Demonstrators greet the governor in SR | SSU students join gay rights fracas

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4 O'Clock headlines for Thursday, Apr. 07, 2005

Stories in progress for tomorrow's Press Democrat:

* Demonstrators greet the governor in SR
* SSU students join gay rights fracas

Demonstrators greet the governor in SR
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger brought his government reform road show to
Santa Rosa on Thursday and was met by protesters with picket signs,
megaphones and a mobile billboard.
Pickets representing nurses, police officers and firefighters
gathered outside the governor's news conference at the Hyatt Vineyard
Creek Hotel to attack his plan to cut state spending.
Schwarzenegger is trying to rally support for his plan to overhaul
education, the state budget and change the way legislative and
congressional districts are drawn.
But recent polls show support for Schwarzenegger's plans are flagging
among Californians.
On Thursday, Schwarzenegger dismissed the suggestion that he is out
of touch with the state's voters.
"I don't pay much attention to polls," he told reporters at a Santa
Rosa news conference. "I don't pay much attention when my numbers
were at 70 and I don't pay much attention when they are at 50."
Kerry Benefield
kbenefield [at] pressdemocrat.com
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SSU students join gay rights fracas
A second day of protests and counterprotests over gay rights,
including a contingent of Sonoma State University students, took
place Thursday near Rohnert Park's Rancho Cotate High School.
About 150 university and high school students marched in favor of gay
rights near the school on Snyder Lane. Nearby about a dozen opponents
of gay rights held signs along the sidewalk or drove past in trucks
with signs attached.
The demonstrations began Wednesday when leaders of the high school's
Conservative Club organized the action in protest of an event planned
for today by the school's Gay-Straight Alliance Club.
That event, the "Day of Silence," involves students remaining silent
during school to protest discrimination against gays and bisexuals.
On Thursday nearly a dozen police officers kept an eye on the
competing demonstrations. Police said the protests remained peaceful.
The demonstrations against gay rights were held each day on the
sidewalk in front of Cross & Crown Lutheran Church but the church had
no connection with the protests, said the Rev. Newt Kerney, the lead
pastor.
Robert Digitale
rdigitale [at] pressdemocrat.com