Vandenberg Witness » News

SENTENCED FOR HIROSHIMA/NAGASAKI DAY WITNESS

Mike — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:17:50 +0000

L.A. Catholic Worker Jeff Dietrich appeared in Santa Barbara Federal Court on January 19 to plead guilty to trespass charges from an August 6 action commemorating the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Jeff received a $200 fine (no jail time). Jeff stated he will NOT pay the fine.

PACIFIC LIFE COMMUNITY ANNUAL GATHERING

Mike — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:58:39 +0000

Please join us for the Pacific Life Community (PLC) Occupy Vandenberg nonviolent direct action – March 12, 2012.

SEE FLYER BELOW:

2012 PLC – Occupy Vandenberg

Children and all living matter deserve a future. End U.S. imperialism. Stop the wars.

SPREAD THE WORD!

THREE SENTENCED FOR THEIR HIROSHIMA/NAGASAKI DAY WITNESS

Mike — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:28:14 +0000

On Thursday, December 15, Catholic Workers Jesse Lewis and Mariah Klusmire, along with Fr. Louis Vitale, OFM, appeared in Santa Barbara Federal Court to plead guilty to trespass charges from an August 6 action commemorating the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Both Jesse Lewis and Mariah Klusmire received a $100 fine (no jail time), while Fr. Vitale received one day in jail (no fine), which he will have to self surrender in January to serve. Both Jesse and Mariah stated they will NOT pay the fines.

GUILTY PLEAS BRING FINES

Mike — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:39:10 +0000

Theo Kayser and MacGregor Eddy appeared in Santa Barbara Federal Court on Thursday, November 17, to enter guilty pleas for their respective actions (see below). Theo Kayser received a $250. fine (no jail time), while Macgregor Eddy received a $1000. fine (no jail time). Theo Kayser stated he has no intention to pay his fine, while MacGregor Eddy indicated she intends to pay her fine.

IT IS OFFICIAL

Mike — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 21:52:27 +0000

It is now official—military installations cannot charge protesters for trespass when they are on public road easements (like California Highway 1 and Ocean Avenue at Vandenberg AFB) even if they have ban and bar orders against them.

U.S. v Hobert Parker has been re-designated as a published opinion in the Ninth Circuit and been applied by U.S. Magistrate Rita Coyne-Federman, who ironically was the original judge in the Parker case. Click HERE to read about the case.

MONTHLY VIGILS

Mike — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:54:20 +0000

Monthly vigils are held at the Main Gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base, on Hwy 1, the first Wednesday of each month. Vigil times are from 4:00 to 5:00 pm during Pacific Daylight Time, and from 3:00 to 4:00 pm during Pacific Standard Time.

Contact Dennis Apel at jdapel@yahoo.com or 805-343-6322 for further information.

MINUTEMAN III TEST POSTPONED

Mike — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 05:43:45 +0000

9/16/2011 – BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — The scheduled launch of an unarmed operational test Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., Sept. 21, was postponed pending completion of post test analysis of the failed launch that occurred July 27. The launch has not yet been rescheduled.– From Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs. Click HERE for actual post.

CHARGES DISMISSED

Mike — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 05:33:33 +0000

On Thursday, September 15, 2011, U.S. Magistrate Rita Coyne-Federman dismissed the trespassing cases (stemming from a November 3, 2010 arrest) against Fr. Steve Kelly, S.J., Fr. Louie Vitalie, OFM, and Dennis Apel. In her decision Coyne-Federman stated that the 9th Circuit Court’s ruling in U.S.A. vs Hobart Parker made it clear that, although she believed the Base had applied a sufficient amount of control over the public highways that run through the Base to give them authority to arrest and cite for trespassing, the Base could not legally do so in concurrent jurisdiction.

It was a victory for those who have received Ban and Bar orders from the Base and who can now protest at the Main Gate without the threat of being arrested. Present in the courtroom were a number of personnel from Vandenberg Air Force Base including the Base Commander, Colonel Richard Boltz. After the verdict Magistrate Coyne-Federman stated her ruling was likely “only round one,” intimating that she thought the Government might appeal her ruling. Dennis Apel, however, already has an identical case pending in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which, if successful, should permanently resolve the issue unless the Government chooses to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

HEARING SET FOR SEPTEMBER 15

Mike — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 06:02:26 +0000

A hearing will take place on September 15, 2011 in the trial of Fr. Stephen Kelly, S.J., Fr. Louis Vitale, O.F.M. and Dennis Apel. The three were arrested and charged with trespassing at Vandenberg Air Force Base on November 3, 2010. They have submitted a Motion to Dismiss the charges and the September 15 hearing, before U.S. Magistrate Rita Coyne-Federman, will be to decide whether or not the charges will be dropped.
The hearing will be at at 1:30 pm at Federal Bankruptcy Court, located at 1415 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

ICBM TEST LAUNCH SCHEDULED FOR WORLD PEACE DAY

Mike — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:50:18 +0000

Vandenberg Air Force Base/Space Command has set the date for the next Minuteman
III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile test launch. It is scheduled for World Peace Day,
Wednesday, September 21.

The LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. land-based nuclear tipped intercontinental ballistic
missile (ICBM). As of 2010, the LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM
in service in the United States. It is one component of a nuclear triad, which is
complemented by the Trident submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and by
nuclear weapons carried by long-range strategic bombers.

The letter “L” in “LGM” indicates that the missile is land silo-launched; the “G”
indicates that it is designed to attack ground targets; the “M” indicates that it
is a guided missile. The name “Minuteman” comes from the Revolutionary War’s
Minutemen. It also refers to its quick reaction time; the missile can be launched
in approximtely 1 minute. The Air Force plans to keep the missile in service
until at least 2030.

The current U.S. force consists solely of 450 Minuteman-III missiles in missile
silos around F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Malmstrom AFB, Montana; and Minot AFB,
North Dakota.

These tests violate the spirit and intent of the Nuclear Non Proliferation
Treaty and make the world a more dangerous place. Please include a protest
against this launch in all Sept. 21 World Peace Day events.