Feature Archives

There is a story that the UCSC tour guides still occasionally tell about the founding UCSC Chancellor Dean McHenry: Allegedly, during initial construction in 1964, any tree on campus over 12 inches in diameter had to have the chancellor's personal approval before it could be cut. In the construction of the road to the small parking lot behind the main library, there was a spot where the road was squeezed between a second growth redwood and a steep bank. The construction crew and campus planners asked the chancellor for approval to cut the tree, and he allegedly refused and told them to find another way.

Marciano Cruz was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. For over 20 years, Marciano, also known as Chango, has been working to improve the lives of people in the greater Santa Cruz community. He is currently a staff member at the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV). Marciano is being honored for his work as founder, chief organizer and president of La Liga de La Comunidad, a countywide soccer league for youth and adults.

On May 5th, Foster Gamble and the Economic Action Team of the California Alliance to Stop the Spray (C.A.S.S.), released a forty page report on the economic impact to the state of California in response to the CDFA/USDA plan to spray multiple California counties with a micronized concoction of synthetic “pheromone” and chemicals to "eradicate" the Light Brown Apple Moth – a moth with zero history of causing crop damage anywhere in the world.

Donna Deiss Yovino writes, "At Santa Cruz parking lot A on West Cliff Drive, on Friday May 9, 2008, Sgt. C LeMoss twisted and broke the right humurus arm bone of a 60 year old disabled woman for entering her RV and attempting to close the door."

On the heels of University of California's ongoing executive pay scandals, UC's Administration is once again being denounced for misplaced priorities. For ten months, 20,000 UC medical and service workers have been trying to protect quality patient care and CA communities, reporting that lack of competitive wages is impacting the University's ability to retain its best staff. After ten months of negotiating for equal pay for equal work, they have reached impasse, and the workers announced they will take a strike vote, running from May 17th-May 22nd.

Robert Norse writes, "Donna Deiss called in last night to report that yesterday (May 9th) around 5pm, Officer La Moss (Badge #114) assaulted her, broke her arm, and then put her in handcuffs when he attempted to question her at "Three Tree Lot" near Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz. Deiss was taken to the Watsonville hospital, where she waited hours for x-rays, which confirmed her arm was broken."

The indynewswire show airs weekly on Freak Radio, Friday mornings 10-12 noon, broadcasting news and opinion from independent media worldwide, focused on indymedia sites but also drawing from other websites. On May 9th, danielsan interviewed Katherine Redmond of the National Coalition Against Violent Athletes (NCAVA) on the De Anza Rape Case, closed last week by the CA attorney General Jerry Brown's office, citing lack of evidence. More than a year later, Katherine Redmond discusses this and other cases nationwide.