Feature Archives

On February 23rd, noted animal rights activist Peter Young spoke in Santa Cruz about his experiences with the animal liberation movement. His talk was followed by a screening of the film "Behind the Mask", a thought provoking film that gives an in-depth look at the lives and motivations of animal liberationists. The event was a benefit for the SHAC 7; six individuals whose 1st Amendment rights were violated when they were sent to prison for defending animals by merely drawing attention to the horrors that go on at an animal testing facility called Huntingdon Life Sciences.

On February 28th, UC Santa Cruz workers represented by the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299, and backed by students, demonstrated for justice, dignity and a fair working contract. Over 350 people took part in the largest demonstration of the school year in support of UCSC's most underpaid workers. Instead of making demands outside the Chancellor's office, workers and students got UCSC's attention by lining McLaughlin Drive and twice shutting down Hagar Drive. Students and workers felt empowered by seeing how easily they can bring UCSC to a halt.

EarthVision 2008, which marks ten years of inspiring environmental films, will be held March 3rd – 8th in Watsonville and Santa Cruz. The festival will be screening films from 13 countries, including 7 produced in the Monterey Bay area. The films are powerful educational tools for Santa Cruz, as entries are shown throughout the year on Community TV.

On September 1-4 of 2008, the Republican Party is holding their convention in Minnesota. The RNC Welcoming Committee wants to make sure that "this time the fear-mongers will be met with their own biggest fear: people mobilized, organized, and taking the future back into their own hands." From March 2-8, the RNC Welcoming Committee's Infotour will make six stops in Northern California to share their plans and get input to take back to Minneapolis on their preparations to crash the convention in the Twin Cities in September.

On February 24th, police broke through the front door of a home on the 700 block of Riverside Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. For the duration of the police presence they declined to comment on their reason for being there, other than to say it was an "ongoing investigation." Comments on the newswire state that the police actions were in response to a demonstration that took place that morning at the home of a UCSC vivisectionist (animal testing by inflicting distress unto an animal to research the effects of a variable).

Jeff Muskrat writes, "With the fall of the Bear Mountain tree-sit in Victoria, BC, it seems like this is a very crucial time for activists in the trees up and down the west coast. There are two campus trees-sits, one under attack right now at UC Berkeley and one at UC Santa Cruz. These actions are opposing the unnecessary development of greenspace."

GARDINER & WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT: 290 wild buffalo have been slaughtered by the National Park Service in Yellowstone since February 8th. These actions are being taken to appease Montana's cattle interests, who claim they fear the spread of brucellosis from wild bison to cattle. George Cadman of Free Radio Santa Cruz 101.1 FM spoke with Stephany Seay of the Buffalo Field Campaign about the real reasons behind the slaughter, what they are doing to fight it and how people can get involved.