From Spanish language classes to forage and storage, Free Skool Santa Cruz offers a decentralized educational network outside the system for $19,926 less than UCSC

Summer quarter is just starting. But you won’t need any student id, add/drop forms, or registration fees. There are no classrooms, professors, or administration, just people sharing what they know. This is Free Skool Santa Cruz. And the first thing you will learn is that we are all students and we are all teachers.

Free Skool summer quarter runs July 1st to September 31st and offers a variety of classes in homes, community centers, and open spaces all over Santa Cruz. In Free Skool Santa Cruz’ second quarter, classes include Conversational Spanish, Women’s and Trans Bicycle Repair, Studio Drawing and Collage, Local History, Birth and Birth Control, Self-Defense, Organic Gardening, Dyslexia Workshops, World History and Politics, Carpentry, and Monkey Chant.

Free Skool is a completely grassroots effort, a collection of locals who’ve decided to act collectively and autonomously to create a skill-sharing network, a school without institutional control. It is an opportunity to learn from others and share what they know, to help create self-reliance, vital communities, and beauty in the world.

[ Free Skool Santa Cruz ]

Two activists are still in jail for defending the first amendment in the recent Grand Jury witchhunt. More activists are receiving subpoenas daily. Today the war on Free Speech in San Diego was escalated to a new level.

This morning, July 21st, at approximately 11AM, Pirate 96.9 was raided by the FCC.

Interview on radioActive sanDiego (.mp3) | Interview on Free Radio Santa Cruz | Please replay on your free, community and pirate radio stations.

The broadcast location of Pirate 96.9 was raided by a number of FCC agents with marshalls. No one was present at the location, so the FCC broke the locks on their doors, entered by force, took their equipment and left. They left a warrant behind them.

The antenna was taken as well as a number of other major components of broadcasting equipment.

Pirate 96.9 is currently off the air. More information at www.pirate969.org

Read a blog entry from just after the raid here: steadydietofnothing | more photos at San Diego Indymedia

The Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, supporting organizations and the community at large sponsored the WAMM March for Medical Marijuana on Saturday, July 16th, 2005 at 12 noon on the Pacific Garden Mall, in downtown Santa Cruz.

Hundreds of people marched and rolled on Pacific Ave. and over to Santa Cruz City Hall in a demonstration of community solidarity opposing the recent decision of the Supreme Court and of Congress that leaves sick and dying Californians vulnerable to persecution from the federal government.

In a symbolic act of compassionate access, WAMM patient members led the march holding live cannabis plants. This solemn event honored the 154 WAMM members who have died since WAMM's inception in 1993.

Audio: Listen to Valerie's invitation to you to march

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

Audio: Rockin' the Boat: Prescription Pot Backers Rally in Santa Cruz

September 17, 2002: Santa Cruz Gives the Feds a WAMM

See also: Indybay's Drug War News || Call for Vigils to Honor Steve McWilliams || DEA Raids Several SF Medical Marijuana Dispensary Coops || Vigils and Protests Held Statewide to Protest Overturning of Raich Decision || Supreme Court Overturns 9th Circuit Decison in Favor of Medical Marijuana

[ Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana || Santa Cruz vs. Ashcroft || Medical Marijuana Testimonials || WAMM Guesthouse ]

POSSIBLE LEGAL FALLOUT FOR PROTESTERS FROM SF'S ANTI-G8 DEMO

Demonstrators at the July 8th action met at 8pm at the 16th & Mission BART Plaza. During the first half hour, protesters converged, and bilingual pamphlets were distributed to residents, passers-by, and protesters. Within a few minutes of marching, the SFPD declared the march illegal and ordered those present to disperse. People continued to march down Mission St. and were pushed from the streets onto the sidewalks. A sound system was confiscated and the person carrying it was arrested relatively quickly for noise "violations."

Once it turned onto Valencia Street, the march broke up as one portion was blocked in by riot police and the other portion outran the cops. The march was periodically broken into different groups, taking different routes along Mission & Valencia streets. Many corporate businesses were targeted for property destruction and newspaper stands were placed in the roads as barricades to block the police. Damage to corporate targets included: Two Wells Fargo Banks, a Bank of America ATM, Kentucky Fried Chicken, PG&E, Chevron, Vanguard Properties, Skechers, and Shoebiz.

At 23rd and Valencia an altercation with police officers took place. Reports say that officers ran their car into the crowd at unsafe speeds, protesters attacked the car, and the police tackled people in the crowd. A scuffle broke out and left one police officer injured with a cracked skull that required 7 staples. 6 people were arrested and face severe charges. One person is still being held on a $50,000 bond. Corporate news is reporting that this incident is causing a political fallout within the SFPD. Deputy Chief Greg Suhr is being transfered from the SFPD and it has now been confirmed that the FBI is investigating the incidents.

Communique from Anarchist Action | Legal Updates

Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13
Commentary

Read all Indybay's breaking news items from the West Coast G8 solidarity protests

Peace activists in Santa Cruz working with Code Pink & using the monicker SONG, Support Our National Guard, are organizing to collect petition signatures, and to get City Council and County Board resolutions passed in support of a California National Guard recall from Iraq.

At the July 12 Santa Cruz City Council meeting, a few of the SONG members spoke at oral communications. The Council will likely take up the issue at its next meeting, July 26.

Audio: SONG Activists Speak at City Council
Photos: SONG Activists Urge City Council to Help "Bring Them Home Now"

See also: California National Guard Caught Spying on Women's Peace Groups

During the past Independence Day weekend, several concerned residents bipassed picnics and fireworks in favor of a more thoughtful approach to the 229th anniversary of the United States' independence from Great Britain.

On Friday, locals gathered at Seabright Beach for an old-fashioned flag burning party, complete with a bonfire and a large improv band. They saught to draw attention to the current bill pending Senate approval that would outlaw flag burning. More.. Photos

Local college students gathered Sunday in downtown Santa Cruz amid pleased onlookers in a demonstration against the corporatization of our culture.

An unusual parade entry in the Aptos World's Shortest Parade generated both applause and boos as members of the MediaWatch and Art and Revoltion project simulated a global power struggle --- with George and Laura Bush behind the wheel of a massive truck and the majority of the world pushing it from behind. Story and Photos..

Report and Photos: Aptos Parade Entry -- More Response

Audio: PoP dEFECT Radio: Fourth of July 2005

See also: Flag Amendment and the Assault on Political Dissent

Santa Cruz Metro workers, are ramping up pressure for a fair deal after their contract talks reached a stalemate. The contract for bus drivers, mechanics, and other workers, expired this week, but was extended for one week while the talks continue. The workers maintained a three hour picket line at the downtown bus station Wednesday, after talks with management broke off.

Transit workers around the nation have been facing off with employers over health care and wages. In Oakland, CA a strike of 2,300 Bay Area Rapid Transit workers was derailed early Wednesday morning, after union officials, and BART management agreed to contract terms. Elsewhere, union officials in Phoenix, AZ put the brakes on a June 30 bus strike, and in Philadelphia last month, SEPTA (transit) workers agreed to stay on the job without a contract until Sept 5.

Audio: Santa Cruz Transit Workers Rally for Health Care & Wages

Photos: Bus Drivers Picket at Santa Cruz Metro Transit Center

Audio: Rockin' the Boat: Metro Labor Dispute Continues

See also: BART's A Mess, But Don't Blame The Workers

Santa Cruz had its first Midnight Mystery Ride two Fridays ago. 30 riders explored the dark hours of pedal powered play. It was announced at Guerrilla Drive-In where 200 people cheered, but when it was time to ride only 2 people came along.

"Just follow the flaming can of PBR on the back of my bike, and maybe we'll pick up some folks along the way".

We darted down creekside paths through the circles and emerged onto the ocean cliff, booming in the moonlight. The air was crisp and we jangled past the lighthouse: car free and serene. We rounded the bend to the Pub, expecting to see no one, but instead were challenged by an boisterous mob of bikey kids.

"Where have you beeeeeen? We've been waiting 15 minutes....we already have our milk and cookies...we want to go....."

And then the Mad Mystery ride began. We paraded up Pacific Ave, bells and yells, sharing the Friday night traffic dance with the the cars and pedestrians. story and photos...

Photos: The Santa Cruz Midnight Mystery Ride Has Arrived

A group of youth activists associated with YCSC and troubled with growing authority by adult "allies" (although we do have good ones like sandino!) and city linked laws and regulations are forming a group that will devote itself to the ideas of protesting corporate monsters in santa cruz (we already hit urban outfitters) DIY stuff, independant lifesyle stuff and for the summer counter military highschool and college recruitment stuff.

We think we will call ourselves dAnces with kittens for the summer. YCSC regulations will not be on us so the meetings for this group will be 5-630 on tuesdays upstairs at resource center for nonviolence all ages welcome but youth Under 26 especially highschool age will be very welcome since thats what all of us so far are (also its imporatant for us cause we never saw this city before the dot come boom and earthquake. after the summer ends the date will move as ycsc will take this time please all members welcome it would be nice to have some college connections also so please attend our meetings. So if you are interested in the future of corporations coming to santa cruz, building a more independant lifestyle and helping block military recruiters, join santa cruz's youth activists and build our future!!!!!!!

DWK Event 6/12: Film Screening: The Fourth World War

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees voted in favor (4 to 3) of a proposal to increase student and family awareness of the OPT-OUT choice parents have to deny military recruiters access to private student information.

As a result of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, a requirement of federal education funding is that high school administrations release student contact, and other information to military recruiters. Students and parents may “Opt-Out� of the information release list, but notification of this option is careless-to-nonexistent.

In the predominantly Latino district, where recruiters “descend on students like vultures on road kill,� (as one counter recruitment worker stated) how is family and student notification of Opt-Out best assured?

That the “opt-out choice be included on the [mandatory] emergency card for all high school students including those at alternative high schools� was the motion eventually approved.

A coalition of trustees, parents, students and community organizations wanted greater assurance of opt-out choice notification. Board chair Rhea DeHart bluntly stated, “I have talked to too many people where this important information gets lost in the shuffle.� story and photos...

photos and notes: PVUSD Supports Student Privacy

audio: Hidden Clause in No Child Left Behind Act Lets Parents Opt-Out
audio: Pajaro Schools Support Opt Out Option

see also: Being a Military Recruiter Must Suck || All around the U$, Recuiters are Feeling the Heat || 4/20 Watsonville Counter-Recruitment Action || UCSC Students Kick Military Recruiters Off Campus