Ursula's UtterancesDates for Ursula's Utterances (search for date in your browser): 04/29/2021 04/22/2021 04/15/2021 ARCHIVED UTTERANCES 04/29/2021 BathrobesPierre's Broadside 04/29/21 Recap This is a summation of the broadcast. They are not direct quotes of anyone, but rather they are my understanding of what was said. Edit corrections are welcome in the comment section. Thank you, Ursula Reed. ROBERT'S INTRO: Day before the San Lorenzo Campers moving to the Benchlands. Wes White interview and Keith McHenry. Music City Council Meeting: Not much community input. Lee Butler, Dec. they decided to clear SLP. Stating they had adequate shelter. Martine Bernal decided to evict SLP due to health and safety reasons. The community came to protest in numbers and blocked the police. An injunction was sought by Anthony Prince and was granted by Judge Von Kuelan. COVID based. The city convinced Kuelan that they had adequate shelter. Resettlement to the Benchlands. Under a strict code of conduct, violations would result in stay-away orders. The police will evict, and the campers will be moved out to San Lorenzo Park from the upper park Friday. Health advisors: We missed the goal tier of yellow, still in orange. Lee Bulter and Martine Bernal at City Council Councilperson asked about vaccinations offered. I heard there was a high rate of. Council Person, what about highway 1 Justin Cummings asking about Outreach, shelter, and storage available after the park is closed to campers. How are we going to get the information to the people? Lee Butler: I don't have the statistics. We moved 40 people to SLP. We are looking at the Benchlands as a resource. We are working on closing the Highway 1 encampment. We have been working with the county regarding TOLO, but we have decided not to go through with plans with the county. (inaudible regarding nonprofits Robert explains below) An rsvp and consent form to the community for comment regarding TOLO (???) We probably won't have the outreach done by May 11th. Maybe some of the service outreach. We will put the information on the website when it is available. The allowable areas and the prohibited areas. Given alternative shelter or safe camping, they would not sleep anywhere else in the city. Martine Bernal: Not really audible two screenings of the TOLOthere are nuances with the language we have to work out. He gave the web page address where the city will post the information (it went too fast, and he was too close to the microphone for me to understand) Health advisors: We missed the goal tier of yellow, still in orange. ROBERT commentary: Concern on where campers can go They are issuing vouchers for more than the 120 sites in the Benchlands. Keith says after being moved to the Benchlands, then demand not to be moved. Some reasonable, some restrictive, some vague. Code of Behavior No Drugs or Alcohol. No Smoking ( may have been modified) Quiet hours 10 pm-8 pm, No cooking. No offensive language ( no racial slurs, no profanity around children), no stealing or vandalism, no destruction of property, no destruction of grass or trees, no jeopardizing the safety of staff or other occupants, no disorderly conduct, These are vague and open to interpretation, not clearly stated. Possessions must be in tents. No personal possessions outside of tents. Bikes, no bike parts allowed. No accumulation of needles, trash, or debris is strictly prohibited. Robert comment the city must be planning on having a pick-up service for garbage and debris, or this would a joke. But historically, they have treated the homeless poorly. Mayor Myer wrote a letter to the Governor asking Cal Trans to sweep the highway 1 encampment. Notice No councilperson asks how long the massive amount of people moving to the Benchlands will be allowed to stay. And where they will go afterward, and what about the 70 or more people at the highway 1 encampment. The city trying to please the Seabright community because they don't want the homeless camping there. After the city announced, it would be a safe camping place. They will probably prohibit campers in the area with no adequate place to replace it. This is a Santa Cruz historical way of not dealing with the issues of not providing real housing. They only provide next to nothing temporary shelter that closes as soon as they can. Pushing people out with nowhere to go .HUFF Homeless United for Friendship and Freedom worry about the dignity and civil rights of the people without housing and how to resist the unfair laws that the city imposes and is proposing through TOLO, the Temporary Outside Living Ordinance. Robert calls it TODO, the dying ordinance. Interestingly, the city will not be working with the county regarding camping and shelter for the houseless. Under Myers Mayorship, the city has been stalling, saying that it is the county's responsibility. Currently, the city is not requesting nonprofits to help with storage or shelter. They are asking the city attorney to buff up the enforcement of the TOLO, which is harsher than the previous Camping Ban that was in danger of being declared unconstitutional. Police chief Andy Mills started enforcing other laws such as trespassing. Ticketing and court costs are skyrocketing for people who can't even afford a meager place to live. ( Ursula note: Harassment ticketing and jail are cruel and unusual punishments for being destitute. The city council and their enforcers should be ticketed, tried, and jailed for their heinous laws. TOLO next to the 3 strike law is the worst I have heard of in modern times) There have been all kinds of pressure put on the city council by groups like Take Back Santa Cruz. The shelter shortage has been acknowledged by the city council as far back as 1990. An amended TOLO will be proposed Tuesday after next which will probably have less safe camping and parking areas than the first TOLO, which is extremely restrictive and impossible for the houseless to obey. Which will give the city an excuse to say those damn homeless don't want to follow the rules. Therefore they don't have any rights to be treated like human beings in public spaces. They shouldn't be allowed to buy a house or rent a place. They should get the fuck out of town. ( Ursula note: feels very familiar, kind of like what happened to me. Not rules but economics and replacement housing being out of reach. Tell me why the hell do I miss SC. I think it is just my friends. I do not miss the economic politics—tough shit for me. I am not really feeling sorry for myself, but I do miss my friends). The city has been claiming that they will provide adequate shelter and safe parking for decades without ever being enough. As far as 1988 and Mayer Wormhardt with her little cards. Saying the 4 beds at the River Street Shelter was adequate to have police give the homeless little cards saying you don't need to be sleeping here. You can go to the River Street shelter and sleep. There were hundreds and hundreds of people that were homeless. The lie that there is adequate shelter is a hypocritical excuse. The mistreatment of black people is an example of how authorities say it is just an occasional bad cop and not the system that is to blame. In fact, it is the system, and it is the system in Santa Cruz that mistreats the homeless. Martine Bernal said that there would be two readings of the TOLO, so there will be plenty of time to review it. Musical Break: Daryl Churney; Album; White Tribal Music, song, Potter Valley Mill (Robert read the lyrics); The FBI Stole My Fiddle (Robert read the lyrics funny, great bluesy music). 55:00 minutes on the program tape. BathrobesPierre's Broadside 04/29/21 continued program Recap This is a summation of the broadcast. They are not direct quotes of anyone, but instead, they understand what was said. Edit corrections are welcome in the comment section. Thank you, Ursula Reed. ROBERT Interviews Alex at San Lorenzo Park: ROBERT: Robert's recorder didn't record. So he recaps part of his interview with Alex. Alex was part of the original Ross camp. The city dispersed the Ross Camp, and the police took Alex to jail. Did they take other people to prison? You got into an altercation at the jail. You said you had a horrendous experience in COVID times and pre COVID times. You said COVID times were nasty because it is primarily solitary confinement. Did you make any friends in jail? You have a sizable tent that you live with three others, and one is Pepper, the dog. How is life with a dog in this encampment? Are there any other dogs in the camp? You are holding down the fort while your co-tenants are moving to the Benchlands. Do you think many folks won't decline to go to the Benchlands? You have a tent permit to go to the Benchlands, and what did they say to you? What are your feelings about moving into the Benchland? Robert says sarcastically, and you can go straight from the courthouse to jail. Have most of the people here moved to the Benchlands? What is your sense about the numbers? Did everyone move like a herd of cattle? Did you a chance to look at what the Benchland camp is going to look like? Will Pepper be able to come along? Do you know how long you will be allowed to stay in the BenchLands? How do you think women are fairing in this camp as opposed to Ross Camp? Mama Shannon the Poet. Do you have a phone? Robert and Alex exchange phone numbers. Robert would like updates as to how Alex is being treated in the new camp. He also told Alex about HUFF, the Union of the Homeless, and Food Not Bombs. You are now the playground. There aren't any children right now, but you say they come 2-3 x a week? Only one family dares to go by the camp. Robert chides Alex sarcastically about scaring children away. What are your feelings about going to the Benchlands? I know you don't relish going back to jail. And that is the threat if you don't move. The Union of the Homeless in solidarity encourages your civil rights. For example, not to be evicted to nowhere. The Ross Camp was evicted to nowhere. What kind of Meth use is there here and not just meth use but also meth use and behavior that is harmful to others here at the park? Screaming in the middle of the night., violence, thievery, that sort of behavior. One of the complaints about this camp and every camp is the use of drugs and the behavior that comes from it., both meth and heroin. Were you offered a place at the Armory? What did you think? Can't you have visitors there? How about a pet? Severely controlled. How was it that you went there? Did you go to try it out? Is there anything else from before you have to talk about? ALEX: Soft-spoken Alex said they took 37 people to jail. A lot of people got cited, fingerprinted, and released. I think 12 of us had to stay because of warrants, or things get physical sometimes. They called solitary confinement quarantine. It is the same procedure as solitary confinement. You are in lockdown 23 hours a day. You can come out for one hour. If you are in a group, there were so many groups that sometimes you didn't get to come out. Sometimes it would be days before you could come out, take a shower or watch TV. Yes, I made a friend, but I lost contact with him because he went upstate. I like living with a dog. It keeps my mind off reality. I like dogs. Before I had my dog, I was always taking care of other people's dogs. Yes, and our neighbors' dogs and my dog get along. They said to have my stuff down in the area and be ready to go. That was yesterday. I don't really like to be right next to the courthouse. Yes, pretty much everyone has got their voucher and moved into the Benchlands. I am pretty sure everyone who wanted a voucher got one. Maybe not like a herd of cattle but like a string of ants. Yes, I looked over the Benchland camp. It will be pretty much like before with two lines of tents with a center walkway. Yes, Pepper will be allowed in the Benchland. No one has mentioned how long we will be allowed to stay. I asked, but I was either not heard of ignored. Women group together in this camp. They have found their own voice thanks to Shannon from the Ross Camp. She was a great example. Yes, I have a phone. Yes, the same family comes 2-3x a week. Yes, only one family. Alex retorts to Robert's comment about scaring away children by saying if they (the city) gave us an adequate place to be, we would be there. I am not excited about moving to the Benchlands, but I want to be where I am accepted. I need a place to be. Yes, the city evicted us from Camp Ross to nowhere, and that is what they tried to do this last December again. The community stood up with us and had the COPS leave. The city just keeps kicking us out and doesn't give us a place to go. We are just supposed to figure it out. To disperse to where we don't know. We are just supposed to disperse. Most of the people I know who are using drugs can't get out of their tents to commit crimes. They can't stand up. They are incapacitated, or they are enjoying themselves because they are doing what they want to do. The people who do drugs and go out and break windows and steal things don't have a tent. They are always on the move. It is more of mental health problems, not drugs. Most of the people doing drugs are just kicking out at home. Yes, I was offered a place at the Amory. I didn't take it because you can't walk in or out on your own. You can't be picked up or dropped off up there. You can't have a car up there. You can't drive in and out on your own. Yeah, you can't have visitors up there. You can have a pet. You can't have food up there. You have an open fire up there. You don't have any basic niceties of life up there. I would say fascist. Yeah, severely controlled. I wouldn't say I liked the feel of it, and it looks crazy. Razor wire on top of the barbed wire fence. Like on the inside to keep you in, not to keep people out. It's crazy. It does not look right. No, I would go in, but they told me I had to take the shuttle up. There. I was there already, and I would have had to go back and wait for a shuttle. No, That is about what I remember (****Ursula note: This is the best interview I have ever heard you do, Robert. Alex's gentleness and yours made it very easy to listen and to understand. You matched his tempo perfectly. Alex was articulate and moving. This interview was so heartwarming and sad, such a great human interest story. I wish everyone could hear this piece of life that many have no understanding. Was this a spontaneous or a planned interview?) BathrobesPierre's Broadside 04/29/21 continued program Recap This is a summation of the broadcast. They are not direct quotes of anyone, but instead, they understand what was said. Edit corrections are welcome in the comment section. Thank you, Ursula Reed. Along the highway, I saw significant places where tents had been. SLP 11 tents on the sides of the porta-potties 12 tents by the courthouse in the Benchlands 3 rows and there are The tents are closer toward the center. ONE porta-potty removed by Cooper's tent ROBERT to Eric: How long have you been here. How long at SLP. were you told to leave in 48 hours flyer/ survey what do want to do if they force you to move. You are planning to stay, and Coopers is too. Do you want to have the community help you if the police try to move you out? In December, the community came and protested the police moving campers out. Tomorrow is the deadline. The tents are small two-person tents. ERIC: 4 years in this area SC SLP 6 mos I'll stay for now. We need to stay above the treeline. Nope, not told to move in 48 hours 4 or 5 will stay. By Monday, they will be the last to move out except for us. We are not moving. Talking about flyers, what help do you want from the community.? Santa Cruz Community is great. We don't want outsiders telling us to move. We are oldtimers. We look out for each other. I'm not too fond of the government. They rip us off. Most of the tents are empty or half-filled. I would not move. ROBERT to Jessica: Will you stay or move? Have you staying long in this camp. I heard there was a big sweep in Persing Park? Tell me what happened. And by the city moved you? Thank you, Jessica, any more than you want to add. JESSICA: I am from Santa Barbara. Heading for San Francisco, I am domestically challenged. They should designate an area. It looks they did that. It is against the law to be poor. You get judged even for wearing a backpack. I have been here for 1 day. I was at Persing Park. People were too trashy. And people were high on whatever medicine they use. And ranting all night and disturbing the neighborhood. It takes one bad egg to ruin the dozen totally. Because people were selfish and high, they caused people to become displaced. And they had to move it depending on how much stuff they would keep or not. I travel light. I had a place to stay on my friend's boat in the Harbor. The person I love is homeless, and I wanted to stay with him. I don't consider myself homeless. I am domestically challenged. I stay with friends. I bring food and gifts. I will give them alcohol. I help as much as I can. I don't have to live like this. I choose to live like this because the people I love life like this. Your welcome People should love more and hate less. Daryl Churney: Album White Tribal Music; song; Jesus was a MUSHROOM; song Five Billion Turds a Day (Robert read the lyrics) ROBERT to Dreamcatcher 04/27/: You are going to have beachfront property? Where is your other place? Do you have a place to store your artwork? Do you still do your feather artwork? Magic Mushrooms? There are no guarantees of how long people can stay here. We guarantee we will take your belongings if you don't move to the Benchlands. Brent Adams? Hell no, I won't go Cooper. Dreamcatcher: I am going to have 2 residences, Riverfront, have mountain and river up there. A valley ocean view. I am up by the Armory at the golf course. I have eighteen weeks. Mary, with long silver hair, has my portfolio. I have over a hundred paintings it would take you all night to look through. I need to find a way to market them. I am really into guys riding waves. I still do my gay flaming rainbow feather art that is my trademark. I am the only one that does that. I also do mushrooms. Yes, I put glitter all over them. Officer Winston shook me down because someone took me seriously about magic mushrooms. He (Jeremy) is my case manager, and he gives me the best advice in the world. He is the man to go to. Brent and Cooper are kind of in opposition. Yes, Brent Adams. He is telling the truth. Brent, I like it, and Cooper is my good friend. She is the head honcho of this camp here. I congratulate the moving to the Benchlands because we are hazardous to the land. I do appreciate this non-curfew place. The only guarantee is there are no guarantees. (Ursula note: synchronicity with the song Jesus was a Mushroom and Dreamcatchers Magic Mushrooms). ROBERT to Jeremy: Last time I talked to you was about the Armory. Are they going to shut it down soon? So are you the case manager? Jeremy, do you have a service on the net, or can they call you? Or are you full to the brim? Do you help handle emergencies? Jeremy, have you talked to many people in the tents? How many people have you talked to in the Benchlands Park area? So the tents are occupied? JEREMY: I want to do my best. For myself and for my friends like Dreamcatcher here. Be informed when it involves people's lives. I don't know anything about it being shut down. It is still fully functioning. The case management is rather good. I am full to the brim. I volunteer a lot of time. Today there were a lot of medical issues. We are dealing with vulnerable people, medically vulnerable. Mentally vulnerable. I am helping people down here get medical services. I always carry a backpack full. Narcan is needed. I have attached 2 people to H.P. Services today. I had to call 911 for one person who for five days had no one to care for them. There some desperate situations here where people could use a little help. Yes, I talked to people in tents. I'd say 99% of the people who are on top now are from the park. Most of them I have talked to about 150 people. Yes, most of the tents are occupied. A few are abandoned. ROBERT to Cooper: I am distributing a survey that talks about what to do when the police come. And to get different opinions and thoughts. Any thoughts from your respect? Anything positive? Yesterday I heard that people were told they had 48 hours to move. Did you get that message from the city? You were a nurse? The judge has given her stamp of approval that the SLVP campers have to move to the Benchlands or else. It is a war against the poor. Her name is Judge Von Kuelan. The city attorney informed her. Tony Condotti is his name. Anthony Prince is the Union of the Homeless attorney. He signed the proposal. They have a Code of Conduct. Robert says sarcastically the police come in from out of town to enforce the law. War is Hell Cooper. When they come to drag you away, have someone call me. COOPER: I think we should stay put until people are moved to more appropriate living conditions. Benchlands are not safe. It is a river overflow area. I have seen it under 3 feet of water. Right now, it is in dead heat sun. Inside the tents, it gets scorching. Not safe conditions. I urge people to stay put under the shade of trees. And there is a drinking fountain here. When we were at the Benchland before, there was no water. That is a war crime to tap off the water, where people do not have access to water. ( Ursula note: On this issue, I totally agree with Cooper). I am glad people are getting new tents. Many had makeshift shelters. This has been generations of homeless graduates from SCHS. Graduate them right to the gutter and the street. That is the shame of the city business. No, I didn't get the message to move. I was out shopping. I could have missed it. Stressor lists say that moving is second on the list after the death of a loved one. Continuing to ask already compromised. The hospitals here release people back to the streets. It is a good thing I did not work here. Yes, I was a nurse for many, many years. We didn't release people to the street, and we didn't arrest people for baloney stuff. When the police come with guns to rob the people, they are committing crimes. They will have to put their hands on people to kidnap them. To take them to jail because they won't go to a concentration camp. We have the actual law on the outside. Not everyone agrees with this. What judge would okay people to go into a flood zone in the dead-heat sun with no trees? Does she know what she is doing? We have people in wheelchairs, people with walkers, people on crutches. We have people over 70 years old taking them out of the shade and putting them into the death heat sun without a water source. Sounds like a war crime. What is her name? I think it is a lack of investigation. What's the city attorney's name? Is that the attorney I met at the Union of the Homeless? He needs to be fired. He didn't investigate who is living here. Also, there are people here in the camp that only will live with freedom. Did you hear people were told to come to the Benchland Camp? We aren't going to put up a fence, no curfew, no rules? They did that to get people to go to Auschwitz. It is a real concern when you have 90% of the police force living out of town. To do dirt on the residents and then leave. During the civil war, the soldiers came in and shut off the water supply. That is what they did here. They capped off the water and closed the bathrooms. We opened it up and then closed it again. They gave us these 3 buckets (porta-potties) for 200 people. And the soap dispensers are broken. I have a piano now and furniture. It is going to be grand theft. Money doesn't buy values or integrity. I can't see the U. S. standing for this kind of treatment. I heard that by 05/15, everyone would be in a hotel. *** end of 4/29/2021 ************************************************** 04/22/2021 Bathrobespierre's Broadside 04/22/21 Recap This is a summation of the broadcast. They are not direct quotes of anyone, but rather they are my understanding of what was said. Edit corrections are welcome in the comment section. Intro: Stop the Round-Up spraying Casa Del Rio Riversides Apt. HUFF dialog raise issues that need to be remembered. Police killings and murders continue. Show trial. Interview with Keith McHenry. Lawsuits throughout the CA state. Intro music: Pins and Needles song Sing Me with Social Significance. Visalia Delta article read by Robert with commentary: Headlines Legal Showdown Brewing Between Tulare County Homeless Encampment/ Sheriff's Department Picture of a tent with the words Can't Afford Rent Don't Take My Tent. 1/18/21 served homeless evictions for trespassing along Tulare River. Some residents have been there for a decade. Illegal to evict without adequate shelter said Attorney Bracamonte. Penalosa city councilperson said the homeless should not evict the homeless. Previously a fire at another St Johns encampment was deemed accidental during the clean-up. SC injunction was solely based on COVID, which could mean that when tier goes into yellow, then they can turn out the campers with no place to go. Homeless Union denied access to declarations to Robert Norse. Robert, for the dissenting voice, was threatening with expulsion from the union. City Council pushback is needed against the TOLO. Strong, persistent protests make changes. Government machine people try to change it from within. But unfortunately, the good people become part of the machine, and change doesn't happen. Still no adequate shelter, the judges are taking notice and ruling in favor of the Homeless. Robert drawing a strong comparison between Tulare and Santa Cruz County and the river dwellers encampments and the counties trying to evict. Musical Break: Daryl Churney Album I had to be Born this Century songs, Sunshine on the Mountain/ Ballad of the BLM / It's Camp / The Eel River Flood of 1986 / Where We Going to Work When the Trees are Gone? HUFF meeting discussion talk of letters written to the city council needs to be realistic vs. positive. Many lawsuits around the state have been successful. Many more lawsuits are being filed. The threat of lawsuits has forced the city council to rethink sweeps, but Robert's concern is, does it stop police harassment? Carrie called Robert, and he came down to the apartments and distributed the flyers and interviews with tenants and community protestors. Against Round-Up Spraying carcinogenic chemicals and the elderly having health issues. Only about 4 or 5 people from the community showed. Steve confirmed the spraying had been stopped and no plans to do it. Residents want a written note for no dangerous chemical spraying. Bliss a Santa Cruz local that likes to stand up for the rights of people. LA Times article 4/20/21 by Smith and Arensky read and commentary by Robert Norse: Federal Judge David Carter issued injunction clear Skidrow. Order city must find women children shelter within 90 days, next families within 120 days, general population by 10/18 /21 provide support services after adequate shelter allow laws to stop camping downtown. Race a factor project room key provided mostly whites housing. City and County failed to house homeless in Skidrow, and it has been decades since they were ordered to provide housing. Lying in Santa Cruz about having adequate housing. But to be right with the constitution, they have to pretend that they have shelter. More on the spraying of elderly and disabled apartment grounds with Round-Up. CARRIE: We want to outlaw Round-UP in Santa Cruz. It has been outlawed in San Lorenzo Valley. The corporation that bought the property. Made every move their stuff out because we're going to paint. But they didn't paint, and they left dirty carpet. In the cupboards, you have to go on your knees. To reach items, and the top shelves are too high. Their heaters don't work. FPI listed 44 lawyers. We are elderly and disabled. These are not handicapped. The few of us are the voice for all of us. We asked for double rails on the steps, and they aren't putting them in. FPI management Steve is running the whole show. Should we ask him to sign a note? I blew my arm out, trying to move my stuff out of the apartment. DIANE: When the new management told us that we had to move for ten days. It will be a vacation. I told them that I didn't want to go to a hotel. Not for us. I couldn't move belongings. I had to get a note from my doctor saying that I needed help. We all are elderly and disabled. They got free money to renovate. They did this at the height of COVID. They put my furniture out on the deck, and it rained, and it ruined everything. I wasn't compensated. The residents were at the apartments for 15, 18, and 30 years. RESIDENT: These people are taking advantage of us because we are poor. I am a breast cancer survivor. And I was homeless before I got to live here. I was denied shelter at River Street because I was on narcotics from my breast amputation. It took me 3 mo.s to get housing. I had a heart attack. I don't want to have another one. I have been an activist for years. ROBERT: Ask Steve to sign a note that he won't be spraying. Who is Steve? The person speaking is in a wheelchair. Carrie told me that many years ago, they were able to stop Round-Up. Some of the women were apprehensive about giving their names. The reporter called but did not show up in person. The photographer from the Sentinel, Shmuel Thayer, came. He was the same photographer that took a photo of councilwoman Katherine Beiers reporting on the occupy movement. 4 of us were reporters, and we were charged with felonies for conspiring to trespass that was tied up in court battles for a year. And some of us for several years. I subpoenaed Thayer to justify that there were city officials in the building and were not charged with anything. And they had no permission to be in the building either. Schmuel was upset at me for subpoenaing him. He felt I was playing dirty pool and should have approached him voluntarily. He is an employee of the Sentinel, and I do not have much faith in the Sentinel. His work depends on the Sentinel. So I can see how they would pay more attention to one's employer unless forced to do it by a legal order. KEITH MCHENRY INTERVIEW: Yes, I was out at the park in the morning. There were a couple of new families there. The children were playing it was very nice. People were in an excellent mood. I was announcing that the city attorney's office that there was a two-week extension on the TRO. I handed out a flyer with the 5 basic agreements that were the guidelines for Camp Phoenix. Simple, doable rules such as no visible drug use within a radius and that we can do this ourselves and self-manage it. We said we could do it ourselves instead of the Code of Conduct set up by the city. Yes, they left while the city mowed, and then they went back. People were commenting on how nice and calm it was; People were lucid. Some people said they were sick of living in the park and wished the city would give them a hotel. There was one woman on the phone with unemployment trying to find a job. There was a mom and Dad with baby geese. Definitely a lot more people both on top and below. I haven't heard anything about COPS in the park. On Dakota, you have to keep putting money in the meters regularly. Yes, the 04/27/21 court hearing has been moved to the 12th of May. So far I haven't heard about a problem. We handled the FNBs problem. We are doing okay. FNBs supported the No Round-Up Spraying trying to help the apartments. Check out the Emeryville lawsuit and the Skidrow thing. FNBs is real active in the Skidrow district. And there is stuff going on in Chico, Pacifica, and Sausalito. ROBERT; Talking with Keith McHenry, Co-Founder of Food Not Bombs and Vice President of the Santa Cruz Homeless Union. Keith, you were at San Lorenzo Park? Camp Phoenix was set up after the Ross Camp was evicted. Didn't the city say they had to leave the Benchland while they bulldozed? How many did you see in the Benchlands? Dread Eye said there was more harassment of people living in their vehicles by the park? What have you heard about that and COPS in the park? What about the Netcast the homeless Union is planning for tomorrow? The Resistance Meeting is also tomorrow. And has the 04/27/21 court date been moved? What about the fate of everyone else that is homeless in the city? What about the outdoor residents of the funding matters? What about Food Not Bombs itself? You had threats from the city. Regarding the trash art. Food Not Pesticides. Anything else you'd like people to know about? Judge Carter order And Marysville threatened with trespass? Emeryville article read by ROBERT: Emeryville won a temporary injunction. blocks city from closing an encampment on Showman's Street. Morales from the Where do We Go encampment brought the lawsuit using COVID CDC guidelines. The fact that we stopped them even temporarily is a big win for us. Net Zoom Friday 04/23/21 4:00 at the Little Red Church Lincoln and Cedar St. for Revolutionary Lawyering Self Organizing and Systematic Change a panel of speakers. At 5:00, the Resistance meeting following. *** end of 04/22/2021 *********************************************************************** 04/15/2021 ROBERT Intro: Interviews Pacific Ave. Update on San Lorenzo Park Mayor Donna Myers and the TOLO will probably be more stringent scheduled to go into effect in about a month. Intro Music; from Pins and Needles Sing Me a Song of Social Significance. Tent Tabling on Pacific Ave by New Leaf 04/11/ 21: ROBERT: No tent but an information table. The originator of the Tent Tabling is ill. But here with me is the ever-faithful Gladeyes Gloria. Lots of people with masks. Across the street is Curtis Reliford on his way to the Hopi reservation to bring supplies. I need gas money. Please donate. The music is deafening. New Leaf is open through the back. Robert trying to get people to sign the petition. Homeless couple sitting on the ground. Would you interview for Free Radio? ROBERT's interview questions for Off and Nichol: Do people shower you with money? Is it worthwhile? How about the police? Do you have shelter? Tell me about your experience at the park. How long have you been here? Those homeless people, are they all drug addicts? Have you talked to many people? How about theft? What percentage of the people are mellow? What percentage are disabled or by infirmity or elderly? What about the Porta-potties? What about sharp containers? I will give you my telephone number. Call me if you have updates? You will hear other people's opinions on the needle and drug situation. I myself have never seen a needle in San Lorenzo Park. I have been there half a dozen times in a week. I don't want to censor opposing views. OFF: I just started painting; Nichol does wirewrap jewelry. I got two tickets from an officer in training, 310 dollars fine each. I have a warrant from 2000 for marijuana possession and failure to appear. I like watching people, so it is always worthwhile. We have been staying at San Lorenzo Park it has been a nightmare. One word methamphetamine's. We have been here a couple of months. You have to worry about stepping on needles and the behaviors associated with it. Playing loud music at 2:00 am, people babbling to themselves. It is a shame that people associate meth use with the homeless. It is awful that people look at the homeless and think there is a horrible drug addict. Drug use is in the housed community as much as it is in the homeless community. I have talked to 2 or 3 people, that is all. I don't want to associate with drug addicts; I am very particular. Not much Theft. Theft we haven't lost anything. An older man is next to us looks out for things. I have had my stuff stolen right from under a guard's watch in a government facility. About a third of the percent is mellow. There are a lot of people who are old or disabled. It is tough to tell who is mentally ill and who is a meth addict. Some people are physically challenged. I saw some people in wheelchairs and a person on crutches. I don't use the porta-potties. There are needles on the floor. I have seen needles right by the sharps containers. NICHOL: Pretty quiet. No flack except not being in the vendor boxes. I made nothing today. We have met a lot of good people. We set up pretty much every day. Pretty much the same I have talked to a few people. Yes, I would say that about a third of the people are mellow. It is hard to know who has schizophrenia and who is a meth addict. The porta-potties are always dirty better during the week. I have only seen 1 sharp container. ROBERT reading David Rovics Green Party lyrics. I like what he says. Comments on Biden he is going get the troops out of Afghanistan by Sept. it is a never-ending war. Every election year, we choose the two-party, established corporate candidates who haven't given us universal healthcare, rent control, or other common people's needs. Instead, we could focus on the greater good and vote for who we really believe will make a difference. It takes a crisis or unbearable, continued abuses to make people rise against the established government oppressors. Music Break: David Rovics Campaign Song for Jill Stein./ Rocky Road by the Paragons ROBERT Commentary: We will now go to the City Council and Mayor Myers and the dumping of the TOLO, the apologies of the mayor to her right-wing Seabright constituencies. The Mayor did not talk to the homeless, and she did not talk to the activists; she did not talk to the homeless service providers. She talked to the fear-driven, prejudice, privileged people whose apprehension regarding their invisibly gated community will be invaded by the reality of homelessness. And the people who need to get survival sleep. This is unacceptable in any neighborhood because they view themselves as being targeted or magnetized. After all, all the homeless will come to town and their neighborhood, bringing the stereotype of drugs and craziness, drunkenness, and all this litter that is the homeless lifestyle. That is a part of large encampments, which is not true if the city would provide the encampments with the needed services that people in houses get. The Shelter crisis in Santa Cruz was officially declared in 1990. And the wack a human being by the police whose budget has been increased and paid for with public taxes. High rents, COVID, and income inequality all come together in the perfect storm. Posted on their view media at the City Council Meeting, it was decided they are directing the staff to 1) Suspend the enforcement of the Temporary Outside Living Ordinance and return to the council with a new ordinance on May 11th. 2) Direct staff to talk to and engage with the community. Get input from people who work with the homeless, direct service providers, mutual aid, and neighborhoods to set up shelters and safe sleeping programs on city properties. No specifics in this proposal and no mention of the elderly or disabled. A few token shelters and safe sleeping areas. Talk is that a broader injunction will be brought to the courts. I believe in the Union of the Homeless and Anthony Prince's good intentions far more than I do of the City. Historically their bad intentions are to drive the homeless out. They have been talking to these people from 1990 and particularly the last two years. Endless city committees talked about all these particulars ad nauseam. The results were The city could not decide on any specific places for shelters, camps, or safe parking except for the inadequate few that already existed. The fear is that the ordinance will be made much harsher in conditions heaped upon the most vulnerable citizens, the unhoused. ROBERT Reads the Counterpunch Article: The Murder of Dante Wright Ruined Derik Chauvin Show Trial By A Jammu Baraka organizer Black Alliance for Peace and the running mate for Greenpeace Presidential Candidate Jill Stein The U.S. was going to render justice with the trial of Derik Chauvin when another young black man in the area where George Floyd was murdered. How cheap lives are as black people are gunned down in murderous violence at the heart of the racist law enforcers. Many murders of black people have happened without bringing the police perpetrators to justice. Caught on video the George Floyd snuff film, there is no denying the brutal murder. The killings are continuing. Black people need to self-govern. The price to get others to respect our civil rights is death. Have to be ready to die. We will let people know how peaceful we are. We will let people know how well-being we are. We will let the people know how law-biding we want to be. But if the murders continue, we will blow the world sky high. San Lorenzo Park 04/12/21 interviews: The benchlands campers were ordered to move to the SLP while the city cleans it to get ready for the SLP campers to move to. ROBERT Interviews park members: Why won't they give the money to you? What is the name of the bank? How is life in the park? I need to go to the Benchlands. I talk a woman who was part of the occupy movement. She comes and helps clean the park. I asked her about needles. She said there was a variety of ways they dealt with needles. Sometimes they are put in bottles. Sometimes they are on the ground with bent tips; Sometimes, they are in garbage cans. Benchland, not many notices posted visibly. Fewer tents than years ago. 6 tents and former sites and about another 6 tents. Any city officials? Any signs posted move out by 9;00 am. Have people been moving out? Hey, Keith, have you seen any papers posted that people have to move out. Robert to a man, are you here with NOMAD? Hey Cat, with a red star, are you here to help? 25 tents between the county and the Duck Pond. Water stations work Porta-potty doesn't smell bad. Things look clean. Homeless of the Union notice Don't be fooled by the city to evacuate. A temporary move to SLP, then you can return to Benchlands. Not being forced out of the Benchlands. Tents around Bocci Court. 3 or 4 tents couple of dogs. Steven Whitman: I have thousands of dollars in the bank, and the bank won't give it to me. They won't give me my money because the strip on my card isn't working. They want to send me a card to an address I haven't lived at in years. Co-America Direct Express. I need to get a lawyer and sue file a lawsuit. I'm broke. I don't sleep here. I come to play my guitar. WOMAN: No, people haven't been moving out yet. They are waiting to see if they will be made to move. KEITH MC HENRY: No, nothing has been posted. I got the original notice. I called them and said fuck off. We said we would challenge it in court. The Notice was to vacate. Somebody came from the city and photographed this. Then we were told we were going to be shut down because we were a nuisance. MAN: I am here to help the people move if they want to move. I am not with any group. CAT: I am here to help people move. Yeah, I am a Marxist. this is for a coffee collective. MAN: We have rabbits and squirrels and a Cheetah. Music Breaks: Daryl Churney, Album They Don't Make Hippies Like They Used To song Potter Vally Mill / Earth First Made Back to TentTabling Pacific Ave 04/11/21 ROBERT interviewing Curtis Reliford: His Truck and Trailer bound to Native American Nations, How is the COVID emergency on the Reservations? How long have you been doing this? Are the police still harassing you? I would be careful of the police chief. CURTIS: My message, I respect you, Rob, and what you do. I drive this peace train truck, a black man in a white world. I promote peace, love, and compassion. And I take supplies to the Native American Reservations I am at followyourhearactiontnetwork.org My book Madness to Surrender. After I got home, I heard Covid killed 11 people. They are getting it hard. I have been doing this for 16 years doing it on faith. Caring and Sharing, we are on this earth together. I had 20 tickets for promoting peace. I got a smoke ticket for sage, not pot. It took me years of community service to work it off. I got the keys to the city. The police chief said he loved me. Police or not, we are all just humans doing the best we can on our own path. Either you choose the good path, or you choose the bad path. WOMAN: I have known Curtis for 16 years. We were both at Katrina, me as a Red Cross worker, he did different work. He is an excellent person. We both work for the goodness of human beings. LRT: From Oakland. I was part of the Korean situation I lived in Japan. I speak Spanish. Santa Cruz has treated me well. I play Saxophone on the streets and in Europe. Curtis is one of the finest men there is. City Council Meeting 04/13/21. Closed Session 8:30 am on Zoom. Robert called in. He spoke of the Lawsuit with Homeless Union against the City Manager. Fire the City Manager who caused this expensive fiasco. Your false humanitarian words do not hide your hostile homeless policies—false narratives for real housing. The closed sessions need transparency to the public. He cited the Chico lawsuit that stopped all the homeless sweeps and banned anti-homeless laws. This lawsuit bears on the SC homeless policies. He urged the city to stop the abuses against the homeless. He thanked the community for listening. ROBERT Reads his Indybay article and comments on the actions being made in Santa Cruz by the Santa Cruz Homeless Union and ACLU: Chico Shines A Light But Activists Here Must Do the Heavy Lifting by Robert Norse Chico Comanche Creek Greenway Homeless lawsuit against the city of Chico. It stopped the Greenway eviction. It stops the homeless encampment sweeps city-wide by a federal court order TRO. Due to lack of shelter and no alternative campgrounds. Not just during the COVID emergency, as is the Santa Cruz. The Chico lawsuit. It Stopped the enforcement of all municipal codes regarding the homeless. It also banned the panhandling law and protects the people that are homeless' property from police seizure, even those valuing less than a hundred dollars. Hopefully, the TRO will become an injunction that leads to a law that upholds the TRO ruling. And that ruling will affect the current laws and the impending unconstitutional and extreme cruelty of the TOLO Temporary Outdoor Living Ordinance. The Homeless Union and ACLU lawyers need to awaken to the Human Rights of the homeless and bring lawsuits against the government authorities that enforce unfair laws. ACLU is doing less than the Homeless Union who gathers declarations of damage since the disbanding of Ross Camp. Because they can't get permission from the head of the CA ACLU, the North Reginal ACLU. What is needed is a Lawsuit that can get a permanent injunction that will protect the rights and belongs of the poor who live outside and fulfillment of real safe housing, parking, and camping. Will our lawyers take on the challenge. Thanks to Anthony Prince and Alicia Kuhl, the SLP injunction stopped the police from moving the Homeless people from the park with a Temporary Restraining Order based solely on the dangerous COVID conditions and CDC guidelines. It threatens the health and well-being of everyone. The cruelty of moving them in the dead of winter In the second hearing, the city got permission to move the SLV campers to the Benchlands. First, the Benchland campers needed to be moved to SLP so that the Benchlands could be cleaned. What has not been brought up in the Santa Cruz lawsuit is the lies and false promises for adequate shelter and mythical housing the city has made in the past. If the campers refuse to move, they will be banned from the park. Even in the Benchlands, there is no security. Because the case is only based on COVID and the belief that shelter is adequate. In the new city managed Benchland Campground. A strict Code of Conduct is proposed that the general public would find oppressive. Cut off of out-of-town funding is resulting in the closing of temporary shelters and campgrounds. Bubbling under the surface is the ever-present threat of having to get rid of the homeless. Not by providing real housing. But by unseen menacing, new ways of creating legal language to get around existing laws such as Martin vs. Boise protect the homeless. New ways to exact cruelty It is disconcerting. Many people in vehicles cannot use safe parking because of restrictive rules, a safe camping zone, safe sleeping zones, and safe parking. We need real solutions. The involvement of the housed and unhoused community is needed again to join together in standing up against unfair laws that undermine the safety and security of the poor and most vulnerable members of Santa Cruz, the homeless campers. Come to the Red Chuch at 5:00 pm Friday 04/16/21 for a Resistance Meeting. Back to the Monday 04/12/21 San Lorenzo Interviews: Robert checking out what is happening in the benchlands with the court order to move to the San Lorenzo Park while the Benchlands is being cleaned in preparation for a full move of the campers in San Lorenzo Park, including the displaced Benchland Campers. (At the time of the broadcasts, Robert heard the Benchland Campers moved to San Lorenzo Park as ordered by the Federal Court Judge Von Keulen). ROBERT Interviews Cooper: It looks like there are fewer tents. How many people will really stay when confronted by police. Cooper has more to say... COOPER: There is no room for the Benchland campers in upper SLP. There are fewer tents because of the rain pooling in the open area. Our Freedom Campers will not go into the Concentration Camps and the micro-management. No one will move to the Benchlands. I think something great is happening again. The COPS must be rolling their eyes with the insane things they are asked to do. The Courts are making money by incarcerating innocent people. It is Profiteering. We are in World War 3 coming through to you through your TV set. No COVID shot for me. With COVID, it has increased homelessness. We are killing ourselves. There are two COPS in mask patroling. We are going to see true justice. I Believe in everyone's voices being heard. That is why you are hearing them here. You will be able to hear them again on Sunday. *** end 04/15/2021 ***************************************************************** |
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