Chevron threatened the City of Fullerton with a lawsuit unless it reconsidered and approved the the same development the City turned down in May 2010. Sadly, the current City Council bought into this threat and agreed to reconsider the same Chevron proposal on July 12, 2011. They then followed up on July 12 with an approval of the same bad development plan that they denied the previous year.

The fight is not over. The Friends of Coyote Hills is taking the vote to the public. We are currently in the qualifying round for our referendum to overturn the City Council's July 12 decision. We are circulating petitions to gather signatures through about mid-August to qualify for a ballot measure.

More information: Fullerton City Council Votes to Develop Coyote Hills by Referendum to Oppose Development

In an apparent attempt to make the 14-acre space at 41st and Alameda more attractive to developers, city councilmember and mayoral candidate Jan Perry is trying to waive the requirement that 2.6 acres be devoted to green space. Instead, seller Ralph Horowitz would pay about three million dollars to existing park services nearby.

A petition against this proposal is being circulated. People are encouraged to print out the petition featured here and collect signatures.

Supporters are also encouraged to e-mail public officials.

On Thursday August 4, the Harbor Commission in San Pedro held a public hearing to consider Perry's proposal.

Reports and photos: Jan Perry Proposes Waiver of Green Space Requirement for South Central Farm Land By RP

Farmers Fighting for South Central Again by Leslie Radford

A lot of progressive Queers and Queer-friendly allies have written off the annual Pride events as overly commercial, corporate and mainstream. But that's not what it felt like to me when I marched with the San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (S.A.M.E.) in San Diego's Pride Parade July 16. In a mixed contingent that also included members of the Bradley Manning Support Group and the International Socialist Organization, I felt like part of a movement, participating in an island of militant political awareness that asserted the values on which Pride was founded that have largely got lost in the overall celebration.

Stories and photos: Marching with S.A.M.E. at the San Diego Pride Parade by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine | | Rally Kicks Off San Diego Pride Events by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine | | Photos of San Diego's Queer Pride Parade July 16 by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine

This year's Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair occurred on Saturday June 25 at Art Share L.A., a public space in downtown L.A.'s Arts District. (The event changes locations every year--last year's venue was Barnsdall Park-- but, of course, it always remains in L.A.) The event included information exchange vis-a-vis books and speakers, as well as art and food.

The speakers included “indigenous elders speaking about take-back-the-land struggles and resistance to a lot of colonial politics and institutionalized forms of racism that are implemented in Arizona as well as here in L.A.,” reported Liz, one of the organizers (as seen in one of the videos at the link below).

Also, “[T]here's a workshop going on about how to build an alternative economy by John Imani,” explained another event organizer. "He's proposing an alternative model of change that I think hasn't been proposed yet. He's looking at RAC (Revolutionary Autonomous Communities) as a transformative model towards the vision that he has for change." More about Imani's workshop here.

The organizer continued: “The Bookfair is organized by the L.A. Anarchist Bookfair Collective. It's a collective of different folks interested in putting the collective on for different reasons: some folks are artists, some folks are activists, some people are educators and coming together in a non-institutionalized environment to organize the event.”

Coverage: Videos from Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair by anarcho vegan paparazzi | | Photos from the L.A. Anarchist Bookfair by organic vegan yoga

June 16, 2011: Seven thirty in the morning at the Alhambra Court House in southern California saw a strong showing of anti-FBI repression activists protesting the recent charges filed against veteran community activist and Brown Beret founder Carlos Montes. This demonstration was one of many being held across the country for Mr. Montes in the wake of new expansive FBI rules and an apparent new surge of repression against American anti-war and internationalist activism. There have been raids on citizens in Minneapolis, Chicago, Michigan and North Carolina as well as Los Angeles.

Mister Montes's home was raided by Los Angeles county Sheriffs and the FBI on May 17th of this year. The charges revolve around a firearms charge, however all of Mr. Monte's political and historical documents, computers and cell phones were confiscated making the original charge appear as a mere pretext for political harassment.

Story and pictures: Carlos Montes Arraignment and Protest in Ahambra, California by Robert Stuart Lowden | | Carlos Montes Arraignment and Protest in Alhambra, California (photo set 2) by Robert Stuart Lowden

On January 24th, 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police gave a speech in which he stated: “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”

This comment is alarming coming from an individual in a place authority as it discourages victims/ survivors to come forward for support. It is important to hold those in positions of power, not just the police, accountable for the dangerous ideas they reflect into the community. We must also recognize that these notions are held by many in our society. This was one individual speaking the minds of many folks in our communities. This is the problem. We live in a society that believes that women are responsible for not getting raped. Being assaulted isn’t about what you wear; it’s not even about sex; by simply using a derogatory term to rationalize inexcusable behaviour it creates an environment in which it’s okay to blame the victim/survivor.

Story and photos: SlutWalk Los Angeles Storms West Hollywood California | | Part Two | | Part Three by Robert Stuart Lowden

More coverage and photos: Slutwalk 2011 [pt 1] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 2] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 3] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 4] | | Slutwalk 2011 [pt 5] by SCHA-LA

Discussion/interviews on KPFK's Hear in the City, May 31, 2011

Video from SlutWalk Riverside: Perspectives on Slutwalk from Riverside CA organizers by NouvelleMaude | | Slutwalk Riverside by edin2

From San Diego: Over 500 Turn Out for San Diego Slut Walk by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine

The fight for the Farm is on again. The Los Angeles Times editorial board announced its support for restoring the South Central Farm (see below), once a fourteen-acre miracle of family agriculture in the heart of industrial Los Angeles. What the Times isn't saying here is that the land that was the Farm is in escrow according to reports received by the Farmers, with only four months left to find a way to return the Farm to the community before the land is sold. The Farmers are again relying on Angelinos to come to the aid of the legendary urban farm.

Update: The South Central Farmers: The Dream Reborn by The South Central Farmers | | Video: South Central Farm: Community Visioning at 41st and Alameda, in Los Angeles by The South Central Farmers

On May 17, 2011 at 5:00 AM the SWAT Team of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and members of the FBI raided the home of Carlos Montes, a long time Chicano activist and active member of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. The SWAT Team smashed the front door and rushed in with automatic weapons as Carlos slept. The team of Sheriffs and FBI proceeded to ransack his house, taking his computer, cell phones and hundreds of documents, photos, diskettes and mementos of his current political activities in the pro-immigrant rights and Chicano civil rights movement. Also taken were hundreds of historical documents related to Carlos Montes’ involvement in the Chicano movement for the past 44 years. Read more...

May Day 2011 - Challenges the President to Take Action on Immigration

This year's May Day turnout was difficult to count, but smaller than last years' due to lack of a bill or law to be passed or protested. The LA Times reported a rift between two coalitions, the gist of which was whether to support Obama's re-election, or to criticize him for not passing immigration reform and withhold votes or vote for a third party. Both positions, slience regarding the President, and a demand for immigration reform now or no re-election, were well represented. Who were not present were the large number of immigrants who in the past had been mobilized by morning radio DJs.

Coverage: May Day March Videos by wildgift | | San Diego Hosts Three May Day Rallies by Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine | | Related events from the Calendar: Locked Out - a story about a labor struggle in the Mojave desert, May 6th - The Power of a General Strike, Celebrate May Day

For 2011, the May Day International Workers Day march for immigrant workers rights returns to Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles This annual demonstration of support for immigrant workers, their families, and for all workers, has been happening since 2000. In 2006, after years of growth, an estimated half-million people marched on "A Day Without an Immigrant" - a boycott to demonstrate the impact of immigrants on the local economy. This was the largest political demonstration in Los Angeles (and perhaps American) history.

In 2007, the annual march was fractured, with different marches happening in different areas. The later march, which was supposed to be the moderate march, ended at Macarthur Park, and turned into a police riot where out-of-control LAPD brutalized the marchers.

In 2010, with the odds of legalization for students and youth dwindling, and in response to Arizona's draconian racist law SB 1070, tens of thousands of people mobilized to protest the criminalization of undocumented immigrants. Obama promised a path to citizenship, but delivered on desktop deportations.

In 2011, we've experienced the rightward shift of politics, and a leftward response. Not only are immigrants being scapegoated for the terrible economy, but the attacks have extended to public sector workers and labor unions. California schools are being threatened with severe cuts to funding, and tuition at state colleges are rising. And around the world, millions are marching to protest the ongoing "austerity" of budget cuts, raised fees, privatization, and attacks on immigrants. The rich are getting their tax cuts, but the poor and middle class are just getting cut. We're working so they can avoid paying taxes.

People are suffering and angry. We're going to take to the streets to stand up and fight back -- the economy is not working for us; it's working for the capitalists. We refuse to scapegoat immigrants; we need legalization now. We're sick of these racist wars. We're getting evicted and foreclosed. And we see through the bullshit, flim-flam of divisive bigotry, inequality and poverty that the capitalist class is pulling on us. Enough already. Ya Basta! We march together.

The march starts at Olympic and Broadway at 10:00AM this Sunday. There will be numerous contingents representing all communities: immigrants, progressives, radicals, community groups, LGBT, labor unions, Democrats, unemployed, teachers, students, enviros, and everyone who supports the idea of respect for the people. Take your signs and banners!

Newswire stories about May Day: 2 May Day Marches by the Southern California Immigration Coalition | | May Day 2011 Call to Action! by Immigrant Solidarity Network | | The History of May day, Made in the USA by janus | | RAC-LA May Day 2011-Calling All RAC-LA Supporters by RAC-LA | | This Sunday, May 1: March for Immigrant & Workers' Rights by ANSWER-LA | | May Day 2011 Celebration and Film Showing at Solidarity Hall, Friday, May 6, 7:00 pm by Radical Women LA | | Luchando por Nuestros Derechos - Tres Días de Lucha por Comité Latino de Valle de Coachella | | March on May 1 for Immigration Reform! by LA County Federation of Labor

RELATED: Retenes del fin de semana del Día del Trabajo / May Day Weekend Checkpoints 2011 by/por Checkpoint response

If you take photos or write articles, or even video the event, please post them here. Every reader is a reporter.

Most readers here already know about the effects of plastic on birds and sea life--although the footage shown here is even worse than anything I've seen. There is also footage of impoverished people in China sorting through OUR "recyclables" as their children loiter about and pollution from a processing plant poisons the air.

But most revealing of all (to me, anyway) is the effects plastic seems to be having on us humans, including, perhaps, the increase we're seeing in Autism; Attention Deficit Disorder; early onset of puberty; male infants becoming more feminine and females more masculine; and lower sperm count.

Also insightful is the film's revelations about the powerful American Chemistry Council, which is made up of plastic and oil interests, including Chevron BP, Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Dow, DuPont, 3M, Honeywell, and Bayer. ACC spends huge sums of money battling initiatives that would ban plastic bags. Some of their cute pro-plastic bag slogans include “save the plastic bag!”

Review: Important New Film “Bag It!” Playing on PBS This Week by R

Protests against banks are being reported in L.A. Some have been targeting Chase Bank (as discussed here). Also, various organizations, including MoveOn, are organizing protests throughout Southern California this Monday, April 18: Tax Day Protests on April 18th! (announcement by mous). Times vary from location to location.

Also, for almost a year, a weekly demonstration has been taking place in front of Bank of America in Silver Lake (at the corner of Glendale and Silver Lake Boulevards). It is organized by the Silver Lake-Echo Park chapter of The Coffee Party, the only chapter to be engaged in such an action. (It is hoped that other chapters across the country will follow suite.) Not surprisingly, public reaction has been rather positive. Some motorists even pull over and join in. The demonstration takes place on Saturdays from 1:30pm to 3.

Report and photos: Weekly Demonstration Against Sleazy Banks by RP | | Analysis: An Expansion of Terms Used in the Coffee Party Article by RP by mous | | On the legal front: Fraud by Bank of America in the Los Angeles Court by Human Rights Alert, NGO