Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast region, August 29 leaving a path of death and destruction. With the eyes of the world focussed squarely on the relief efforts there, we are hearing alot of stories about the inadequate response of the federal government. Rather than complain, some people have decided to take matters into there own hands, and provide some measure of relief to whoever they can. One such person is Santa Cruz resident Gary McGlaughlin, a construction contractor who got in touch with some old friends in Tennesee working with the group Plenty International.

Audio: Download the mp3 (33:48 minutes / 15.5 MB)

See related: Story from the front - the hippie bus makes it through military lines

Check New Orleans Indymedia for breaking news on the aftermath of Katrina, Houston Indymedia's Katrina page and Katrina.Indymedia.us for local features from IMCs across the US. Indybay's poverty page has a Katrina timeline detailing 5 days with little federal response leaving thousands dead.

Saturday: Over 10,000 Feared Dead

Reports are pouring in about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that hit the Gulf Coast this week; residents of the decimated and submerged City of New Orleans have been severely affected. An estimated 25,000 people have filled the New Orlean's Superdome where they are packed together in exhausting heat without working toilets or clean running water. Because a rescue worker was reportedly shot, evacuations were stopped on Wednesday. Despite the fact that people are dying in the streets, rescue workers were diverted from their work of humanitarian assistance to protecting buildings from looting, according to reports.

Breaking News: New Orleans IMC, Houston IMC and Indymedia.us

Audio: New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin || Malik Rahim, former BPP memer, in New Orleans

More: Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans || 1,200 People Stranded in Hospital || Hurricane Katrina Causes Unfathomable Damage in Southeastern US || Call to Action || Private Property Over People

[ BBC Reports on the Disaster in New Orleans || New Orleans Makes Desperate 'SOS' For Relief || Links to video of New Orelans residents || Treatment of Victims Corresponds to Gov't Feelings About Poor, People of Color || Toxic New Orleans: 'The Worst Ever' || Why Aren't The National Guard There? || Liberal Blogger's Hurricane Relief || Network for Good || National Housing Drive ]

More Hurricane Coverage On Indybay's Poverty Page

A blockade has been constructed to stop ancient forest logging within the Biscuit timber sale and to honor the late Joan Norman. Atop a platform 50 feet in the air, a 17 year-old woman sits committed to halt felling within this contested old growth reserve timber sale, called Hobson.

Ancient forest logging began at the Hobson old-growth reserve timber sale last week. The sale has been the site of numerous acts of civil disobedience. In the wake of a court decision in favor of the timber industry's further exploitation and destruction of the very last
ancient forests on public land, large numbers of citizens continue to come out of the woodwork to defend the Wild Siskiyous. The media is invited to visit the Joan Norman Memorial Road Blockade today.

On the afternoon of August 5th, the Santa Cruz Weapons Inspection Team visited the gates of Lockheed Martin. Through art and diaglogue, they called on the consciences of employees to consider the implications of their actions.

Lockheed Martin plays a part in genocide by supplying the United States and other aggressive nations with the equipment needed to deliver Depleted Uranium munitions and other weapons used against civilian populations. In other words, Lockheed Martin profits off of the misery that war is inflicting on people around the world.

see also: Atomic Memorial at SC Courthouse

On Tuesday, July 26th, Felton residents passed an eleven million dollar bond, intiating the process of buying back their local water utility. For the past three years, their water service has been owned by a subsidiary of the German-owned, mulitnational corporation, RWE Thames Water.

A spokesman for the company has stated that that they have no intention of selling the utility and hinted at a long, expensive legal battle if Felton residents follow through with eminent domain proceedings

Multinational corporations are buying up water rights worldwide. About five percent of the global water supply is controlled by private companies. This privatization raises concerns, and in some places, like Bolivia, water privatization has caused deadly conflict.

Audio: FSRN: Felton Voters Support Local Water Control

[ Felton Flow || Felton Water News || Water For All ]

The Bicycle Film Festival is seeking submissions for its sixth annual Festival. The event will feature dozens of different films on a variety of bicycle styles - from BMX to urban bike culture, cycling to commuting.

Ask your favorite restaurant to boycott Canadian seafood to save 300,000 defenseless seal pups! Go to Harpseals.org to find out more and help!

by Michael T. Neuman
Email: mtneuman (at) juno.com

Re: National Sustainable Agriculture Education Conference, 2nd Announcement

Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture: A Participatory National Conference on Post- Secondary Education. Pacific Grove, California January 24-25, 2006.

Conference Goal: The goal of the conference is to facilitate the continued development of educational programs in sustainable agriculture at U.S. colleges and universities.

In Response to the growing and unfortunate trend among environmental and social justice groups use of the industry and government created term "clean coal," West Virginia Citizen's Action Group, Coal River Mountain Watch launched an internationally circulated sign-on letter calling for a unification of these groups against this sort of industry doublespeak which makes it so much harder for those working towards positive change to achieve it. Over 80 Organizations and prominent individuals have signed on at the time of the release. Please view the letter and add your name too at www.crmw.net