Two experienced cyclists have been killed on Mission Street in Santa Cruz in the last year. According to People Power, Santa Cruz County's advocate for human-powered transportation, both of these deaths could have been avoided had the City designed the street six years ago with bike lanes. People Power also asserts that both deaths could have been avoided if the cyclists had felt safe riding in the middle of the right hand lane.

According to California Vehicle Code Section 21202, cyclists may use the full right lane when the lane "is too narrow for a bicycle to safely ride to the side of a motor vehicle." Two deaths occurred while cyclists were riding along the curb.

On Tuesday, May 13th, bicyclists will converge at the Santa Cruz Clock Tower at 6pm for a group ride taking up the right lane of Mission Street, and eventually ending at the City Council meeting to ask that "BIKE MAY USE FULL LANE" signs be posted on Mission Street. Read More

Santa Cruz Bicyclist Christopher Rock Killed at Intersection of Bay and Mission (4/8/08) || Cyclist killed by truck at Mission and Bay in Santa Cruz (8/7/07)

Cyclists Allowed (Use of Full Lane) || 21st Annual Santa Cruz County Bike Week: May 10 – 17

Unconventional Action Santa Cruz writes, "Continued wars, housing foreclosures and ecological crises have proven that neither docile street marches nor electoral campaigns will solve the problems plaguing our daily lives. We can only have leverage over our rulers by showing our own power, and we must back our demands by demonstrating that we can interfere with their business as effectively as they interfere with our lives.

"Santa Cruz! People are gathering at Zami Co-op on Saturday, May 10th for an exciting chance to develop skills and social bonds for direct action of all kinds. This will be an opportunity for people to deepen their local connections and strategize for a variety of campaigns, including this summer’s Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

"Workshops include: Medic Training, Affinity Groups, Self-Defense, Knowing your Rights, and Tricks n Tools of Direct Action. We will also be practicing our new found skills on Sunday, location TBA." Get the Flyer

Unconventional Action | DNC Disruption 08 | RNC Welcoming Committee

May 7th marks the 6th month anniversary of the tree-sit on Science Hill at UC Santa Cruz, and of the two-month ground occupation which was born in torn fencing and broken police lines. The tree-sit has been a continuous act of resistance against the University's expansion plans, including a Biomedical Sciences Facility at the site of the tree-sit and the development of over 120 acres of Upper Campus' redwood and chaparral.

Supporters of the tree-sit say, "May 7th will be just another day of routine, unless you act on your own initiative to make something happen. If you consider the tree-sit worthy of celebration, do something to celebrate--other people can't celebrate for you. Any time during the day is good to stop by, say hi, send food up."

There will be a gathering at 8pm underneath the tree-sit for an open-ended collective celebration. People are encouraged to bring food to share, candles for lighting, games to play, music, ideas... Read More and View Photos

previous coverage: Standoff with Police as Activists Occupy Redwoods to Oppose UCSC Expansion (11/7/07) || Santa Cruz Community Supports Tree-sitters (11/16/07) || Winter Break at the UCSC Tree-sit (12/19/07) || Police Attack Cop Watcher at Science Hill Tree-sit (1/10/08) || Judge Rules that University Violated First Amendment Rights (3/10/08) || Interview with Owl, a Tree-Sitter at the Science Hill Tree-Sit (3/20/08)

On April 24th and 25th, Centolia Maldonado Vasquez and Bernardo Ramirez Bautista, Oaxaca-based members of the Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations, gave presentations in Greenfield and at UC Santa Cruz on indigenous Mexican migration to the U.S. and its impact in the communities of origin, the current political situation in Oaxaca, the role of women in the movement for social justice in Oaxaca, and current challenges of indigenous governing community institutions in Oaxaca.

The mission of the Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations (FIOB - Frente Indigena de Organizaciones Binacionales) is to contribute in the development and self-determination of migrant and non-migrant indigenous communities, as well as to struggle for the defense of human rights with justice and gender equity at the binational level. Read More with Audio and Photos

The Santa Cruz Film Festival welcomes independent filmmakers, musicians, and artists to Santa Cruz for a 9-day celebration of film and culture May 9-17. The Santa Cruz Film Festival is a growing international festival that fosters cross cultural exchange by screening independent films and producing multi-disciplined art events throughout the year.

This year's films stir the soul and contemplate the BIG picture, from war and oil to the meaning of life. The Festival kicks-off May 9th at the Del Mar Theatre with "One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Jack Kerouac's Big Sur." The film explores Kerouac's final and critically praised book Big Sur with the family of fellow beat-ster Neal Cassady. Other films in this year's festival include Les Paul--Chasing Sound, Programming the Nation?, Ripple Effect, Fields of Fuel and 140 other films that consider The BIG Picture. Read More

Farm Sanctuary, which operates the largest rescue and refuge network for farm animals in North America, and Animal Place, a nonprofit sanctuary for abused and discarded farmed animals, have responded to a call from Santa Cruz Animal Services and are coming to the aid of 14 neglected animals confiscated from a Watsonville slaughterhouse on May 1st.

The rescued animals—12 goats, one cow and one sheep—were discovered at the Lee Road slaughter facility on May 1st by Todd Stosuy of Santa Cruz Animal Services, when he noticed a cow with a bloody horn from the road and initiated an investigation. Stosuy said that in addition to the injured cow, he found 12 very ill, malnourished goats with overgrown, rotted hoofs, as well as several other animals who would have perished if he had not intervened. Upon returning to the facility on May 3rd, Stosuy seized eight more goats and another sheep whose health had deteriorated since his last visit; the sanctuaries and Animal Services are arranging placement of these animals. According to Stosuy, all of the rescued animals were either acquired by the owner at auction or raised on the property and were to be hand-picked by and slaughtered for local customers. Read More

Farm Sanctuary | Animal Place | Californians for Humane Farms | NoDowners.org

Thirty-eight years ago, on May 4, 2008, at Ohio’s Kent State University, the National Guard opened fire on students protesting the US war in Vietnam. The students were shot from distances of 275 to 400 feet, giving lie to claims that the students posed a threat to the Guardsmen. Four students were murdered and nine were injured. Nobody ever did time for those murders.

Before May 4, 1970, an anti-war movement had been building in the United States. The American people were increasingly impatient with the war, and an active anti-war movement helped build that kind of consciousness. People wanted an end to the war and Nixon kept promising a “light at the end of the tunnel.” On April 30, 1970, Nixon announced the invasion of Cambodia. This was the opposite of what people wanted to hear. Protests erupted on campuses that had not had them in the past, like Kent State. For many, the cold blooded murder of students at Kent State and murders of students soon after at Jackson State, were the final straw. Read More

The Movement for Immigrant Rights Alliance (M.I.R.A.) is a coalition of UC Santa Cruz students, community members, and diverse organizations working together to build a unified voice for people with migrant backgrounds, particularly those labeled undocumented. M.I.R.A. aims to raise public awareness about the rights and living conditions of immigrants who are continuously attacked and dehumanized by corporate media and public policy. Through dialogue, action, and reflection, M.I.R.A. strives to create a movement for human rights that transcends man-made borders.

M.I.R.A. called for a rally at UCSC and march to Santa Cruz on May 1st, May Day, to demand the DREAM Act be passed in the U.S., a stop to ICE raids, the construction of a day laborer center in Santa Cruz, a fair contract for AFSCME workers and an end to the militarization of borders. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Video

Hundreds of families, students and workers participated in May Day activities in Watsonville which included free legal consultations, a rally in the plaza with speakers, musicians, face painting and a brinkolin (jump house) for kids. Homemade signs stated, human rights start with immigrants, legalization now, end the war, we are not criminals, fuck Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), let's help people!, yes we can, and asked the fundamental question, "Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?" Photos: 1 | 2

see also: May Day attack on santa cruz McDonald's | May Day, 420, & the Election - An Editorial | ATMs Attacked In Solidarity With Olympia Rioters

The 7th Annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival features events running from April 25 through May 11 in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Watsonville, and Santa Clara County. This year’s Reel Work is celebrating International Workers’ Day (May 1) with music, films, dramatic performances, slam poetry, and conversations with documentary film makers, immigrant activists and union organizers about the past, present, and future of the labor movement. Reel Work is using the 7th annual festival to encourage Central Coast residents to learn about the origins of May Day and to participate in the immigrant rights movement.

Reel Work brings together award-winning documentary film producers/workers/activists/students and the public to discuss economic and global justice issues and to bring alive the history and culture of the labor movement in the US and abroad. Reel Work inspires participants to join in the struggle for worker rights locally, nationally and globally and to promote social justice activism and international solidarity. Read More

Schedule | Update | Interview about the Festival | Jill Friedberg update on Oaxaca | 4/25: A Little Bit of So Much Truth | 4/26: Made in LA | 4/28: 911: Dust and Deceit | 4/29: 5 Factories | 5/3: Reel Work for the Environment

On July 15th, 2007, a man on a bicycle came up to street artist, Jason Paschal's protest table near O'Neill's Surf Shop on Pacific Avenue, said “O'Neill's been here longer than you have. Get the fuck out of Santa Cruz, Nigger!” and spat in his face. Paschal briefly pursued the man on foot, before placing a 911 call to report the assault. Police arrived and arrested Paschal instead. Nine months later, in Commissioner Stephen Siegel's court, all charges against Paschal were dropped. Read More

Jason Paschal comments, "Indymedia is doing this community a public service by publishing that a local judge was removed from my case for making an illegal ruling that violates California law. Do you think it should be kept quiet? Do you think that it should be swept under the rug that a Superior Court Judge, Tom Kelly, was sanctioned and had my case removed from his docket for making an unconstitutional decision?" Read More

The All-Alumni Reunion Luncheon held in the College 9/10 multipurpose room at UC Santa Cruz on April 26th was interrupted when students marched in demanding fair contracts for UCSC's underpaid service workers. The luncheon was part of the annual UCSC Reunion Weekend where alumni were invited back to campus to "learn how innovation is going global, sip wine, tour new facilities on campus, explore the "unnatural" history of UCSC, and more..." The brief interruption was widely supported by alumni who clapped, smiled, listened, and took souvenir photos as students passed out flyers, chanted and spoke on stage to inform alumni about the contract campaign for UC service workers.

Since August the UC and the service workers' union, AFSCME Local 3299, have been negotiating a new three-year contract. These negotiations present an important opportunity for workers to receive more recognition for their hard work. While George Blumenthal and other UC executives have declared their support for labor, little has been done to meet the demands of the workers. Read More and View Photos | More Photos

David Sackman comments, "I opened the door. I was the alumnus who opened the door, letting in the protestors supporting the University workers. To answer a previous post: No, it was not planned that way. I have no idea how the organizers of the protest planned it. I just know that I found myself on the wrong side of a picket line. To someone who has been involved in the labor movement since I attended UCSC myself, this was intolerable. So I opened the door, and invited my guests in." Read More

previous actions: Student and Worker Solidarity Kicks Off School Year at UCSC (September 27th, 2007) || UC Workers and Students Picket in Support of AFSCME's Contract Fight (December 6th, 2007) || UCSC Workers Offer New Year Resolutions To Shape Up UC (January 31st, 2008) || Students and Workers Block Road at UCSC to Protest Poverty Wages (February 28th, 2008) || Prospective Students of Color Visit UCSC and Demand a Fair Contract for Workers (April 11th, 2008)

Students Against War write, "As students of UC Santa Cruz, we oppose the presence of military recruiters on campus. As an employer that uses predatory and discriminatory practices in recruitment, recruiters directly represent the homophobic, sexist and racist ideologies that have no place in this University. Furthermore, the military’s inhumane treatment of soldiers during and after tours of duty – through, for example, the neglect of the psychological and medical consequences of war – demonstrates that they view troops not as employees, but as property to be used and then discarded. Recruiters offer false promises of education and opportunity in order to manipulate people into signing away the fundamental rights to which we are all entitled. We will not let our University be a vehicle for a system based on hateful ideologies and manipulation. We will not let our University be a vehicle to perpetuate the unjust war in Iraq."

It is for these reasons that on April 22nd, Students Against War organized a counter-recruitment action against the presence of military recruiters at UCSC's "Last Chance Job & Internship Fair." Students rallied in the Baytree Plaza and marched to the career fair held in the College 9/10 multipurpose rooms. Outside the career fair, students demonstrated with banners, flyers, zines, photos from Iraq, theatre of tortured detainees, juggling and more. Meanwhile on the inside, student protestors were dancing, questioning military and FBI recruiters, chanting and otherwise disrupting the recruiting efforts of the FBI, Army, Marines and Police (Sacramento, San Francisco and UCSC). After three hours of trying to recruit in the midst of a protest, both Army recruiters packed up their glossy propaganda an hour early. Photos: Rally and March | Outside and Inside

Thousands of students from around the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Areas participated in a "Four Twenty" celebration in Porter Meadow at UC Santa Cruz on April 20th, 2008. Four Twenty (420) is a time of day when people, often a group of friends, smoke cannabis together or eat foods cooked with it. For that reason, April 20th has evolved into a counterculture holiday where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. Porter Meadow at UCSC has traditionally been the largest 420 gathering place around, and this year was said to be even larger than 2007. Despite the severe measures initiated by the UCSC administration to curtail the unorganized convergence, folks showed they were determined to experience Four Twenty as one large group of people in the Porter Meadow. Read More and View Photos

see also: Thousands Celebrate 420 at Porter Meadow | UCSC Reefer Madness! Campus lockdown! | 2007: A Portrait: 420 at UC Santa Cruz

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