On Wednesday March 21st, the California Faculty Association announced that members had authorized a strike. Faculty at San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, and five other California State University (CSU) campuses could walk out of classrooms as soon as the beginning of April. In the past four years, the faculty has only received a 3.5 percent pay raise, while CSU execs have gotten in 23 percent pay hikes.

Read more on Indybay's Labor & Workers, Education & Student Activism or California pages

Alice Nuccio, a member of Local 510, the Sign and Display Workers Union, and an activist in the social justice community in the Bay Area, died of cancer on Wednesday, March 21st, 2007, at age 46. Her community has been invited to a memorial service on Saturday March 24th at 6:30pm, at the St. Martin DePorres House, 225 Potrero Avenue (near 16th St.). Her life as an activist began with the anti-nuclear peace movement on the east coast in the late 1970s, then continued with her relationships, serving food with Food Not Bombs, working on AIDS issues with ACT UP, participating in the direct actions that shut down the WTO in Seattle, and organizing Anarchist Cafes. Alice fought for people to have more access to information about their illness, as well as for more holistic and less intrusive healing methods. Alice enjoyed community gardening, potlucks, bonfires at the beach, spending time with her cat, and collective musical experiences such as playing music with friends.

Read more on Indybay's Globalization & Capitalism page

Cathy Webster, a Chico grandmother, was one of six activists who reported to prisons throughout the country on March 21st. Cathy Webster trespassed on the U.S. Army base formerly known as the School of the Americas in order to protest the teaching of counter-insurgency techniques and torture to Latin American soldiers. In the same spirit as the civil rights movement, she used non-violent civil disobedience to shine a spotlight on the teachings of the school, which was renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) in 2000.

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On the fourth anniversary of the War in Iraq, statistics recently released by the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) are showing that an increasing number of parents in the Pajaro Valley are choosing to “opt out” of having their high school child’s information released to military recruiters.

Read more on Indybay's Anti-War, Education & Student Activism or Santa Cruz Indymedia pages

Several hundred activists turned out in downtown San Francisco on March 19 to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. More than 50 protesters were arrested taking part in "die-ins" that blocked Market Street throughout much of the afternoon.

The die-ins began at noon at four locations along Market Street, including Civic Center and the corner of Montgomery Street outside the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein, a consistent supporter of the war. At the Montgomery intersection, 100 activists died-in on the sidewalk. At about 1 pm, half the group moved onto Market Street, blocking traffic for about half an hour. After several warnings, about 40 protesters lying in the street were arrested, including 76-year-old Pentagon whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg.

Eleven military family members and veterans were arrested by federal police at Nancy Pelosi's office after they met with Pelosi staff to express their opposition to Pelosi's plan to continue funding the War in Iraq,. The group included veterans who had served in Iraq and mothers whose sons are in Iraq now and others whose sons have served multiple deployments.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Reports: 1 | 2 | Video

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On the morning of March 19th a nonviolent direct action took place at Chevron World Headquarters, 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon. Protesters demanded an end to Chevron's oil crimes from Richmond to Iraq, saying "No blood for oil! Climate justice now! and Stop war, end empire!" About 100 people participated, from locking themselves to "oil" barrels in order to block one entrance to Chevron's headquarters to participating in street theater.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Video 1 | 2

Read more on Indybay's Anti-War page

The 4th anniversary of the US-led war on Iraq is being commemorated March 16th through March 19th. Local vigils took place on Friday and Saturday, and a big ANSWER march took place in San Francisco on Sunday. The SF march started with a rally at noon in Justin Herman Plaza. Around 1pm, protesters marched up Market St. for another rally in Civic Center Plaza. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Interviews

Protests took place in cities across California, including Eureka ( Photos), Arcata ( Photos: 1 | 2 ), Chico ( Photos), Sacramento ( Photos: 1 | 2), Fresno ( Video 1 | 2 | 3), Walnut Creek, Palo Alto ( Photos), San Jose ( Photos), and Los Angeles, as well as around the country.

2007 is the 40th anniversary of the historic 1967 anti-war march to the Pentagon during the Vietnam War. On Saturday March 17th, people from around the country gathered in Washington, DC to march on the Pentagon and demand that the US get out of Iraq now ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ).

Read more on Indybay's Anti-War page

Each year, the week of the Bay Area Anarchist Bookfair and the BASTARD conference of anarchist theory includes more and more events. This year, the Anarchist Bookfair will take place on two days, on Saturday, March 17th from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday, March 18th from 11am to 5pm at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, near Ninth Avenue and Lincoln Way. ( Photos: 1 | 2 | Video: 1 | Audio: 1 | 2 | 3 ) The BASTARD conference will take place on Sunday, March 18th from 10am to 6pm at UC Berkeley's Dwinelle Hall.

Read more on Indybay's Globalization & Capitalism page

Members of the Ghandi Peace Brigade and Code Pink have been holding vigil outside of Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco residence since March 11th demanding that the Speaker of the House stop funding the war. On March 13th, SF police ordered that Camp Pelosi tear down their tent but the activists are holding strong, refusing to leave, and they are asking others to join them. The Raggie Grannies have stepped in to offer support. A teach-in was held at 11:30am on March 14th at Pelosi's office in the SF Federal Building. On March 19th, several activists were arrested in the halls outside Pelosi's office after attempting to speak with her. Photos and Report: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Read more on Indybay's Anti-War page

A month after declaring his entry into the 2008 presidential race, Illinois Senator Barack Obama appeared in Oakland for a massive campaign rally on St. Patrick's Day. Well over 10,000 people packed into Frank Ogawa Plaza to hear him make his case for why he should be elected President of the United States. While the first democratic primary isn't until January 2008 and the general election isn't until November later that year, the diverse crowd cheered Barack Obama as if he were a candidate in the final stretch of an election. Video and Photos

Read more on Indybay's Government & Elections page

President Bush stopped in countries where he would meet the least opposition: Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Mexico. He nonetheless encountered criticism and protest at every step. In Colombia, demonstrators turned out in Bogotá despite massive numbers of police and soldiers who tried to enforce a ban on protest. Indymedia Colombia writes: "The more than 3,000 protesters here, in one of the most important crossroads of the presidential tour, demonstrated the resistance with which this unwanted visit was met."

Read more on Indybay's International or Americas pages

Fault Lines, the bi-monthly newsmagazine of Indybay, has just released another issue of radical political analysis and social commentary. Fault Lines #20 features exclusive articles on war resistors, squat riots, Climate Change, resistance to CAFTA, UC Berkeley's corporate sell-out and much more. Free issues of Fault Lines are available at various locations throughout the Bay Area. PDF of Issue 20

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Bay Media Lab host Howard Vicini will present video evidence during a Friday March 16th broadcast on San Francisco cable access covering the case against Josh Wolf. The video is consistent with Wolf's assertion that he was there as journalist covering the event despite statements made by the prosecutor and the judge that called into question Wolf's status as a journalist. The live broadcast will feature discussion among media activists and journalists concerning the Wolf case and others that have resulted in journalists facing federal subpoenas and the prospect of jail time.

Read more on Indybay's Indymedia page

The American River parkway in Sacramento includes a bike trail along the river that is a 24 mile stretch from downtown Sacramento to the Folsom dam. The bike trail runs directly through and under the elevated 300 foot long railroad trestle near the REI store and the Sacramento Fair grounds. The fire started today around 5:30. The trestle is made of creosote soaked wood. The cause of the fire is unknown at the time of this reporting. Between the sign and the smoke in the first picture in the newswire post is the Capital City freeway, which came to a near stand still due to drivers observing the fire. Photos

Read more on Indybay's Environment & Forest Defense or Central Valley pages

In February, Oakland's Intertribal Friendship House (IFH), the oldest American Indian Urban community center in this country, announced that it is facing possible closure. IFH has to raise $30,000 by March 23rd, to pay current and back taxes. Several benefit events will be held in Oakland from March 15th through 17th, and IFH is also accepting donations.

Read more on Indybay's Race page

Francisco Rodriguez, Candidate for President, Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, and Jennifer Laskin, Candidate for Executive Vice President of Alternative Ed, rallied on March 13th, 2007, to inform teachers of the campaign to elect Rodriguez for PVFT President in the first contested election in the union since 1993. With handmade signs and chants eliciting honks from passers by, the group called attention to this year's Teachers Union Election. "I believe it is time to have real communication, accountability and collaboration, not only within our Local, but with the other CFT Locals in the Monterey Bay" said Rodriguez.

Read more on Indybay's Education & Student Activism or Santa Cruz Indymedia pages

In the wake of two days of 5:00am raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement teams in San Rafael and Novato, numerous Marin County groups felt called to respond with solidarity vigils that will be held each morning from 5:00am to 8:30am in the Canal District of San Rafael. The first vigil took place on Friday, March 9th, at Medway and Canal Streets in the San Rafael Canal District ( Photos: 1 | 2), and these actions will reportedly continue "until no longer necessary."

On Monday March 12th, a community meeting in response to the raids will be held at 6:00pm at the Pickleweed Center in San Rafael. The ICE raids will be an agenda item at the Marin County Board of Supervisors Meeting on Tuesday, March 13th at 9:30am.

Read more on Indybay's North Bay / Marin or Immigrant Rights pages

Haitian singer and grassroots organizer Annette Auguste ("So An") was seized from her home by US Marines as part of the 2004 coup d'etat in Haiti, and was held as a political prisoner for over 2 years. Oakland welcomed So An on Saturday, March 10th, for a musical performance and celebration at The Uptown.

"Haiti: We Must Kill the Bandits," the new 90-minute film by Kevin Pina, introduced by So An, will be screened on Wednesday, March 14th, at 7PM at the Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Ave. in Oakland.

Read more on Indybay's Haiti page

In January 2007, the official (Regent-endorsed) student government of UC Santa Cruz, the Student Union Assembly, unanimously approved a resolution demanding that low-paid workers receive wages in accordance with other nearby institutions. The UC promised thousands of dollars to the lowest paid workers, many of which are members of AFSCME 3299, yet, up to this date, have not released this money. 36 people, including workers and students from Berkeley, Irvine, Davis, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco, were arrested outside the UC Office of the President on February 15th, while hundreds rallied in support both on-site in Oakland, as well as at a rally at UC Santa Cruz.

Read more on Indybay's Labor & Workers or Santa Cruz Indymedia pages

Thursday, March 8th is International Women's Day - a day on which women on all continents to come together to celebrate their various struggles for equality, justice, and peace. A number of events will be held around the Bay Area and the Central Valley, including screenings of two different films about sweatshops, events that focus on struggles of women in Mexico, and an evening of poetry, music and dance with local activists and artists.

Read more on Indybay's Womyn or California pages

Two benefit events are taking place in Santa Cruz for Native American (Dineh) families at Black Mesa who are resisting forced relocation from their homeland and the continuation/expansion of devastating mining operations by Peabody Coal. There will be an educational film screening at the RCNV on Saturday, March 10th, and a fundraising concert at 418 Front Street on Wednesday, March 14th.

Read more on Indybay's Environment & Forest Defense, Race or Santa Cruz Indymedia pages

To mark the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the war and occupation in Iraq, Peace Fresno and a coalition of valley and foothill peace and justice groups will hold a huge anti-war march and rally, including a 'die-in' at the Federal Building on March 18th from 1:30pm to 5pm. Peace Fresno president Bill Simon says, "Everyone who is against the war needs to come out to the annual 'Rally in the Valley for Peace and Justice: Bring the Troops Home Now!'"

Read more on Indybay's Central Valley page

Media analyst and antiwar activist Norman Solomon spoke at UC Santa Cruz on February 7th, 2007, about media in times of war. On this night, Solomon received the third annual Ruben Salazar Journalism Award. Audio

Rubén Salazar was a Mexican-American news reporter killed by the police during the National Chicano Moratorium March against the Vietnam War on August 29, 1970 in Los Angeles.

Read more on Indybay's Anti-War, Indymedia or Santa Cruz Indymedia pages