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Tue Jul 7 2015 (Updated 07/08/15)
Brown Excludes California Tribes, Environmentalists, Fishermen from Water Discussions
The Winnemem Wintu Tribe and other tribal representatives and their allies rallied, chanted, sang and waved signs on the sidewalk in front of Westin Hotel on June 29 and 30 outside the Second California Water Summit in Sacramento. They were there to protest Governor Jerry Brown’s efforts to exclude California Tribes, environmentalists, fishermen and other key stakeholders in the public meeting about massive state water infrastructure projects proposed under Proposition 1, the $7.5 billion water bond.
Tue Jul 7 2015 (Updated 07/08/15)
Santa Cruz Residents Camp at City Hall Following Cuts in Homeless Services
On July 4, community members in Santa Cruz held a public campout at Santa Cruz City Hall, but it was quickly cut short by police at about 1am. The campout was organized in response to the recent reduction of services at the Homeless Services Center that occurred due to a funding deficit, as well as to protest local laws that criminalize sleeping outdoors. At least eight individuals were issued infraction citations for refusing to leave City Hall.
Tue Jul 7 2015 (Updated 07/08/15)
Following Hate Crime, Speakers Call for SF Community to Heal with Love, Not Revenge
On July 1, hundreds came together in spirit, unity, and love to transform the unacceptable destruction of the mural on the outside wall of Galeria de La Raza in the Mission District of San Francisco. The mural installed by the Los Angeles Maricon Collective is a celebration of LGBTQ people, and accompanies the presentation in the Galeria, The Q-Sides. Speakers emphasized that unity must be maintained in the Mission, healing with love not revenge, even though the vandalism was a hate crime
Read more on Indybay's LGBTI / Queer page
Tue Jul 7 2015 (Updated 07/08/15)
New Details Emerge in Investigation of 2014 Death at Santa Cruz Main Jail
In June, the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury released its report: "Medical Services at the Jails: How Does the Sheriff Coroner Manage Oversight?" Since 2012, Santa Cruz County has outsourced its jail medical services to the private for-profit corporation California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG). The Grand Jury has found that there is, "a lack of transparency and accountability on the part of CFMG and there is insufficient oversight by the Sheriff Coroner’s office."
Tue Jul 7 2015 (Updated 07/08/15)
Activists Communicate the "Real Meanings" of Freedom, Equality and Justice
On the 4th of July, community members in Santa Cruz brought messages of peace, justice, and equality to Ocean Street as they greeted visitors entering town for the busy holiday. Every year a variety of groups working on peace and justice issues rally along Ocean Street as thousands of people make their way to the beach and the Boardwalk. Although some very serious statements were communicated by those holding signs at the rally, the atmosphere was generally fun and festive.
Wed Jun 24 2015 (Updated 06/25/15)
Multiple Demonstrations at US Conference of Mayors in San Francisco
On June 19, Bay Area community groups CodePink, Stop Mass Incarceration Network, Occupy SF Action Council, Anti Police-Terror Project, Jewitch Camp, the Green Party, and World Can’t Wait gathered outside the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco to protest the presence of police chiefs from around the country during San Francisco’s Conference for Mayors. Many events were planned during the 4-day conference and protests were held at all of them.
Read more on Indybay's Government & Elections page
The six UCSC students charged in association with the March 3 blockade of Highway 17, where it meets Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, will be back in court on Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30. On June 29 at 10:00am, there will be a hearing in Santa Cruz County Superior Court to finalize their sentence, and on June 30 at 1:30pm there will be a restitution hearing. The students are calling for court support.
Environmental groups petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to protect the Humboldt marten under the California Endangered Species Act. The Humboldt marten is a cat-sized carnivore related to minks and otters that lives in old-growth forests in Northern California and southern Oregon. Most of the marten’s forest habitat has been destroyed by logging, and the remaining martens in California likely number fewer than 100 individuals.
Mon Jun 22 2015 (Updated 06/24/15)
Santa Cruz Grand Jury Report Details Increasing Need for Emergency Homeless Shelters
The Homeless Services Center announced in June that due to the withdrawal of State administered federal emergency funds, they were laying off workers and a large portion of the services they offer would most likely be eliminated if alternative funding was not found. Shortly after the announcement, the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury released a new report titled: Recipe for Failure: Shrinking Budgets and Increasing Needs for Emergency Homeless Shelters.
Mon Jun 22 2015 (Updated 06/24/15)
Family Seeks Justice After Beating by Salinas Police is Captured on Video
On June 18, Jose Velasco filed a legal claim for damages against the City of Salinas and the Salinas Police Department for the injuries he suffered after officers with the SPD violently arrested him on June 5. The claim alleges, "assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent hiring," on the part of the city and the police department.
The farm worker movement mourns the passing on June 7, 2015, of Rev. Deacon Sal Alvarez, who played a key role with Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in the farm worker movement and on behalf of many other worthy causes over seven decades. Sal was motivated by deep faith in a movement grounded in the Catholic Church’s social justice teachings and dedication to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Thu Jun 18 2015 (Updated 06/19/15)
Demonstrators Say Serra used Kidnapping, Slavery to Forward "Radical Evangelical Movement"
Local residents rallied in Santa Cruz on June 14 to oppose the Catholic Church's plans to canonize Junipero Serra this September, which was approved by Pope Francis. Serra presided over the brutal California mission system during its founding in the 18th century. The purpose of the rally was to educate the public about the Native American lives that were lost at the missions and the torturous conditions that were imposed there, as well as to encourage community members to contact Priests and other religious and spiritual leaders, including the Pope.
Read more on Indybay's Racial Justice page
Thu Jun 18 2015 (Updated 06/19/15)
Vigil Blocks Intersection for Two Hours to Signify Length of OPD Siege that Led to Killing
Demouria Hogg, a 30-year-old father of three, was killed by Oakland police on June 6 at the intersection of Lakeshore and Lake Park avenues in Oakland. Mr. Hogg was asleep, or unconscious, in his car at the intersections when paramedics were called, but when they arrived and saw a gun on the passenger seat, they called the police instead of helping. OPD tried to wake Mr. Hogg up for about 1.5 hours, and ultimately shot and killed him within 1 minute of "making contact" with him.
Read more on Indybay's Police State and Prisons page
Community members in Santa Cruz gathered at the Town Clock on June 14 to rally and share information about climate change in order to encourage individuals to take the Climate Mobilization pledge, which demands a "WWII scale" effort by society to create a 100% clean energy economy by 2025.
Read more on Indybay's Environment & Forest Defense page
Sun Jun 7 2015 (Updated 06/10/15)
Police Officers Violently Arrest Man in the Middle of North Main Street in Salinas
A video was posted online that shows a group of five officers with the Salinas Police Department violently hitting a man they have pinned to the ground during an arrest on North Main Street on June 5. Even though the man is on the ground and not moving, officers can still be seen hitting him with clubs. A YouTube user by the name of Richard Boxing uploaded the video with the title, "Salinas Police Wrong."
Read more on Indybay's Police State and Prisons page
Thu Jun 4 2015 (Updated 06/05/15)
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Spearhead Protest at Facebook HQ Over User Name Policies
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence took the lead in organizing a protest held in front of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California on June 1. Sister Roma said that it's time Mark Zuckerberg realized that identity is fluid. She and about 100 others traveled from San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area to Silicon Valley to demand that the social media company remove the fake-name reporting option and stop asking users for government IDs.
On June 1 the Lecturer's labor contract at UC Santa Cruz expired, and union members with American Federation of Teachers Local 2199 and their supporters marked the day by picketing — and picnicking — at the base of campus. Messages in support of adjunct-faculty members and a more democratized University of California system were displayed as individuals held several large, colorful puppets. Food was served, and the day-long event was dubbed "St. Precaria's Picnic."
Read more on Indybay's Education & Student Activism page
The outrage over the bottling of California water by Nestlé, Walmart and other big corporations during a record drought has grown over the past couple of months. On May 20, people from across the state converged on two Nestlé bottling plants — one in Sacramento and the other in Los Angeles — demanding that the Swiss-based Nestlé corporation halt its bottling operations. The protest was the third in Sacramento over the past year.
Read more on Indybay's Environment & Forest Defense, Central Valley, California or Government & Elections pages
Thu May 28 2015 (Updated 05/30/15)
Animal Liberation Group Protests at Whole Foods and Westfield Shopping Center in SF
The animal rights activist group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) held their May Day of action in downtown San Francisco on May 23. The activists traveled from cities in the U.S., Canada, and even Denmark, to once again bring their “It’s Not Food It’s Violence” campaign to the streets of San Francisco. Approximately 100 activists took the message to a Whole Foods Store in downtown SF, to a food court inside the Westfield shopping center, and to Union Square.
Read more on Indybay's Animal Liberation page
Thu May 28 2015 (Updated 05/29/15)
Hundreds Attend Lively Birthday Party for Food Not Bombs in Santa Cruz
On May 24, the 35th anniversary of Food Not Bombs was marked with a six hour party in Santa Cruz. Those needing nourishment were greeted with live music and an especially celebratory atmosphere, in addition to free food, a free market, and a variety of other free services. By combining social and environmental justice activism, nonviolent direct action, and a philosophy that emphasizes sharing over charity, Food Not Bombs has differentiated itself from other global organizations that distribute food to the hungry.
Read more on Indybay's Health, Housing, and Public Services page
Thu May 28 2015 (Updated 05/29/15)
Forty-Six Percent of City Workers in Santa Cruz are Unable to Live Within City Limits
After seven years of stagnant wages, city workers who have been economically shut out of Santa Cruz marched from the Town Clock to City Hall on May 26 to hand-deliver a letter from the community to the City Council, demanding a response to the need for a living wage, affordable housing and community investment for all. Seven demonstrators were arrested after they stood before the podium and locked arms, and then refused to leave Council Chambers.
Read more on Indybay's Labor & Workers page
Thu May 28 2015 (Updated 05/29/15)
Community Members in Santa Cruz Rally to End Solitary Confinement
On May 23, families and loved ones of people in solitary confinement, and advocates from community organizations, held the third Statewide Coordinated Actions To End Solitary Confinement (SCATESC) throughout California. In Santa Cruz, about 25 people rallied at the entrance to the Municipal Wharf, where locals and tourists found two large banners, storyboards exposing the realities of solitary confinement, signs, and educational literature about solitary confinement in Santa Cruz and California.
Read more on Indybay's Police State and Prisons page
Wed May 27 2015 (Updated 06/02/15)
Pipeline Owner in Santa Barbara Oil Spill Has Had 175 Spill Incidents Since 2006
A local citizen first reported an oil spill coming from a leak in the pipeline at Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara at around noon on May 19. Coast Guard crews stopped the oil leak by 3 p.m., but as much as 105,000 gallons were released, with tens of thousands of gallons going into the ocean. The company that owns the pipeline involved in the spill has had 175 incidents (mostly oil spills) nationwide since 2006, including 11 in California, according to a Center for Biological Diversity analysis of federal documents.
Tue May 26 2015 (Updated 05/28/15)
First Successful Santa Cruz County Referendum in 13 Years Challenges BOS Vote
The first successful Santa Cruz County referendum in 13 years has suspended an ordinance adopted by the County Board of Supervisors to ban all commercial cannabis cultivation. The ban was adopted on April 14, and was to go into effect on May 15. Responsible Cultivation Santa Cruz circulated the referendum and after only 21 days filed 11,210 signatures with the county. 7,248 valid signatures are required to qualify the referendum for the ballot.
The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer announced just two months ago that glyphosate, a key ingredient in Monsanto's pesticide RoundUp, is probably carcinogenic to humans. The time was ripe to demand a ban on the herbicide with protests internationally on May 23. In San Francisco, many demonstrators dressed as bees and butterflies, while others portrayed mutated evil Monsanto managers.
Read more on Indybay's Environment & Forest Defense page
Community members in East Salinas held a vigil on May 9 to mark the day 26-year-old Osmar Hernandez was killed by Salinas Police in 2014. Osmar's family members were in attendance; Maria Guardado-Hernandez spoke, and Asuncion Guardado stood by solemnly while holding a lit votive candle. Also in attendance were the family members of two other men killed by Salinas Police in 2014, Frank Alvarado and Angel Ruiz.
Read more on Indybay's Police State and Prisons page
07/09/15 With Marriage Equality Won, Fight for Full LGBTQ Rights and Protections Continue police | lgbtqi | immigrant 07/07/15 Santa Cruz Residents Camp at City Hall Following Cuts in Homeless Services poverty | santacruz 07/07/15 Following Hate Crime, Speakers Call for SF Community to Heal with Love, Not Revenge lgbtqi 07/07/15 Brown Excludes California Tribes, Environmentalists, Fishermen from Water Discussions environment | california 07/07/15 New Details Emerge in Investigation of 2014 Death at Santa Cruz Main Jail police | santacruz 07/07/15 Activists Communicate the "Real Meanings" of Freedom, Equality and Justice antiwar | santacruz 06/24/15 UC Santa Cruz Students Who Blocked Highway Call for Court Support education | santacruz 06/24/15 Multiple Demonstrations at US Conference of Mayors in San Francisco government 06/22/15 Family Seeks Justice After Beating by Salinas Police is Captured on Video police | santacruz 06/22/15 Santa Cruz Grand Jury Report Details Increasing Need for Emergency Homeless Shelters poverty | santacruz 06/22/15 Alvarez Organized Latino Social Workers, Fought for Immigration Reform labor | california |
Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Prayer Ceremony Opposing the Canonization of Junipero Serra
Wednesday Jul 8th 3:55 PM
Missing Documents, Absent Council: A Second Letter to Councilmember Posner
Wednesday Jul 8th 8:29 AM
That “Shared” Parking Space is All Mine! Setting the Right Policy for On-Street Car-Sharin
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Monday Jul 6th 12:42 PM
Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs & Almah LaVon on Dark Sciences: A People Of Color Dream Retreat
Wednesday Jul 8th 7:17 AM
The Confederate Flag: A Call to Burn and Bury with Angela Kinlaw and A Scribe Called Quess
Monday Jul 6th 6:33 AM
Unconditional Anti-Oppression: The Rise of Anti-Speciesism in the Anarchist Movement
Monday Jun 29th 3:50 PM
District Attorney’s Handling of Cat Shooting Case Probed by Animal Legal Defense Fund
Monday Jun 29th 3:27 PM
Costco members, fishermen, environmental, labor groups demand Costco say no to GE salmon
Friday Jun 26th 6:15 PM
Nepal Post Earthquake Aid Falls Short of Goals No Debt Relief Pledged at Nepal Recovery C
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Friday Jun 26th 1:53 PM
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Nominee Irresponsibly Calls Russia America's "Greatest Threat"
Friday Jul 10th 7:11 AM
Will Also Be Proud When Texan Senator Rodney Ellis Helps Tak Down The Nazi Flag In Texas..
Thursday Jul 9th 4:05 PM
Racist San Francisco Police Union POA Lashes Out Against Sanctuary City Policy, Takes Aim
Thursday Jul 9th 10:02 AM
LGBTQ Weddings, Pride Celebrations Follow Historic Supreme Court Ruling on Marriage Equality
Open Newswire...
Thursday Jul 9th 12:00 AM |