Jacob Gutierrez, a Tongva, has a lot on his plate right now. The last science center in the LA Unified School District is "on the chopping block" due to budget cuts in education. (LAUSD originally had six.) This facility has been a resource for everyone in the community, especially children. It contains several gardens, consisting of over 80 native plants and fruit trees. Native wildlife is drawn there, including blue butterflies. There are also over 150 animals that children can visit, all rescues. Oftentimes they have been confiscated by the U.S. Government at the southern border and would have been killed were it not for the Center.

Just up the street is the site of Shwaanga (Ken Malloy Regional Park), one of the largest Tongva villages in pre-Spanish times, a site which has been suffering from pollution in recent centuries. In pre-European times, people would travel by boat from islands including Pimu (Catalina Island) and numerous inland communities via canoelike boats plying rivers, as well as different parts of the California coast. Among other things, Shwaanga was known for its fresh water. Now the water is heavily polluted and needs to be cleaned up.

Story and photos: San Pedro: Science Center Endangered/Tongva Village Site Revitalization by R. Plesset, Science Center photos by Isabel Avila (http://www.isabelavila.com)

RIVERSIDE (California) - Friday, May 18, 2012 - Police arrested a woman for observing a checkpoint Friday evening. The community responded in protest, occupying the area in front of Robert Presley Detention Center overnight, marching, and demanding the release of our comrade. The woman was released to the hospital at approximately eight o'clock Saturday morning, despite having suffered an epileptic seizure some nine hours earlier. Full Story: Police arrest copwatcher during checkpoint, Occupy Riverside responds by Rockero

Carlos Montes, longtime anti-war, Chicano rights and immigrant rights activist is facing multiple felony charges. The trial begins this Tuesday, May 15 the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Jess Sundin of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression says, "Carlos is the target of an FBI frame up."

Supporters are being asked to rally outside the Los Angeles courthouse and help to pack the courtroom this Tuesday, May 15, 2012, at 8:00 at the Criminal Courts Building, 13th floor, Department 100 210 West Temple Ave, downtown Los Angeles Full Story by Tracy Molm || Updates: The Time is Now to Support Carlos Montes, Beloved Chicano Activist by Stephanie Weiner | Veteran Chicano activist's home raided by agencies by Ernesto Arce

More photos from Carlos Montes Arraignment and Protest in Alhambra, California by Robert Stuart Lowden

On May 5, demonstrations were held world-wide to draw attention to the dire consequences and continued threats of climate change. Here in Los Angeles, banners were displayed on freeways (pictures have been posted at 350.org). Other local events happened in Pasadena; Arcadia; Palm Springs; San Diego; and in Eagle Rock, where 11 people participated in a climate vigil. Signs were displayed and flyers distributed.

Two of the participants (both residents of Eagle Rock) recently converted their homes to solar and were advocating it to passersby. The State of California still has financial incentives in place.

Story and pictures: Climate Impact Day in Eagle Rock by R of the Northeast LA Radical Neighbors | | More coverage: by Jan Freed

April 10, 2012

RIVERSIDE - As part of a statewide effort to expose California's 1% and demand retribution from them so that schools can be funded and homeowners protected, community activists gathered for a press conference that was followed by a direct challenge to the managers of the local branch of Wells Fargo. Though the crowd was small, the response--a shutdown of the bank branch--was anything but.

From the newswire: Group of Six shutdown Wells Fargo by the lizard queen

LOS ANGELES, March 30, 2012 - Occupy Venice, Venice Locals, Lawyers with the National Lawyers Guild, and a group called Venice Community Unity all came together on 3rd Ave in Venice to stop a homeless sweep from happening on March 29.

There was tension. Despite public resistance, the LAPD and Street Services were going to throw away belongs that were clearly not garbage until civil rights attorney, Carol Sobel called Councilman Rosendahl and convinced him to intercede. So this time no property was seized. Trash was removed from 3rd Ave but the belongings remained. It was a success. The only problem is that the city just keeps doing the same thing. Full Story: Venice Homeless Sweep Stopped: A Good Day in Venice for Street People by Venice Justice Committee & Rosendahl's Legacy: Gentrification and Sweeping the Homeless Out of Venice? by Peggy Lee Kennedy

SANTA CRUZ, CA - District Attorney Bob Lee has embarked on a full frontal assault against independent media in Santa Cruz by including four regular contributors to the independent news website Indybay.org amongst the eleven people charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors after the occupation of a vacant bank building on November 30th, 2011. District Attorney Lee apparently believes it is his duty to dictate how events such as the occupation of the vacant bank at 75 River Street should be reported on by the media, and if he does not approve of the coverage, then journalists risk the DA bringing charges against them.

Bradley Stuart Allen and Alex Darocy are Indybay photojournalists and Indybay editors who were reporting on the occupation. No charges nor arrests were made at the time, but warrants were issued over two months later on February 8th, 2012 for Bradley, Alex, and nine other individuals. Alex was arrested at his home before he could submit to the surprise warrant. Bradley and Alex were originally charged with felony vandalism, felony conspiracy, and two counts of misdemeanor trespass, but after a three-day preliminary hearing starting March 13th the felony vandalism charge against both was dropped. Alex and Bradley remain out of police custody on their own recognizance.Full Story: Indybay Journalists Charged with Felony: Conspiracy to Make Media by the Indybay Collective

En Espanol: Periodistas de Indybay acusados de delito grave: Conspiracion para hacer los medios

UPDATE: All Charges Dismissed - Monday, May 14th, 2012, Judge Paul Burdick of the Santa Cruz Superior Court has dismissed all charges against Indybay photojournalists Alex Darocy and Bradley Stuart Allen. Outside the courtroom, Allen said he is eager to get back to work. "I'm glad that I still have the ability to cover events as a journalist. I feel like I've been criminalized for the values of this community and the things this community has taught me, so it does feel good to know my actions are not criminal," he said.

Wednesday, February 29th was the national day of nonviolent direct action to shut down the corporations, especially those that comprise ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Occupy Riverside has called for a community-based picket line at the world's largest Walmart distribution center, Schneider Logistics, at 4100 Hamner Ave in Mira Loma, where workers are engaged in a struggle to recover stolen wages and ultimately, for recognition as a collective bargaining unit.

Calls to Action: #F29 Promo Video | F29 SHUTDOWN THE CORPORATIONS CALL TO ACTION: Occupy Walmart! | Resolution in Support of Warehouse Workers at Walmart Contractor Schneider Logistics

From the Newswire: F29 Walmart Warehouse Shutdown: Victory at Dawn and F29 photos by Rockero | | F29 - Breaking: Protest holding one intersection outside Walmart by LA-IMC | | F29 - Images from Riverside by A | | F29: Club wielding cop trips and falls while chasing flag waving anarchist. by A

VIDEO: #F29 Occupy Walmart Warehouse by occupythischannel | | #F29 Videos by franchiseGH by franchiseGH | | Police Brutality at Occupy Los Angeles F29 by 19Alcibiades87 | | F29 videos by mikepointfive by mikepointfive

VENICE - In the latest wave of government and police repression of the homeless community, a meeting was held, a new policy adopted, signs were posted, and eviction followed. The events were marked by the participation of members of the clergy from the LAPD Religious Outreach office.

In order to justify this clearing out, the city council approved an ordinance banning vending, but also extended a previous ordinance closing the beach between midnight and 5am to include the Venice boardwalk. Advocates have opposed the beach-closing ordinance on the grounds that it was created and enforced without the required California Coastal development permit.

The LAPD's Pacific Division is further attempting to justify the removal of people by claiming that Venice is not subject to the terms of the Jones settlement, which prohibits police from enforcing the ban on sitting and sleeping on sidewalksduring certain hours.

Forcibly removed from their customary locations, the homeless were recommended to go to skid row.

From the newswire: More War Against Venice Street People by Venice Justice Committee | | Power Comes From The Barrel Of a Gun by Calvin E Moss

February 20, 2012
LOS ANGELES and RANCHO CUCAMONGA - With the United States incarcerating more people than any other country on Earth, and with the rampant abuses that occur throughout the opaque detention system, Occupy movements nationwide were eager to heed the call to "Occupy for Prisoners," which issued from prison solidarity activists who have long been in support of the Pelican Bay and Corcoran hunger strikes against solitary confinement in the special housing units, or SHUs.

A protest outside the infamous twin towers jail in Downtown LA, where the ACLU was instrumental in exposing prisoner abuse by LA County Sheriff's deputies late last year, drew large numbers of protesters, and a smaller facility at San Bernardino County's West Valley Detention Center, where inmates participated in the solidarity hunger strike during it's peak last year, likewise drew a loud demonstration.

From the newswire: Occupy for Prisoners by Rockero

Saturday February 4, 2012 was an international day of solidarity for political prisoner Leonard Peltier. A call was put out for demonstrations in front of federal buildings world-wide. Such an event occurred here in Los Angeles in the proximity of the downtown Federal Building and was well-attended. Leonard Peltier, who has been wrongfully imprisoned for 35 years, has received little exposure in the mainstream media. (Although, good documentaries have been made about him.)

"He's been in prison for over 30 years for a crime that he did not commit; his health is extremely bad," said Corine Fairbanks of AIM (American Indian Movement) Southern Cal, who was involved in two of the three events on February 4. "It was wonderful to see people going out of their way to participate in these events. I believe we definitely need to continue to educate people, especially young people, as to who Leonard Peltier is. I think there's a concentrated effort made by various governments for us to forget who he is. When I say educate, I'm saying that people need to be aware of not only who he is and the sacrifice he and his family have made being that he's a prisoner of war, but people also need to put more pressure on President Obama, put more pressure on the U.S. government for his release."

Peltier's trial has been deemed illegitimate by Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and many others. Peltier has received six Nobel Peace Prize nominations. His activism includes selling his paintings, proceeds of which have benefited the Lakota people.

Story and photos: International Day of Solidarity with Leonard Peltier: Clemency Now! by RP, photos by Isabel Avila

February 4, 2012
WEST LOS ANGELES - Just one block South of a very urban section of Wilshire Blvd with 40 story high-rise buildings and often grid locked streets sits the Kuruvungna Springs. The Springs are on a part of the University High School campus. The Springs and the surrounding area were once the site of a Tongva village.

This last Saturday the Green Party and the Foundation hosted a tour that also included a Tongva blessing of the land. Fresh potable water is bubbling out of the ground and into small streams and pools. The water is said to have healthy restorative powers.

In 1992 a group of local environmentalists working together with Tongva descendants formed the Gabrienlino/Tongva Springs Foundation. The foundation was able to secure a lease for the land from the Los Angeles Unified School District for one dollar a year. The Foundation found funding, both private and public and has restored much of the site. The work goes on and there is still much to be done to preserve and protect the springs.

The foundation's current lease expires next year and they are hoping to secure a new long-term fifty-year lease from the school district. Supporters are urged to contact the school district and encourage them to extend the lease and ensure the continued protection and ongoing restoration of this sacred site.

From the newswire:Protecting Sacred Sites: The Kuruvungna Springs by A | | Video: Tongva Springs by imalastsalami