The three Salinas Public Libraries will close for an indefinite period of time soon after January 1, 2005. According to the website for the Salinas Public Libraries, these closures are part of the 9.2 million dollars in the service reductions incurred by the City of Salinas due to loss of revenues from the State of California, higher fees imposed by Monterey County, slower than expected economic recovery, and increased costs of employee health insurance and retirement benefits. Exact dates and details are to be determined. The Salinas Public Libraries may close in July, 2005 according to an interview on KCRW with Anna Caballero, Mayor of Salinas.

Reduced Hours Effective January 11, 2005

Audio: Salinas City Concil Votes to Shutter Libraries

[ Salinas Public Library I Friends of the Salinas Public Library ]

The City Council in Salinas, CA, birthplace to literary giant John Steinbeck, capped a series of contentious budget debates in mid-December with a decision to close all its public libraries next summer, becoming the largest US city to do so. FSRN reporter Vinny Lombardo has more... 3:31

This story originally broadcast on Monday December 20 edition of Free Speech Radio News.

On October 30, 2004, the 2nd annual Practical Activism conference was held at UC Santa Cruz (college nine/ten multipurpose room). The day featured interactive workshops and presentations that provided students and activists from both the Monterey and San Francisco Bay with tools for local and global change.

The closing performance was by Leroy Moore and James Tracy, two members of The Molotov Mouths Outspoken Word Troupe, a collective of Bay Area politically-direct poets. Gentrification, poverty, race, disability, and discrimination are just a few of the topics passionately explored through their writing and spoken word performances.

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yesterday there was a lock down at mission hill school when one student threatened to shoot another.

Jan Keiting, principal of Pacific Collegiate School for more than two years, has resigned her post and will depart immediately. Tomorrow, Friday, December 17th will be her last day.