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California IMCs: S.F. Bay Area, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, San Diego

Sunday Mar 21
7PM Roxana Saberi, Author of "Between Two Worlds: My...
Tuesday Mar 23
2PM Cesar Chavez Commemoration Day
Sunday Mar 28
11PM Premieres of Documentary on Women's Reproductive...
Tuesday Apr 6
6:30PM SF Bicycle Coalition Biking Book Club
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Roger Mentch, founding member of The Hemporium, a Santa Cruz County medical marijuana collective located in Felton, has been met with more resistance. Santa Clara County recently incarcerated Mentch, as well as Laura Eldridge, a disabled patient. Mentch spent five months behind bars at Elmwood Jail in Milpitas. He has been out of state custody since August 2009, and his next court date is scheduled on Friday, March 19th in San Jose. Mentch argues that he has been the victim of entrapment by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
On March 9th at Golden Gate National Recreational Area's Fort Baker in Marin County, nearly one hundred UC service workers, students and supporters from UCB, UCSF, UCSC, and UC Davis entered the hired meeting space of Blum Capital Partnership, the Cavallo Point Lodge, and picketed the street in front. Richard Blum is a UC regent and the husband of California Senator Diane Feinstein.
On January 26th, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David S. Wesley ruled that the Animal Liberation Front is not a "gang." The government had tried to find two animal rights protestors guilty of being "gang members." Judge Wesley stated that the prosecution's expert Lt. Butte had "misled the grand jury. The ALF does not meet the legal requirements to be considered a gang. Their primary goal is to save animals, not commit crimes." That charge was dismissed though other charges remain.
Wed Jan 6 2010 (Updated 01/12/10) Earth First! Hits the Road on a California Tour
Earth First! Roadshow Traveling Through California Jan. 12th - 24th The first annual Earth First! California Roadshow will be traveling through the state this month to build connections between bioregions and different ecological resistance groups, and to promote the upcoming Organizers' Conference and Winter Rendezvous in Santa Barbara. About a dozen events are scheduled from January 12th to 24th, including stops in Santa Cruz (Jan. 13), Santa Rosa (Jan. 15) and Fresno (Jan. 20), to feature skillshares, music and information about ecology-based resistance to hierarchical power structures. Read more

Wednesday at 6pm: Anarchism & Fiction / Earth First! Bio-Regional Resistance Tour
A poorly researched article on California water, the "New Dust Bowl," is online and appeared in the November-December edition of Mother Jones magazine, a publication known for its investigative reporting. Dan Bacher, an Indybay contributor and editor for Fish Sniffer, critiques the article, stating, "The 'New Dust Bowl' sounds just like a headline from the Sean Hannity Show or Fox 'News' - and the article reads like a propaganda piece for growers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley."
For reasons unknown, Cannabis Culture Magazine's Facebook page has been disabled by the popular social networking site. The page, which had over 25,000 fans, disappeared on December 23, 2009. Shortly afterward, administrators of the page received an email notification stating that the page violated Facebook's terms of use. According to Cheryl Shuman, Executive Director of Beverly Hills NORML 90210, her Facebook account was removed the same day.
Worker Safety Activists Tell Tesla: Don't Build on Toxic Dump Site in Downey Worker safety activists say that toxic site property developers are developing long time military and commercial radioactive toxic dumps without properly cleaning them up and that one of the most deadly is in Downey, California. On December 10th members of the Coalition for Workers Memorial Day visited Tesla's world headquarters in San Carlos to report on the continuing contamination and dangerous working conditions at the Downey site. They asked that Tesla not choose that site for their new plant to build their environment-friendly cars.

Steve Basile, who faces life threatening illness after working as a propmaker for Downey Studios, told Tesla's VP of Communications Ricardo Reyes, "Making electric cars, that will help the environment. You are doing the right thing." He said he made the trip to the Bay Area to speak out for other workers who will come after him, and asked that Tesla not risk exposing their employees to the same fate he has suffered. Mr. Reyes assured the visiting activists that Tesla "wants to make an informed decision as we grow the company" and will not rush to a decision on a location for an auto assembly plant.

Read more | Announcement: Press Conference At World Tesla Headquarters | Workers Memorial Day
On November 19th the University of California Board of Regents approved a 32% fee increase in undergraduate fees, pushing fees to over $10,000 a year. "The UC administration say it is the state that is to blame," notes gazuedro group. "They tell us to bring our fight to Sacramento to demand a bail-out for public education. To that we say, THAT’S YOUR FUCKING JOB! In fact, we don’t want a bail-out as it does nothing to fundamentally change the unjust structure of the UC system at large."
Judge Orders Mehserle to Be Tried in Los Angeles County On Thursday, Novemember 19th, Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson ordered that Johannes Mehserle's trial for the murder of Oscar Grant be moved to Los Angeles County. In the hearing to decide if the venue should be held in San Diego County or Los Angeles County, the determining factors were: pretrial publicity, relative hardship to parties, conservation of judicial resources and public funds, and demographics.

Los Angeles currently claims it is not to be able to take the case for another six to twelve months. While San Diego is able to schedule the trial at an earlier date, Los Angeles already has the facilities to handle high profile cases and would not bill Alameda County taxpayers for the cost of the judge and security enhancements. Mehserle and his defense team, though, had previously waved his right to a speedy trial, so there remains the possibility that the defense will revoke that waiver which would put pressure on Los Angeles to move the trial date forward, and if L.A. was not able to, then the trial could yet be moved to San Diego.

Read More | photoPhotos | Southern California: First Cop on Trial for Murder in the History of the State Is Headed Your Way

See Also: pdfRekonize Newsletter v1i1 | videoViolence again on BART involving police and passenger | Oscar Grant Case: Trial of Mehserle to be held in Los Angeles | audiopdfLA Indymedia 10-Year Anniversary: "Troublemaking: The Worst and Best of Indybay" | audioTown Hall on Environmental Justice in Oakland and Mehserle Change of Venue, 11/7/09: audio | audiopdfBART Police Review Committee on Hiring New Police Chief and New Year's Eve Plans, 11/4/09: audio and PDFs | video"Operation Small Axe" Highlights Resistance in Oakland's Occupied Territories: Review & Trailer | audioTown Hall on BART Police, DA Failing in Mehserle Change of Venue, and Rape of Women, 10/31/09: audio | audioTown Hall on Venue Change, State BART Hearing, and Oakland Merchant Credit, 10/24/09: audio | Who leaked information about Mehserle's change of venue? Los Angeles or San Diego? Next hearing Nov 19th | Judge Orders Change of Venue in Oscar Grant Case-Outrageous… and Unjust! | audioTown Hall for Justice for Oscar Grant Faces Mehserle Venue Change Order, 10/17/09: audio | audiopdfCA Assembly Hearing on BART's Deeply Inept, Reckless, and Corrupt Police Force: audio and PDFs

Previous Related Indybay Features: Mehserle's Trial to Be Held Outside of Alameda | Indybay Coverage of the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement
Days of Action Against the Tuition Hikes In anticipation of fee hikes, students planned a series of occupations and strikes across the state for November 18th through 20th. On Thursday, November 19th, the University of California Regents approved a 32% increase in undergraduate fees, pushing fees to over $10,000 a year for the first time. Student Regent Jesse Bernal was the only vote in opposition. Protests, sit-ins and occupations took place at UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, CSU Fresno, San Francisco State and San Francisco City College. Students occupied Campbell Hall at UCLA, Kresge Town Hall and Kerr Hall at UC Santa Cruz, Mrak Hall at UC Davis, Wheeler Hall at UCB, and the library at CSU Fresno.

At UCLA, there were uncounted incidents of police violence against students during the three days of protests while the UC Regents held their meeting on the UCLA campus. LA-IMC reports confirmed use of tasers, pepper spray and much baton use on peaceably assembled students.

A total of fifty-two students were reportedly arrested at UC Davis on Wednesday. On Thursday, students occupied Mrak Hall, and were later arrested for trespassing. On Friday afternoon, students sat-in at Dutton Hall and were dispersed by police that evening.

On Wednesday, students at SF State staged walkouts, and at least 100 students took over the administration building and occupied it beyond closing time.

In the early hours Friday, about 40 people occupied Wheeler Hall at UCB — three were arrested as police arrived. Solidarity crowds outside grew throughout the morning. As metal barricades were set up by police, police beat demonstrators with batons, including smashing one woman's hand which required surgery. At least one demonstrator was shot with a rubber bullet. Occupiers voluntarily left the building with misdemeanor citations in the evening. That same evening, students at CSU Fresno occupied Madden Library and held it overnight.

On Wednesday, hundreds of students rallied at the two entrances to the UC Santa Cruz campus, shutting them down for several hours. Also on Wednesday, students began an occupation at Kresge Town Hall. On Thursday, students occupied UCSC's main administrative building, Kerr Hall. Both occupations ended on Sunday morning after UC Police and Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Officers dispersed the people outside of Kerr Hall and those occupying the building.

On Monday, November 23rd, about 100 students flooded the office of UC headquarters in Oakland to demand a meeting with UC President Mark Yudof.

Read More: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | imc_audio.gifAudio

Davis: photo Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

Fresno: photoPhotos | audioAudio | Report

San Francisco: photo Photos: 1 | 2 | video Video: 1 | 2 | 3

Berkeley:
photo Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23
video Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
audioAudio
Reports:
Students, faculty & workers protest U of Calif. hikes, cutbacks | Doug Gilbert Free! UC Berkeley Anarchist out on Bail. Court Friday!! | 40 UC Berkeley students occupy Wheeler Hall - SUPPORT NEEEDED | UCB Wheeler Occupation Updates | An Open Letter to Chancellor Birgeneau | Behind the Privatization of the UC, a Riot Squad of Police | Occupy Everything! Behind the Privatization of the UC, a Riot Squad of Police | Support Doug "G"! First UCB Arrestee from Wednesday | New Berkeley Ordinance Will Affect First Amendment Activities | Occupations Spread Across California | Open Letter to Chancellor Birgeneau on the Events of Friday, November 20 | The Necrosocial

Oakland: UC headquarters action updates | photoPhotos

Santa Cruz: photoaudioHundreds Demonstrate at UCSC Against 32% Fee Hikes | photoUCSC Students Occupy Administration Building and Issue Demands

Los Angeles: videoVideo of Regents Exiting meeting at UCLA | LA Indymedia Coverage

See Also: Video: Occupy Everything! Full Report on Student Solidarity Action In NYC | Photos: NYC Solidarity March with UC Occupiers | Occupation and campout at Napa Valley College Nov. 30th | "WE ARE STILL HERE" mural at SF State University honors the First People

Previous Related Indybay Feature: A Call for Days of Action Against the Tuition Hikes
Sat Nov 21 2009 (Updated 11/23/09) Library Occupation Ends Peacefully and Without Arrests
Saturday, November 21, 2009 - Students at CSU-Fresno took over the university library, keeping it open for 24 hours from Friday - Saturday morning. About 100 students and supporters occupied the second floor of the Madden Library, demanding that more university resources go towards keeping the library open for more hours. Ali Espinoza, one of the student leaders who helped organize the takeover, said the university keeps their bowling ally and pool hall open more hours than the library.
Climate Activists Rally by the Ocean, the Redwoods, in Cities and Suburbs Today the concentration of CO2 in our planet's atmosphere is 390 ppm, say the organizers of 350.org, a group that called for an international action on October 24th. They helped organize more than 5,200 rallies in 181 countries, calling it the most widespread day of political action in history. In countries throughout the world activists called for a reduction of CO2 to a maximum of 350 ppm, and in Northern California residents in many of the state's diverse micro-climates took part in the big day.

In Santa Cruz, marchers carried placards through town to the clock tower where they held a mock trial of the automobile. In Humboldt County, demonstrators chose the ancient redwood forest in Richardson Grove as their site for protest because it is threatened by Caltrans’ proposal to widen highway 101. In San Francisco, folks spread a giant 350 banner across Justin Herman Plaza to call attention to this important number.

In Menlo Park, a San Francisco peninsula suburb, the Raging Grannies sang their message, saying the trick is getting leaders to craft policies that will get us to the number 350. In addition to lobbying politicians, the Grannies have joined a year-long project led by Menlo Park's Green Ribbon Committee to promote homeowner installation of "cool roofs" that, because they are white or other light colors, can help protect the earth's atmosphere.

photo Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | videoVideo | 350.org
Bail Denied for Alex Sanchez at Final Bail Hearing On October 19th, in a federal court house in Los Angeles, Alex Sanchez was once again denied bail. Sanchez, a nationally recognized activist and peacemaker, is accused of maintaining ties to his former gang and participating in a conspiracy to murder. Bail was denied after Judge Real suppressed testimony from father Greg Boyle, an expert in Los Angeles gangs.

Father Boyle believes that Alex's case is built on weak evidence and that he was targeted due to his political activism, specifically on police harassment and abuse. US Ninth Circuit Judge Manuel Real rejected Alex's bail due to assumed risk of flight. Over one-hundred supporters gathered outside the courtroom and demanded Alex's release and a fair trial. Included in the crowd of supporters was former State Senator Tom Hayden, author Luis Rodriguez, and Barrios Unidos founder Nane Alejandrez. Other vocal supporters have included UFW founder Dolores Huerta and hip-hop author Jeff Chang.

imc_audio.gifimc_photo.gifRead more with audio and photos | Photos from the Solidarity Rally | More Photos | Coverage at LA-IMC and WitnessLA.com | Previous coverage on Indybay
On Thursday, September 24th, actions against the budget cuts, fee hikes, layoffs and furloughs at University of California campuses took place throughout the UC system. Workers, graduate student employees, staff and faculty held a strike, walked out, and demonstrated in defense of public education and fair labor practices.

Under the cover of the summer months, the UC administration pushed through a program of fee increases, enrollment cuts, layoffs, furloughs, and increased class sizes that harms students and jeopardizes the livelihoods of the most vulnerable university employees. According to one analysis, with the next round of proposed fee increases (32% over the next year) UC would be funded more by student tuition than by the state, effectively making it a private university. Even with furloughs going ahead for many UC employees, management is laying off workers, cutting services, and planning to reduce in-state student enrollment to make room for nonresidents.

On September 23rd, students, faculty and staff joined together at the SFCC Mission Campus to speak-out against the massive attacks on education and to encourage organizing in solidarity with the UC statewide strike and a Northern California Educational Workers and Students conference at SFSU on September 26th at the SFSU Student Union. videoVideo

On September 24th on the UC Berkeley campus, the day started with picket lines and teach-outs happening around campus, with a mass rally and march at noon and a general assembly in the evening to plan the next steps forward.

photoThousands at labor/student picketlines at California universities | audioAudio from UC Berkeley Walkout | Reports from around California (and the world) - The UC Walkout | video"Solidarity, What Is A Public University" A Poem For The UCB Strike/Walkout | California students and faculty denounce education cuts | UC "Student Leaders" Sabotage Occupation of Wheeler Hall | videoBlanca Misse UCB UAW-AGSE2865 & SWAT Member Speaks At UCB Strike/Walk-Out | videoUC Berkeley One Day Mass Walkout & Mass Rally-Workers and Students Speak Out | UC Berkeley Teach-Out Schedule | Poster for UC Berkeley Walkout

On September 24th at the UC Santa Cruz campus, picket lines began at 6am followed by a noon rally and afternoon general assembly at the base of campus. Also, students at UCSC began an occupation of the Graduate Student Commons as part of the day of action at all UCs across the state. The occupation lasted until October 1st.

photovideoWalkout and Rallies at UC Santa Cruz | photovideoUCSC Students Occupy Graduate Student Commons

Over 1,000 UC San Diego students and supporters walked out, marched and rallied on September 24th, the first day of the fall quarter, to protest tuition increases, pay cuts and furloughs, administration pay raises and privatization of the UC.

videoUCSD Students Walk Out September 24 | Reports from UC Riverside and UCLA

The Associated Students of the University of California (UC Berkeley Student Government) endorsed the walkout unanimously saying that "Never before has there been such a large-scale single action across all of the UCs. For the first time, we have seen an alliance being built among students, faculty and staff all taking a strong stand against the erosion of the quality, accessibility and affordability of our UC education. United, we are confident that we can fight these budget cuts, oppose the enormous fee increases being proposed, and preserve the excellence of the UC public education system at this very pivotal moment in time."

The September 24 Walkout is supported by the American Association of University Professors, the UC Student Association, the University Professional and Technical Employees and all of the student governing bodies of UC Berkeley. calendarUPTE Strike Announcement

Related: INVITATION - October 24 Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education | UC Walkout: Trapped in a Partisan Cul-de-Sac? | UC Berkeley Is Rising | An Open Letter to UC Graduate Students | UC Faculty Walkout - September 24

Related Indybay Feature: Service Workers Ratify Historic Contract With UC
A coalition of organizations rallied in San Francisco on September 21st to deliver a message to U.S. lawmakers and polluting corporations. The protest started at the S.F. office of Senator Barbara Boxer and then moved to Chevron Oil Corporation’s downtown S.F. "Energy Solutions" office. The action capped the weekend-long West Coast Climate Justice Convergence, building grassroots pressure in the lead up to the December's Copenhagen climate talks.
Alex Sanchez’s family migrated from El Salvador in the 1970s. He was a former gang member who turned his life around becoming an internationally recognized peacemaker and co-founding Homies Unidos in Los Angeles in 1998. On June 24th, 2009, Alex was arrested and named in a federal indictment based on weak evidence, charging him among a group of twenty-three others as an active gang member. On Friday, September 25th, there will be a fundraiser for Alex at Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos with live hip-hop music and the film Hijos de la Guerra.
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6PM Tuesday Apr 6 Emeryville City Council
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Money, Money, Money Carol Brouillet
Wednesday Mar 17th 10:06 PM
ROGER MENTCH MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACTIVIST PREPARES FOR THIRD TRIAL IN SAN JOSE Roger Mentch (1 comment)
Wednesday Mar 17th 8:20 PM
Democracy on Trial: SEIU's lawsuit against union reformers goes to court National Union of Healthcare Workers
Wednesday Mar 17th 4:30 PM
Judge Vilardi Rejects DWR’s 2009 Drought Water Bank Approval Carolee Krieger
Wednesday Mar 17th 3:38 PM
California: Support Public Registry for Animal Abusers! PeTA (3 comments)
Wednesday Mar 17th 2:32 PM
Striped Bass Eradication Bill to be Heard on April 13 Dan Bacher
Wednesday Mar 17th 8:14 AM
Inter-Tribal Spring Powwow Anna Tiger
Monday Mar 15th 6:18 PM
Workers at 10 more nursing homes to switch unions and join NUHW National Union of Healthcare Workers
Monday Mar 15th 9:44 AM
M4 Day of Action-On The March For Public Education Labor Video Project (2 comments)
Sunday Mar 14th 5:35 PM
Uhuru Pies – The Taste of Freedom! Bill Canada (1 comment)
Saturday Mar 13th 4:48 PM
Schwarzenegger’s MLPA Initiative Officials Can’t Ever Get It Right Dan Bacher (1 comment)
Friday Mar 12th 4:21 PM
Drastic Budget Cuts Protest today 11:30 School District 555 Franklin Katherine Rodriguez (1 comment)
Friday Mar 12th 9:09 AM
Addendum to My Original Rebuttal...by Melissa Merin Melissa Merin (2 comments)
Thursday Mar 11th 2:37 PM
How Not to Complain About March 4 studentactivism.net
Wednesday Mar 10th 11:21 AM
The Right's War Against Public Trust Fishing Rights Dan Bacher
Wednesday Mar 10th 10:26 AM
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Animal Liberationists Needed to Disrupt UCLA's Rally to Promote Vivisection Camille Marino (1 comment)
Monday Mar 15th 12:02 PM
Pigford: One Word Prayer for Black Farmers michael harris
Friday Mar 12th 3:43 PM
Marine Life Protection Act Continues to Pick Up Support Ray Hiemstra, Associate Director, Orange Coun
Tuesday Mar 9th 4:35 PM
Laura Wells: A State Bank for California? repost
Monday Mar 8th 2:59 PM
Black Farmers in Hawaii support Pigford II michael harris
Monday Mar 8th 1:44 PM
NO CUTS, NO FREEZE, EDUCATION MUST BE FREE! Alliance-Philippines (1 comment)
Saturday Mar 6th 3:44 PM
March 4, 2010: UCLA Fights Back Ellen-Rae Cachola
Saturday Mar 6th 1:31 AM
"March 4 Education" featuring ANAKBAYAN-LA! via ETMM
Saturday Mar 6th 1:30 AM
UCLA MURPHY HALL IS OCCUPIED BY 300 students and campus workers! Spread The Word! (1 comment)
Thursday Mar 4th 5:25 PM
Exxon's Collateral Damaged MerleSavage
Wednesday Mar 3rd 8:29 AM
We Can Win!...a flier from Workers Action Workers Action
Tuesday Mar 2nd 8:53 PM
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Early Spring Message Craig Louis Stehr
Thursday Mar 18th 9:19 AM
What’s there to defend in public education? RUTHLESS CRITICISM
Tuesday Mar 9th 5:16 PM
W.H.A.T. B.R.O. communique Whitey-on-the-moon
Monday Mar 8th 8:48 PM
City of Ventura ready to revisit medipot moratorium Cal Pot News (repost)
Monday Mar 8th 11:15 AM
Costa Mesa crackdown: City orders halt to medipot sales Cal Pot News (repost)
Monday Mar 8th 11:07 AM
Camarillo, California Police Civil Rights Violations CivilRightsViolationVictim (2 comments)
Sunday Mar 7th 12:23 PM
World Peace and Health Convention Jennie Wong
Thursday Mar 4th 5:44 PM
Pot goes mainstream media: Sac Bee launches ‘Weed Wars’ Cal Pot News (repost)
Tuesday Mar 2nd 1:06 PM
Last Days of Cake- the EVIL webcomic 00128 Eric Xodik
Tuesday Mar 2nd 5:11 AM
Anderson: Zoning to limit medical marijuana garden sizes, locations Anderson Valley Post
Monday Mar 1st 11:23 AM
Candidates rip medical marijuana regulation Sign on San Diego (repost)
Monday Mar 1st 11:20 AM
Bill to legalize, regulate marijuana reintroduced into state Assembly Times-Standard (repost)
Monday Mar 1st 11:08 AM
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