Feature Archives

On May 12, the Wednesday Drum Circle spent three hours at their new Elm St. location--to which they were driven by Farmer's Market expansion and police harassment at Lincoln and Cedar. Reports from Robert "Blindbear" Facer and Drum Circle Dave say 25-30 drummers moved to Scope Park next to the Town Clock. Police officers-including Officer Schonfield--then reportedly harassed and pursued the diminishing Drum Circle from spot to spot.

In the recently released itemized receipts for repairing Kerr Hall, following an occupation of the building in November 2009, there appears to be evidence that the UC Santa Cruz administration filed a claim for damages that occurred, and may have been reimbursed for the costs. This implies that the UCSC students being held responsible for participating in the occupation are being charged for expenses that have been covered by the UC's insurance policy. This raises questions about the validity and legality of those restitution charges.

The world premiere screening of La Vie en Verte: The WAMM Movie will take place on Wednesday, May 12th, 6:30pm at the Riverfront Theater, as part of the Santa Cruz Film Festival. La Vie en Verte documents the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), a "collective of patients and caregivers [who have been] providing hope, building community and offering medical marijuana on a donation basis” for over a decade. In the film, we meet Valerie and Mike Corral, and follow their journey as they dedicate their lives to offering compassionate care despite the antagonism of the brutal federal government. Valerie and Mike Corral will be at the screening, in addition to directors Charlie Hall and Bevin-Bell Hall.

On the night of Saturday, May 1st, May Day, there was a dance party to mark International Workers' Day. During the event, around 250 people roved through the streets in a mixture of dancing, partying and protesting. A smaller number of people, some wearing masks or bandanas on their face, carried torches, spray painted graffiti, broke windows at an estimated 18 downtown businesses, and caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. In addition, a police squad car that responded was reportedly pelted with rocks, surrounded, and paint was poured on the hood.

Saturday, May 1st is May Day, or International Workers Day. The Bay Area observed the holiday with celebrations, marches, rallies, and street parties. Events on Saturday included rallies, marches, and demonstrations for immigrant and workers rights in San Francisco, Watsonville, the East Bay, Fresno, Modesto, and San Jose. Celebrations and street parties were held in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Oakland.

An Academic Senate meeting at UC Santa Cruz on April 23rd turned into a heated forum to criticize Chancellor Blumenthal’s hesitancy in changing the student judicial proceedings. Various faculty members voiced concerns about the current judicial proceedings relating to the three day protest at Kerr Hall in November 2009, saying they violate students’ right to due process and also have a chilling effect on political protests.

The Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival takes place each year in California's central coast communities in and around Santa Cruz. Reel Work presents cultural events, bringing together award-winning documentary film producers, workers, activists, students, and the public with the goal of increasing community awareness of the central role of work in our lives, to discuss economic and global justice issues, and to bring alive the history and culture of the labor movement in the US and abroad.