About 150 people gathered at the town clock in Santa Cruz on January 9th in a hastily planned rally to oppose the war on Gaza and to call for a political settlement that honors the human rights of all people involved. Photos | Audio

Audio on Gaza: Interview with Journalist and Author Chris Hedges || Israeli Journalist and Peace Activist Uri Avnery Speaks Out

see also: January 10th Gaza Protest In San Francisco || Previous SC-IMC coverage

SANTA CRUZ, CA – The Diversity Center’s Latino Outreach program will hold a presentation of the “Assessment of the Latino Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community of Santa Cruz County” on Thursday, January 15th, at 5:00pm at the Diversity Center (1117 Soquel Ave). This report will present what Latino LGBT people have identified as their issues and needs and how one can better support them as service providers, family, friends and teachers.

This is the second Latino LGBT needs assessment. The first was conducted in 2003 by Triangle Speakers. The survey was developed to implement culturally appropriate programming by understanding the social realities, needs and issues affecting Santa Cruz County Latina/o lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community.

The report confirms that the Latino LGBT respondents “experience discrimination not just based on gender and sexual orientation, but also based on their ethnicity and skin color." The report concludes that “while Santa Cruz County is generally known as a progressive and accepting community, it is not immune to the powerfully homophobic and racist environment and sentiments that encompass American culture.” Read More

see also: January 17: Triangle Speakers Training

On December 18, members of the Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations (FIOB) in the city of Greenfield, California opened a new office in the city to meet the requests of the indigenous migrant community in this area. The grand opening is doubly symbolic because International Day of the Migrant is celebrated on this day.

The mission of the Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations (FIOB - Frente Indigena de Organizaciones Binacionales) is to contribute in the development and self-determination of migrant and non-migrant indigenous communities, as well as to struggle for the defense of human rights with justice and gender equity at the binational level. Read More and View Photos

see also: Farm Workers Cutting Anise in the Winter | "Living Under the Trees"

previous coverage: Oaxacan Perspectives on the Binational Struggles of Mexican Indigenous Migrant Communities

Already over 600 Palestinians have died and over 2,500 have been wounded since the Israeli attack on Gaza escalated on December 27th, 2008. Gaza is in desperate need of medical supplies, water and electricity. The United Nations and the Red Cross have considered these travesties a humanitarian crisis, yet the United states still supports Israel and has blocked the UN from calling a cease fire.

On Thursday, January 8th at 7:00pm at UC Santa Cruz, speakers from the Comitee For Justice in Palestine (CJP), Muslim Student Association (MSA), Santa Cruz Campus Antiwar Network (SCCAN), and Tod Chretien from the International Socialist Organization (ISO) will engage in dialogue. This will be an educational event, as well as a prelude to the national day of action against Israel's war on Palestinian taking place on Saturday, January 10th at 11:00am in San Francisco. Read More

Friday at 5pm: Santa Cruz Vigil/Protest for Gaza | Friday at 7pm: Screening of "Dispatches: The Killing Zone" | Saturday at 9am: Santa Cruz bus to SF for Gaza solidarity protest | Sign statement to Sam Farr on Gaza Crisis

Audio: Interview: Protest At Diane Feinstein's Office Against the Israeli War on Gaza || Interview with Nora Barrows Friedman on Gaza Attacks || Interview w/ Activists In L.A. and S.F. From Protests Against Israeli War on Gaza 12/30/08 || Ali Abunimah Speaks On Free Radio Santa Cruz About Gaza Ground Invasion || Interview with Former Israeli Pilot, Yonatan Shapira About Gaza Invasion || Interview With Photographer, Fida Qishta in Rafah, Gaza about Israeli Ground Invasion || Interview With Stephen Zunes About Ongoing Assault on Gaza

On the December 19 indynewswire program on Free Radio Santa Cruz, danielsan spoke with Paul Kivel about opposing racism and patriarchy, pitfalls to progress in the struggle, moving beyond discussion to action, myths like american exceptionalism and progress, the individual and the institutional, and more. Listen to the Audio

see also: Paul Kivel's website || Paul Kivel's resources

In what is rapidly becoming a homespun Santa Cruz New Year’s tradition, the Last Night DIY Parade and Street Party took over the streets on New Year’s for the forth continuous year. This year the do-it-yourself, grassroots celebration returned with a parade, street party, entertainment, and performers taking over downtown for an evening of DIY adventure and entertainment.

A manifesto published on the Last Night DIY website states, "Last Night is a completely organic event, organized and put on at a grassroots-level. No city-sponsorship. No corporate donors.” The celebration got started at 5:00pm near the Saturn Cafe parking lot on Pacific Avenue and Spruce Street. Read More | Video

Previous SC-IMC Coverage: 2005 / 06 || 2006 / 07 || 2007 / 08

From the open publishing newswire: "That's how the corporate university works. It's because of the licensing of bovine growth hormone (rBGH) by the UC system (human growth hormone is also a UC patent). In the past (before Bayh-Dole in 1980), any company that wanted to use the results of academic research for their business could - but with Bayh-Dole came the exclusive licensing of patents to private industry, for which the UC gets a little cut, as do the professors who created the patent - at taxpayer expense.

"This allows corporations to outsource their R&D (research and design) divisions to the taxpayer.

"However, it has also created a perverse culture of academic fraud on campuses all over the place. They're no longer interested in doing any research that might threaten the interests of their corporate masters (hardly a partnership) - for example, you won't find UCSC professors investigating the dangers of Monsanto's rBGH, that's for sure - the administration would frown, as they like getting that kickback from Monsanto." Read More

Santa Cruz, CA -- Over four hundred days ago, a handful of activists climbed up into the trees on Science Hill as a symbol of resistance to the University of California's plan to destroy 120 acres of campus forest. For the past 13 months, the tree sit has drawn attention to UCSC's plan to develop upper campus in a way that activists say is, "without regard for the welfare of one of Santa Cruz's last wild ecosystems."

On December 13th at approximately 8:00am, the tree sit drew to a close as police seized control of Science Hill, arresting one tree sitter. Later, a tree cutting company hired by the university cut down a grove of 100 year old redwood trees to make way for construction of a Biomedical building. At 2:00pm, tree sitters and tree sit supporters held a press conference at the base of campus.

The three clusters of redwoods which have now been clearcut were inhabited since November 7, 2007, when over 500 students, alumni, and community members rallied in opposition to the University's Long Range Development Plan. Read More

Initial Report | Photos | More Photos | Audio and Photos: Final Press Conference

From the open publishing newswire: "I received some unsettling news yesterday that Shakespeare Santa Cruz - the country's fifth largest Shakespeare festival - will close its door forever on December 22nd unless they raise $300,000. If this sounds last minute, it is because they themselves found out only a couple of days ago that UC Santa Cruz will take away their place on campus unless they can come up with those funds. SSC has been a part of the Santa Cruz and Theatre communities for 28 years during which time it has not only produced some magnificent work, but it has also helped to enrich the education of many of UC Santa Cruz's theatre students by casting them in their Holiday shows, their traveling shows called Shakes-To-Go (in which they take abridged plays into underfunded elementary and high schools), and by giving them a place in SSC's coveted summer season as one of twelve students from across the nation." Read More

From the open publishing newswire: "Last night rocks were thrown through the windows of 2 Bank of Americas and another ATM location. We did this because the uprising of our comrades in Greece, England, Moscow and elsewhere will not go without a response. People here are killed by cops, screwed by banks, and we will revolt with just as much fury. These and the outbreaks in Europe show that it is simple for us to respond in the most direct way to the forces of repression in order for them to fall." Read more

At the Santa Cruz City Council meeting on December 9th at 3:00pm, the Beach Flats Community Center, Harvey West Pool, Museum of Natural History and Surfing Museum were cut from the city budget. In light of the current fiscal crisis the city faces, closures of these facilities and reduction in the employee workforce are scheduled for February, 2009. Read More | Photos

see also: Possible closing of Beach Flats Community Garden & Community Center || Tuesday at 2:00pm: March from Beach Flats Park to City Council

lisam writes, "I’ve been involved in countless demonstrations and protests that have been deemed “violent” by both the police forces assigned to control the crowds and the mainstream media who tend to use them as the primary source for their stories.

"But never in the years that I was involved in massive demonstrations against the corporate control over globalization, did I witness anyone getting trampled or ignored when they had been hurt. Even when the heavily armed riot police would charge a crowd packed in so tight you could barely move, people would find a way to escape and help others in the process. If someone fell to the ground because they had been peppered sprayed or tear gassed, someone would stop and help them, often at their own peril." Read More

The City Council of Santa Cruz has applied to extend city services to the currently undeveloped UCSC Upper Campus. This is a key step in preparing this unique ecosystem for destruction under UCSC environmentally irresponsible Long Range Development Plan. The City Council's attempt to aid the University in this process is in direct contradiction to the expressed will of the people of Santa Cruz and it violates the city's existing municipal code.

On July 13, 2008, the City of Santa Cruz adopted Ordinance No. 2008-18 pertaining to expansion of water and sewer service areas. This ordinance was adopted to replace the Measure J ballot initiative which amended the City Charter and passed with an 80% vote of the electorate in 2006, but was invalidated on a technicality by a local judge after UCSC sued the City. The City promised the public to put the measure on the ballot again, but instead merely adopted it as an ordinance. This has the severe disadvantage that it can be changed at any time by any future council, unlike City Charter provisions which can only be changed by a majority vote of the people. Read More

On November 16th, over 200 people from numerous communities throughout the Monterey Bay area came out to join the 15th annual Peace and Unity March, organized to demand an end to violence. In attendance was the family of Ray Ray Cervantez, a recent victim of violence, who shared words of their sorrow and urged peace. Also in attendance was Rosa de Ramirez (mother of Tony Valdevia), Oralia Ramirez (sister of Gregorio Ramirez), Liz Ayala (sister of Oscar Garcia), and many others. The event was sponsored by the Watsonville Brown Berets, the Watsonville Peace and Unity Coalition, and the Student Empowerment project.

For the last 15 years the Watsonville Brown Berets, along with families of fallen victims and other community members, have organized the Peace and Unity March to promote unity throughout the barrios. The first march was organized in 1994 after the tragic murders of Jessica (age 9) and Jorge Cortez (age 16). Over the last 15 years, more than 80 residents of Watsonville have lost their lives to violence. Read More and View Photos

previous coverage: 2007 | 2006 | 2005

On November 7th, about 75 people turned out on Science Hill, the site scheduled for construction of a Biomedical Sciences Facility, to celebrate the one year anniversary of the UCSC Science Hill Tree Sit. The festivities featured speakers, spoken word, and musical performances, as well as laughter, storytelling and conversation. People also marked the occasion by sharing memories of November 7th, 2007, the day that hundreds of courageous students, staff, faculty, and community members withstood the violence of the police in order to support the tree sit. Read More and View Photos

see also: Words of a Tree Sitter | Standoff with Police as Activists Occupy Redwoods (Nov. 7, 2007) | Stop UCSC Expansion

Just a few days before the one-year anniversary of the aerial spraying for Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) in Santa Cruz, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) released a report by the Department for Pesticide Regulations (DPR) about the results of environmental monitoring during pesticide applications in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

While CDFA claims that this study proves the safety of the chemicals used, environmental groups and citizen advocates say that statement is misleading and point out fundamental shortcomings of the report. Rather, they argue, the report reveals another breach of the law by CDFA as it states that considerable drift occurred during aerial spraying in 2007. The study also confirms observations made by affected residents of inconsistencies in the dosage of the pesticides, creating whole clusters of illness. Read More

see also: Birds wash up on south county shores after ‘mystery spill’ (Nov. 13, 2007 from the Sentinel) | Fraud and Deception: The CDFA LBAM Eradication Program