on Sunday, Feb. 12 for the “Right to Vote on Desalination” campaign kickoff party.

Opponents of the city’s proposed seawater desalination plant spoke to the assembled crowd about hopes for getting enough signatures to put a measure on the ballot in November that would give residents the ability to vote on the whether the plant would move forward. While the measure does not take a position on desalination, it does put the power to decide on such a project in the hands of voters. It ensures that the city would not “approve, permit, or fund a desalination plant without voter approval,” and that Santa Cruz also does not acquire any more debt for the project until it actually gets passed. According to Santa Cruz Desal Alternatives founder Rick Longinotti, the organizers will need 5,500 signatures by May in order for the measure to get on the November ballot.

Tips for surviving Valentine’s Day solo in Santa Cruz

Single this Valentine's Day? Don’t freak out. More Americans are solo today than ever before. According to U.S. census data, only 48 percent of adults were married in 2010, compared to 78 percent in 1950. So whether you’re recently split or a solo superstar, use this Valentine’s Day as an excuse to celebrate singularity. Take a break from romance and focus on a broader kind of love—love for your community, your friends, and your simple, footloose and fancy-free life.

SANTA CRUZ > 26th Annual Migration Festival celebrates the journey of monarchs and other creatures

One of Santa Cruz’s most beloved winter residents—the monarch butterfly—is bidding farewell to its seaside home in search of greener pastures. Each year, from October to February, about 100,000 monarchs nestle in eucalyptus trees at Natural Bridges. By the first week of March, they have moved on to sources of milkweed, which serves as their food source and breeding ground during the spring and summer.

A surprisingly perfect staycation spot

Viewers of Anthony Bourdain’s new show “The Layover,” which features the famed, foul-mouthed chef making the most of cities in just 24 hours, know it can be tough to get the true feel of a place in such a short time. But it’s not impossible … And it certainly helps when the locale in question is, say, the tiny fishing hamlet of Moss Landing instead of Rome or New York City.

Hamadi Organic’s tagline, “Tested on Actresses, Never on Animals,” says two important things about the hair care line off the bat: one, it’s ethical and, two, it’s good enough for the stars. Indeed, the likes of Scarlett Johansson, James Franco and Eva Mendes rely on Hamadi creator Jamal Hammadi to tame and style their tresses with his eco-friendly concoctions. (And, yes, the creator's name has two m's and the company's name only has one.)