Street Shit Sheet

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#168 grab it if you’re poor June 2, 2004 25c if you’re
not Wednesday

“When I gave food to the poor, they called me a saint. When I asked why the
poor were hungry, they called me a communist.”
–Dom Helder Camara , Brazilian Bishop & Nobel Peace Prize Nominee

“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.”– Thomas Paine

Sparks and Spittle from the Street

**** Still banned from researching documents for HUFF(1) at Parks and
Recreation, Yeomanheart Jhon Golder(2) was spotted in circulation and merry
even in his melancholy, scanning a fanzine at last Friday’s Anarchist Café.
The houseless outdoorsman confided he and his faithful pooch B.W. were not
in custody but still keeping a wary eye on the police. Police handcuffed
and jailed Golder a month ago outside the City’s Attorney’s office
apparently on the instigation of a malicious Parks and Recreation Department
employee. Golder and elder gadfly Bathrobespierre Robert Norse had just
finished an uneventful examination of P & R files, on assignment from HUFF
to track down the dirt in the Lighthouse Field scandal.(3)
Several weeks after the arrest, Golder showed up in court to answer
the charge of “violating a court order” but the judge and the D.A. didn’t.
Calls to D.A. Bob Lee’s office could still not get a straight answer on
whether they will be prosecuting Golder for the crime of “going into the
Parks and Recration Department.”
Golder himself is still investigating the legality of that ex parte
restraining order banning him from numerous city offices. The “thou shalt
not research” order was secured by City Manager-for-Life Dick Wilson in
November of 2002 against Yeomanheart when his inquiries began to offend
Wilson’s thin-skinned staff–who weren’t willing or able to give the
inquisitive gadfly straight answers to some direct questions. The order
supposedly expired after Golder settled the original criminal case. Many
fancy charges in that case were dropped. A 2nd bizarre stipulation prevented
Golder from asking more than five questions per month of any and all city
agencie; it expired last August. Golder says the City still refused to
answer his five written questions.
Camper-ophobic bureaucrats in Steve Hammack’s Parks and Recreation
Department have restriped a Lighthouse Field parking lot and inserted
blocking logs to exclude longer vehicles as well as reportedly posting a “no
campers” sign. Other than a purchase order to do the work, Superintendant
Hammack claimed there were no written documents or e-mails on the subject
from January through May of 2004, a circumstance which Bathrobespierre
termed “curious and highly unlikely.”
Golder may seek a hearing to establish factual innocence prior to
filing a civil lawsuit to get repayment for two vehicles snatched, several
jailings, and numerous punitive arrests. With all that work on Golder’s
plate, any volunteers to finish his “How to Fight Your Parking Ticket”? Got
a yen to pinch the paunch of the Permit Parking Palookas who have put up the
“no parking midnight to six am” signs? Give a call to HUFF at 423-HUFF and
with your help, maybe we may actually get this flyer out on the street in
usable form!

“What value has compassion that does not take its object in its arms? ”
–Saint-Exupery, The Wisdom of the Sands (1948 )

**** Across N. Branciforte Avenue from the lively Anarchist Café, “Can’t
Believe It” Claudia(4) vainly pleaded for her son’s liberty as the 18-year
old was dragged away barefoot on a Friday afternoon “Failure to Appear”
warrant by five of the City’s finest.
Passing by with handheld tape recorder primed and loaded,
Bathrobespierre Robert noted two skulking SCPD synargettes(5) emerging from
two different squad cars and tailed them up the street. On a side street,
Bathrobespierre found a bevy of blue bellies convened with a police dog and
a shoeless man being led in handcuffs up the street, closely followed by
Claudia and several other upset friends, relatives, and neighbors.
Claudia later reported that these five cops home invaded her
ex-husband’s house without showing an arrest warrant. They stalked into the
bathroom with a police dog where the youth was showering & handcuffed him.
As Bathrobespierre approached, one cop told Claudia, “do us a favor & tell
us you won’t talk to him.”
After initial misgivings, Claudia spoke at length, calling in to
give a full interview on Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides two days later(6).
“They took him on a Friday, the Friday before the long memorial weekend.
This is the second time they’ve done this. So he’d spend the whole weekend
in jail. He wasn’t a flight risk. He’s only 18. Now he risks losing his
job and getting into trouble at school. He’s always made his court dates.
We bailed him out last time, but they say there’s no bail now.”
Claudia also revealed that several days before she’d received a
hefty financial settlement from the City because SCPD stooges had falsely
arrested her in a domestic dispute and held her needlessly without probable
cause for five days in jail two years ago. Could this be a plateful of
penny-ante payback from police poltroondom? Why so many cops? No need for
police elsewhere on a Friday evening of one of the busiest weekends of the
year? Perhaps a special “shower” training for the SCPD’s canine corps
before they are shipped overseas for photographic snap-and-growl duty at Abu
Ghraib? Call SCPD boss Howard Skerry at 420-5810 to get a cost estimate.
Then drop a dime on him to City Manager-for-Life Dick Wilson at 420-5010.

Coming Up Next Issue: Street chronicles of SAFE (Society for Artistic
Freedom and Expression) as they strum and sing every Wednesday evening;
HUFF n PUFF - Marijuana for the poor–challenging the City’s medical
marijuana distribution center ban;
Move-Along Law–dead or waiting to walk the night again?–the aftermath of
the nine-month long Steve Argue court case; Showcasing Pugnacious Pam
Bachtel–the Community Service Creepolina with a record for the most
harassment citations/intrusions; Rotkin–part-time vice-Mayor, part-time
Keystone Cop?–in his special guest appearance at the Civic Auditorium June
2nd.& more!

“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.”
–Albert Camus “Beyond Nihilism” The Rebel (1951)

1 HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) is a local conspiracy of
housed and homeless vagabonds determined to restore human rights to
the entire community, particularly the scruffy, the impoverished, and the
outcast. Formed in 1989, it has been protesting, picketing and pummeling
the powerful to decriminalize poverty in a city whose pompous patina of
progressivism is belied by the strident stench of hypocrisy.

2 Jhon is pronounced “YO-own” and rhymes with “stone”. For this interested
in scanning the sordid history of City harassment, check out his cases at
the criminal and civil windows of the local courts, filed under the name
“John Golder”. We Christianed the bespeckled bureaucrat bedeviler
“Yeomansheart” out of recognition for his continuing courage under SCPD/City
Manager fire after many many months of harassment.

3 For more bizarre details see www.santacruz.indymedia.org under “Research
a File? Go to Jail” [5-9-04] and “Jury Trial for Homeless Activist
Tuesday” [11-18-04].

4 Last name temporarily deleted at the request of the victim who fears her
son, still in custody as this is written, may suffer consequences through
public exposure.

5 Snarge: a person no one likes, a total jerk. Snargette: a lesser snarge.

6 Sundays 9:30 AM - 1 PM and Thursdays 6-8 PM at 101.1 FM and
www.freakradio.org . Call-in at 831-427-3772 or leave a voice mail at
423-HUFF. HUFF hopes to archive selected shows at www.huffsantacruz.org

#167 free to the homeless December 22, 2003 25c for the housed Monday

“Sleep, the fresh dew of languid love, The rain whose drugs quench kisses till they burn again.”
P.B. Shelly Epipyschidion 1821.

Mayor to Homeless: Time to Hide from Cops!

Santa Cruz City has emergency shelter on any winter night for 75 in the Armory and 39 on the floors of churches. There is an estimated 1500-2000 homeless people outside in the city limits alone. Mayor “Squawkbox”{1} Scott Kennedy refused to lift the Sleeping Ban, open an emergency campground, or expand emergency shelter. Last August, Kennedy dismissed claims by National Coalition for the Homeless spokesperson Michael Stoops that found Santa Cruz to be the 13th meanest City in the country of 147 cities surveyed. In early December, pickets confronted the globe-trotting mayor when he and two other anti-homeless Councilmembers rode a fire engine at the head of the Xmas parade down Pacific Avenue on December 6th. Protesters’ signs read “End the Sleeping Ban” and “Remember Jimmy Cline and Linda Sipos”.

Cline died after falling asleep in near freezing weather with little protection in the Pogonip in a case the coroner initially said was at least partially due to exposure. Linda Sipos had a seizure after leaving Dominican Hospital against medical advice.{2} After initially opposing the City’s infamous Sleeping Ban when first elected to City Council in 1990, Kennedy has moved steadily to the right and now supports it, even though Santa Cruz City Council itself has repeatedly declared the City is in a “shelter emergency”.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel {3} recently gave a sympathetic front-page sendoff to Sipos and Cline, yet implicitly approved the anti-homeless matrix of laws that make such deaths a more frequent and regular occurrence. Sentinel tinseltyper “Whiteout” Dan White did his usual superficial speed-through the roster of rote quotables. White wove the standard official coverstory, lauding existing services, scapegoating and stereotyping the victims (drug addiction, mental illness), headlining a “tragic” but “inevitable” Xmas tearjerker, and ridiculing or smearing the activists.

Silent on Kennedy’s record and apparently smarting from radio criticism, White targeted activist “Bathrobespierre”{4} Robert Norse for a flyer blaming local institutions for the two deaths. White’s journalism generally has ignored past research and statements from the City’s Commission on the Prevention of Violence Against Women, the 1999 Task Force on the Camping Ban, & the Homeless Issues Task Force. These groups as well as the Green Party, the Peace and FreedomParty, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, historian Howard Zinn, Black activist Ramona Africa, political prisoner Geronimo Pratt and many others have publicly called for City Council to lift the Sleeping Ban sections of the Camping Ordinance.{5}

37+ known homeless deaths this year in Santa Cruz. A recent report by the conservative U.S. Conference of Mayors showing a rise in emergency shelter demands by 13% in 25 major U.S. cities. Yet Kennedy launched his second Mayorship in November with a nary a mention of the “H” word in his inaugural remarks to City Council this year. The “Guided by Gandhi” co-founder of the Resource Center for Non-Violence has proposed nothing this winter to restore human rights, secure homeless safety in Santa Cruz, and mitigate the institutional violence homeless people suffer on the streets each night.

Tune in Free Radio’s Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides–Human Rights for All 96.3 FM, 101.1 FM, or www.freakradio.org Thur 6-8 PM, Sun 9:30 AM-1:00 PM on air: 427-3772 rnorse2@hotmail.com off air: 423-4833 with news tips & to set up interviews.

“To feed men and not to love them is to treat them as if they were barnyard cattle. To love them and not respect them
is to treat them as if they were household pets.” -Mencius, philosopher (c. 380-289 BCE)

Want to sell Street Spirit, the upscale bona fide full-color homeless newspaper? Make $$! It’s legal! Call Beggarbacker Becky at 429-8529 for the first ten free papers. After that, buy ‘em for a dime, sell ‘em for a dollar–but only if you’re homeless, formerly homeless, or nearly homeless! Want to write for Street Spirit? Call up and we’ll pick it up! Also check the Homeless Services Center, Page Smith Community House, or 218A Plymouth St. for copies to sell or read.

We also need a friendly merchant downtown to store papers, and a volunteer master vendor co-ordinator. Interested?

Check with Beggarbacker Becky for Copies of the Dumpster Edition of the Street Shit Sheet, also available for sale by houseless folks.

Blacklisted KSCO Broadcaster Sues Sheriff Tracy For Harassment Disabled Minister May Face “Conspiracy to Buy Coffee” Charges

Libertarian activist and KSCO radio talk show host “Roughrider”{6} Richard Quigley filed suit in federal court last Thursday, against Sheriff Mark “Trump ‘Em Up”{7} Tracy for a trainload of official terrorism including false police reports, a secret political file, the arrest & beating of Quigley’s girlfriend, and—most recently–pressure on KSCO to ban him from the air. Quigley’s weekly noon show was a regular feature since February until the unrepentant newsslinger was put on forced ‘leave of absence’ for suing. Quigley pulled few punches.{8} Quigley’s malice-mashing mouthpiece “Catnip”{9} Kate Wells is seeking immediate injunctive intervention to stem Tracy’s addiction to political powerplays against Quigley, unseemly in a High Sheriff. For Tracy’s view, call 454-2332.

Meanwhile “Highroad”{10} Jerry Henry, a disabled{11} street minister, is back at the Shopping Center, after a 4+-year banishment. Henry prompted the ire of yuppie yelpers and their sheriff shocktroops for his defense of the rights of Aptos youth to linger in the public area around the Roasting Company. In the late 90’s, Henry was barred after an incredible odyssey of harassment by D.A. George Kovacevich, Gottchalk’s manager Claudia Easterby, Sheriff’s ubstation trolltrashers Hemmingway, Deverell, and Hertsner, & Aptos Roasting Company manager Dan Eberhart. Henry is only man to be held–on $100,000 bail–twice–for the crime of offending pennypinching pencilnecks intent on running off the riffraff12. Last month the harassment began again–again from the bowels of the sheriff’s substation. After adopting a deceptively friendly face, Sgt. “Crackdown” Cristey sent a report to the D.A. & Adult Services asking Henry be prosecuted again. [to be continued]

Coming Next Issue (hopefully): Gunning for the Grubgivers: Downtown Merchants Target Food Not Bombs; Courthouse Capers: Cavalcade of Cases for Next Year; Christiana–the Danish Squat City; Mellowheart Mike True Heads for a Victory in Baker’s Bust for “Displaying Music”; Felony Prowling: Nine Months in Jail for an Open Container across the road from Denny’s, More on Highroad Henry vs. Tracy’s Yupoterroristas

Until then check out www.huffsantacruz.org and www. santacruz.indymedia.org for mini-updates.

FOOTNOTES

1 Kennedy got his nickname because of his pathological sympathy with the SCPD as well as his hypersensitivity to criticism. In the last two years Kennedy has presided over the destruction of the Voluntary Street Performers Guidelines, helped kill the Citizens Police Review Board, expanded the “Homeless-Free No Sit” Zones demanded by trendy shopowners, and supported a “Move Along Every Hour” law for political tablers, now selectively used by police to harass disfavored musicians & panhandlers. He also led the De Anza Mobile Home sell-out.

2 A HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) flyer given out at the Xmas parade erroneously reported that Sipos was denied service by Dominican Hospital. C.J. Stock, her intimate and partner, recently apologized for passing on this inaccurate account. Linda Sipos herself gave him the account the day before she died. Dominican has been given sub-zero grades for its treatment of the poor by others.

3 Known with bitter irony as the Urinal, the Scent-Anal, or the Resent-inel for its anti-homeless reactionary pro-police bias. Reporter Dan White (aka Dan Whiteout) has repeatedly refused to run any stories about the criminalization of the homeless. The city makes illegal necessary survival activities like sleeping, covering up with blankets, or setting up a tent in winter. White has also had little interest in First Amendment looting expeditions by the City Council & the SCPD on behalf of bigoted merchants like the Pacific Trading Company and Jackson’s Shoes. These two cheered on the removal of public seating downtown, the “Move Along” law, & the bigger “forbidden to sit” zones.

4 The grey-bearded gruffster authors the Street Shit Sheet and regularly denounces City Council for it’s no-sit, no-sleep, no-campground laws. He sports a black button-laden bathrobe with Edwina, his “homeless” teddy bear pal, strapped to his waist. This lampoons City Manager- for-Life “Darkside” Dick Wilson’s entrenched anti-homeless bureaucracy and the local psuedo-Progressive mendocracy (Government by Liars).

5 The Sleeping Ban [MC 6.36.010a] gives police a blank check to waken, search, harass, cite, arrest, and/or exile any homeless person caught sleeping outside or in a vehicle, even though no shelter exists for 90% of the homeless. The Camping Ban [MC 6.36] makes it illegal to set up a tent against the cold. Activists The City’s failure to set up an inexpensive homeless campground has indeed made deaths like Jimmy and Linda’s “inevitable”. Kennedy and then-Mayor Mike “Riot Act” Rotkin themselves closed down Santa Cruz’s only homeless campground–the Coral St. Open Air Shelter–in 1995. Homeless activist Dragonsheart Dan Hopkins held Kennedy responsible for the more than a half-dozen homeless who died in the months afterwards.

6 We gave Quigley the “Roughrider” tag because of his ferocious, dogged, and outspoken opposition to malignant malfeasance by politicians and/or police officials. Way back in 1989 Quigley petitioned on the steps of the courthouse and sold benefit T-shirts to support “Slyshoes” Sandra Loranger, sentenced to 45 days in jail for serving the homeless free soup at the Town Clock. In 1990 Quigley was kicked out of the Flea Market for peddling a “War Sucks” T-shirt, dramatizing the absurdity of the First Iraqi War (once in, he supported the Second).

7 Tracy teases the “Trump ‘Em Up” title out of us for either initiating or condoning absurd police reports–most recently the 11-25 snowjob by Sgt. Amy “Crackdown” Christey. She recommends “Trespass with Intent to Interfere with a business” and “Public Nuisance” for “Highroad” Jerry Henry and “Roughrider” Richard for insisting on Henry’s right to be left alone while buying a cup of coffee at the Aptos Roasting Company. Other charges being urged for Henry & his friend “Bigotscourge” Scott Rhodes are Disturbing the Peace & Conspiracy.

8 The lanky lawminder’s shows are archived at http://www.usff.com/quig/KSCO/on Quigley’s U.S. Freedom Fighters [usff] website. Conspicuously absent is the taped incident where Quigley’s girlfriend was abused by the police–banned from the air by KSCO owner Michael “ZigZag” Zwerling. Zwerling prides himself on his First Amendment fortitude for airing the likes of Michael Savage, but has declined to air any regular national leftist commentator. “Roughrider” Richard exonerates Zwerling for his cautionary censorship. ZigZag may have legitimate concerns about pressures from belligerent bureaucrats in Tracyland and macho merchants from Rancho Del Mar. Those wishing to provide remedial care to restore ZigZag’s shattered backbone can call the KSCO comment line at 429-2222 with friendly advice. Regular on-air talk show hosts can also be reached at 479-1080 during the noon hour weekdays and from 10 to noon on Saturdays.

9 “Catnip” Kate got christened after she signed on as laughing lawslinger for the Santa Cruz Cannibis Buyer’s Club in the early 90’s. Her second Club, S.C. Cannibis Pharmaceuticals, was killed by the Rotkin-Fitzmaurice anti-marijuana Zoning laws of 2000. Call 420-5023 to remind Vice-Mayor “Riot Act” Rotkin of his unkept promise to reform the Zoning law. Urge WAMM to support the same at 423-5413.

10 “Highroad” because of Henry’s persistent and consistent mission of distributing food among the hungry, supporting youth as they struggle with problems ranging from hard drugs to harder-assed deputies and mean-spirited merchants. Henry, not always the most agreeable fellow, has been serving the community for over a decade.

11 Henry’s mental disability frequently makes it difficult for him to read and sleep and earns him a government pension. It also earns him a spirited defense from Quigley, who denounces the fulsome fascist business-cop alliance that has formed to “harass the hobos” as part of its gentrification agenda at the Rancho Del Mar. Henry, for his part, has been trying to invoke the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which was written to protect classes of people discriminated against in public accomodations. D.A. “Bashful” Bob Lee has declined so far to take any action. Call the cautious courtmeister at 454-2400. Want to get the attention of the Grand Jury? Try 454-2099.

12 Or, as their chums in the D.A. Dittoheadland put it , Trespass with intent to interfere with a business” 602(1)a PC + Public Nuisance 372 PC.

Thanks for reading the Street Shit Sheet.