On Feb 24 and 25 protests are planned around the world to demand a halt to the Vandenberg ICBM test launch. In Santa Barbara, Daniel Ellsberg and David Krieger will hold a press conference and rally on Feb 24 at 11 am to demand a halt. At midnight (11:55 pm Feb 24) at front gate protest will be held at Vandenberg Space Command six miles north of Lompoc on the central California coast.    In the Los Angeles area, please join the Los Angeles Women’s Intenational League for Peace and Freedom for a 12 NOON protest at the Space and Missile tracking center, 262 N. Douglas, El Segundo, which is key to the launch.  E-mail macgregoreddy@gmail.com for details about the Vandenberg and El Segundo events or call 831-206-5043 Also, see MacGregor’s BLOG for last minute updates on both vigils and bus schedule.

Thanks to a grant from WILPF, we have support for the Green Tortoise charter bus from the Bay area to Vandenberg.   Catholic Workers are FREE and subsidies are available for anyone who cannot afford the full fare of $40 (round trip). The Green Tortoise leaves West Oakland BART at 5 pm, leaves San Jose Diridon/ Amtrak/ Caltrain station at 6:30 pm, leaves Salinas Amtrak Station at 7:30- 8 pm, depending on traffic (safe overnight parking available).  The bus return trip will leave Lompoc/ Vandenberg at 1:15 to 1:30 am February 25 (that is two hours not two days)  It will arrive in Salinas about 5 am, San Jose 6:30 am, and West Oakland BART at 7:30 am.  If you want to go but cannot cannot, consider sponsoring someone who cannot afford a ticket.   Send $40 to the Monterey County Branch WILPF c/o MacGregor Eddy, P.O. Box 5789, Salinas CA 93915-5789.  Contact MacGregor for further details and reservations. (see above)

Posted: January 6th, 2012 under Upcoming Events.
Comments: 2

Please join us for the Pacific Life Community (PLC) Occupy Vandenberg nonviolent direct action – March 12, 2012.  Meet at Vandenberg Village at 11:00 am (Six miles north of Lompoc on HWY 1).  There will NOT be parking at Vandenberg Middle School.

SEE FLYER BELOW:

2012 PLC – Occupy Vandenberg

SPREAD THE WORD!

Posted: January 4th, 2012 under News, Upcoming Events.
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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.

Posted: December 17th, 2011 under News.
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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.

Posted: November 21st, 2011 under News.
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MacGregor Eddy and L.A. Catholic Worker Theo Kayser have a Nov 17, 2011 court appearance at 8:30 am at Federal Bankruptcy Court, 1415 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. This appearance is for an arrest on 7/27/2011 and 8/6/2011 respectively.  L.A. Catholic Worker Jesse Lewis and Guadalupe Catholic Worker Mariah Klusmire have a December 15 court date, and L.A. Catholic Worker Jeff Dietrich has a January 19 court date all for the August 6 witness..

Posted: October 25th, 2011 under Upcoming Events.
Comments: 1

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.

Posted: October 2nd, 2011 under News.
Comments: none

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.

Posted: September 30th, 2011 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: 1

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.

Posted: September 22nd, 2011 under News.
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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.

Posted: September 22nd, 2011 under News.
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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.

Posted: September 9th, 2011 under News, Upcoming Events.
Comments: none