The Wednesday (February 3) vigil, was peaceful.  Seven people gathered outside the main gate. MacGregor Eddy was detained and cited for a bar and ban violation. Dennis Apel and Jorge Manley-Gil also were detained for failing to show identification.   Dennis was held until 10:30 pm at the Lompoc jail;  Jorge was released quickly since he was ID’d on Sunday.

Bud Boothe appears in Santa Barbara Federal Court, 1415 State St, 9 am, Thursday, February 18, for the November 4, 2009 witness when MP’s injured him. If you plan to attend, you must have ID and no cell phones are allowed inside the court.  Please come to support Bud.   Donations for legal costs can be sent to the Vandenberg Peace Legal Defense Fund, P.O. Box 5789, Salinas CA 93915. NOTE: Donations are not tax deductible as the Fund is not a 501 (c)(3).

Another vigil is planned for Wednesday, March 3. Please join our monthly vigils at 3 pm on the first Wednesday of every month, at the front gate on Highway One six miles north of Lompoc.  Do not park in the Middleschool parking lot.  Park on Mountain View Street near the school and walk to the front gate.

Posted: February 6th, 2010 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: 1

There will be a Peace Vigil at Vandenberg  AFB on Wednesday, Feb 3. We will assemble at 3 pm at Vandenberg AFB front gate (6 miles north of Lompoc on Highway One Santa Barbara county).

For further details call MacGregor Eddy at 831-206-5043 or e-mail macgregoreddy@gmail.com   See short presentation about Vandenberg at:

http://docs.google.com/present/embed?id=dfpxc5ff_677dhqjvpc9&interval=5&autoStart=true&loop=true

UPDATE: Jorge Manly-Gil was released from jail.

See story of launch and protest in both, the Santa Barbara Independent and Santa Maria Times at:

http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/military/article_a08214c4-0efb-11df-a6e8-001cc4c03286.html

http://www.independent.com/news/2010/feb/01/missile-mishaps/

Posted: February 3rd, 2010 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: none

Eight people were arrested at the Sunday, January 31 witness. Participants in the witness were not allowed to gather in the designated protest area, nor anywhere near the base. Nobody intentionally “crossed the line.”  The protest was dismantled and arrests were made by base security, who acted because the protest was not permitted by base commander, though the base was notified well before the gathering. (What happened to our right of “free speech”?)

The arrested include: Denis Apel, Tensie Hernandez-Apel, Bub Boothe, MacGregor Eddy, Judy Evered, Scott Fina, Mary Becker, and  Jorge Manly-Gil.

In the first test of its kind involving Vandenberg, an ICBM launched from the Marshall Islands was aimed at southern California. The Ground-Based Interceptor launched from VAFB, about 60 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, lifted off at around 3:45 pm, but was not successful in shooting down the target, launched six minutes earlier from the far end of the Ronald Reagan Test Range at Kwajalein Atoll.

First to be cited were MacGregor and Dennis, both of whom have existing “ban-and-bar” notices from previous arrests. They were cited for trespass, though they were in the designated protest area and did not cross onto base property.

Judy Evered, in her 80’s, of Goleta, CA was held on the ground by two security guards with one soldier’s knee in her back. Her booking was interrupted because she had to be transported to the hospital in an ambulance for a shoulder injury she sustained during arrest.  Evered is with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and is a frequent participant in ongoing vigils at Vandenberg. She was later released from the hospital, and unprocessed by authorities.

Jorge Manly-Gil, also from the Guadalupe Catholic Worker, refused to give any
information. He was last known to be held at the Lompoc City Police
holding cell.

The others arrested were given ban-and-bar letters though they were in compliance with base policy.

Posted: February 1st, 2010 under News.
Comments: 2

There is an Interceptor Launch from Vandenberg this Sunday, January 31. Missiles launched from Reagan Test Site, Marshall Islands, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. The test will simulate a Russian missile attack on the United States. We will assemble in protest at 2 pm at Vandenberg AFB front gate (6 miles north of Lompoc on Highway One Santa Barbara county).

For further details call MacGregor Eddy at 831-206-5043 or e-mail macgregoreddy@gmail.com

Check the Vandenberg website for cancellation. If test is canceled, protest is canceled.

Sponsored by WILPF

Posted: January 31st, 2010 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: none

The Interceptor Missile Test scheduled for Friday, January 22 has been canceled, hence the protest scheduled for Thursday, January 21 also has been canceled.

Posted: January 20th, 2010 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: 1

On Friday, January 22, The Missile Defense Agency will conduct a Ground-Based Interceptor Test, FTG-06, for the missile defense system. Missiles launched from Reagan Test Site, Marshall Islands, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. The test will simulate an Iranian missile attack on the United States.

We will assemble in protest on Thursday, January 21, from 4 pm to 7 pm at Vandenberg AFB front gate (6 miles north of Lompoc on Highway One Santa Barbara county).

For further details call MacGregor Eddy at 831-206-5043 or e-mail macgregoreddy@gmail.com

Check the Vandenberg website for cancellation. If test is canceled, protest is canceled.

Sponsors include: WILPF, Code Pink, Nevada Desert Experience, and War Reisisters League.

Posted: January 5th, 2010 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: 3

Fr. Louie Vitale, OFM, and Sr. Megan Rice were arrested late night August 23, 2009 for their nonviolent protest of Vandenberg Air Force Base’s test launch of a long-range nuclear missile. Please join them for an evening discussion before their Thursday morning court date.

What: Fr. Louie Vitale and Sr. Megan Rice discuss non-violent resistance to Vandenberg nuclear missile tests.

When: Wednesday, January 20, 7:00 pm

Where: Friends Meeting House, 2012 Chapala St., Santa Barbara, CA

Cost: Free

More Information: Rick Wayman, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation – (805) 965-3443

__________________________________________________________

Sponsors include: Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Santa Barbara Friends Meeting (Quakers), Nevada Desert Experience, L.A. Catholic Worker

Posted: December 31st, 2009 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: none

No reason was provided for the cancellation of the November 18 launch.

A final decision about our press conference will be made on Monday, November 16 insofar as the test could be back “on” at any moment.

Posted: November 15th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 9

Three people were arrested on November 4 during the monthly peace vigil at Vandenberg AFB main gate.  Dennis Apel again was cited for a “ban and bar” violation. Two other vigilers in the designated protest area were arrested for not identifying themselves with ID.  One, Bud Booth, 84 year old veteran of WWII Army Air Corps, and a long-time peace activist at Vandenberg, was placed in metal handcuffs and while being searched was grabbed at the center part of the handcuffs and swung around, tearing his shirt and skin on his arm. Paramedics were summoned to administer first aid.

Send letters of support to Bud at, P.O. Box 464, Los Olivos, CA 93441

Also write to base commander Col. David Buck, 30 SW/PA, Building 12,000, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA 93437-6267

Posted: November 6th, 2009 under News.
Comments: 8

Vandenberg Air Force Base, in violation of Article 6 of the NPT, will launch a Minuteman III test ICBM hair trigger solid fuel long distance nuclear warhead (with dummy warheads) delivery system on November 18th 2009.  There will be a peace protest sponsored by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom DISARM at 11:55 pm, Tuesday, Nov 17 at the base front gate (six miles north of Lompoc, California, on Highway One, Santa Barbara County).  For details e-mail macgregoreddy@gmail.com or call MacGregor at 831-206-5043

Check the Vandenberg website for cancellation. If the launch is canceled the protest is canceled.

Posted: October 30th, 2009 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: 2