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NPPA & Reporters Committee Seek Dismissal of Charges Against Photojournalist Covering Occupy Protest

Published on March 12, 2012 in Government, Media, Police

DURHAM, NC – The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) and The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (Reporters Committee) filed a joint Letter Brief seeking the dismissal of charges against Bradley Stuart Allen in The People of the State of California v. Becky Ann Johnson et al, Case No. F22194. The brief asserts that Mr. Allen, who is a photojournalist and NPPA member, should not be criminally prosecuted for trespass, vandalism and conspiracy. He was charged after his photographic coverage of an Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protest in Santa Cruz, California last year.

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Santa Cruz Co. Mobilizes for “California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act”

Published on February 19, 2012 in Environment, Government

On February 18th, dozens of trained signature gathering volunteers held a launch event for the “California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act” at the Santa Cruz Live Oak Green Grange. The event was hosted by GMO-Free Right to Know! Santa Cruz, the organizing group for trained signature gathering volunteers throughout Santa Cruz County, and one of the most active groups in the state working to pass this historic ballot initiative.

Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz, Don Lane, kicked things off by stressing the importance of the ballot initiative and knowing which of the foods we eat are made with genetically modified ingredients. Lane said he was taking time away from being with his grandchildren who were visiting from out of the area, but felt they would understand because their health would benefit by the labeling of genetically modified foods.

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Stop the Dirty Energy Proposition: Vote No on Prop 23

Published on October 10, 2010 in Environment, Government

On October 10th, a day of global action to work on the climate crisis, Santa Cruz residents rallied next to a Valero gas station on Highway 1 / Mission Street urging people to vote no on California’s proposition 23. If it passes on November 2nd, it will suspend California’s Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. AB 32 requires that by 2020 the state’s greenhouse gas emissions be reduced to 1990 levels, a roughly 25% reduction under business as usual estimates. Read More and View Photos

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Santa Cruz City Council Votes to Ban Additional Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Published on March 9, 2010 in Drug War, Government, Police

On Tuesday, March 9th, the Santa Cruz City Council voted 6-0 to support a recommendation from the city staff which bans the opening of an additional medical marijuana dispensary in Santa Cruz. This was the first reading of the vote and there will be a second vote in two weeks to finalize the ruling.

Under the new ordinance, Greenway Compassionate Relief and Santa Cruz Patients Collective (SCPC), the two existing medical marijuana dispensaries, will be permitted to operate a cultivation facility up to 3,000 square feet, which must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The new ordinance specifically bans any new dispensaries from opening, and it also specifies that the entire city is off-limits for dispensaries, except for two industrial zones in the Westside and Harvey West area. Read More and View Photos

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Oral Arguments Presented on Motion to Overturn the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA)

Published on July 13, 2009 in Animal Rights, Education, Government, Police

aeta4 On July 13th, defense attorneys for Joseph Buddenberg, Maryam Khajavi, Nathan Pope and Adriana Stumpo (the AETA 4) presented oral arguments on their motion to strike down the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The AETA 4 are being represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC), and other well-respected civil rights attorneys, including Tony Serra. The defense demanded that the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) be struck down as unconstitutional before Judge Ronald Whyte of the United States District Court, Northern District of California in San Jose.

The AETA is being used for the first time since its passage by Congress in 2006 to do exactly what civil rights advocates feared it would do – criminalize activities protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The oral arguments presented on July 13th were not about the allegations as directly applied to the AETA 4, but rather that the whole case should be dismissed now because AETA itself is unconstitutional.

Photo of the AETA 4 courtesy of the AETA 4 Support Committee. From left to right: Nathan Pope, Adriana Stumpo, Maryam Khajavi and Joseph Buddenberg.

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Rally at Natural Bridges to Save State Parks & Beaches

Published on June 1, 2009 in Environment, Government

save-parks_1_6-1-09-sm If approved by the state legislature, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s budget plan will close 220 of 279 State Parks and Beaches, including each and every State Park and Beach in Santa Cruz County.

The proposed Santa Cruz County State Park and Beach closures are Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Castle Rock State Park, Castro Adobe State Historic Park, Coast Dairies State Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Lighthouse Field State Beach, Manresa State Beach, Manresa Uplands State Park, Natural Bridges State Beach, New Brighton State Beach, Palm State Beach, Rio Del Mar State Beach, Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, Seabright State Beach, Seacliff State Beach, Sunset State Beach, The Forest of Nisene Marks, Twin Lakes State Beach and Wilder Ranch State Park.

A rally to save State Parks and Beaches took place on June 1st at Natural Bridges State Beach. On June 2nd, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks took a bus to Sacramento for the only public hearing on this proposal before the Legislative Budget Conference Committee. Read More and View Photos

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