Rallies and sit-ins in five cities across California are to begin today, May 9. Demonstrators from all over California are mobilizing to the state capitol to kick off the week of action with a sit-in. The CTA is demanding that lawmakers pass tax extensions to stave off deeper cuts to public education.

Buses carrying students from UCSC are leaving for Sacramento at 7am this morning. City on a Hill Press is on board and will be providing updates from the state capitol throughout the day.

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Photo by Sal Ingram

7:52 p.m. 5/9/2011

Police are arresting the remaining protestors. Around 20 including UCSC students have already been taken into custody and handcuffed with zip ties. The other 40 have created a circle and are singing the national anthem. Police continue to arrest protestors one by one.

6:54 p.m. 5/9/2011

At 5 P.M. around 200 activists came together and chanted around the lower rotunda of the capitol building. Their messages included the chants “Tax tax tax the rich we can stop the deficit,” and “bail out the schools not the banks.”

Most of the activists left the building at 6 P.M. when the CTA’s permit for the rotunda expired, but around 60 remained and took seats on the floor as cops armed with pepper spray looked on.

City on a Hill Press will be publishing a recap of the day’s events later this evening. -Laurel Fujii

3:41 p.m. 5/9/2011

Photo by Sal Ingram.

Approximately 70 California Teachers Association members and students from across California are currently occupying the capitol building. Some told City on a Hill they believe a tax re-format would help balance the budget.

“We need to change our tax structure where corporations and the rich are justly taxed,” said kindergarten teacher Jessica Hobbs from San Francisco.

While students and teachers gathered in the rotunda inside the capitol building, police blocked off access to prevent more activists from entering. A few hundred more demonstrators remain outside.

Students also skipped class for this opportunity. “My teacher told me if I skipped class today I’d get a C in the class,” UCSC first year Adam Odsess-Rubin said.

Odsess-Rubin said he doesn’t believe this was the appropriate response.

“Students shouldn’t be punished for being politically active and fighting for their education,” Odess-Rubin said. -Laurel Fujii

UCSC students gather in front of the capital building to fight for tax increases for corporations and the wealthy. These tax increases would provide a larger budget for education. Photo by Sal Ingram

2:15 p.m. 5/9/2011

UCSC students who showed up for the day of action were told to vacate the grass in front of the capitol building by California Highway Patrol, because another group had a permit for the lawn and steps. Student activist Leo Rtiz-Barr was upset that the foster care program did not act in solidarity with the protestors.

“It’s a little disheartening to see the foster kids organizer…not stand up for college students.” Ritz-Barr said.

UCSC students are now waiting on the sidewalk for more CTA members and demonstrators to arrive. Three buses from the bay area are expected.

As of this post, demonstrators had just entered the capitol building. CHP reporters will provide updates on the situation inside. -Laurel Fujii

Photo by Sal Ingram.

12:08 p.m. 5/9/2011

Protesters dressed in the all pink uniforms of the anti-war group code pink line the street in front of the capitol building holding signs with messages like “tax the rich.” Activists hand out flyers promoting the occupation of the capitol as school children roam the steps. More groups are expected to arrive within the hour. -Laurel Fujii

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Take Back The State: Live Blog from Sacramento

The 2010 Global Game Jam, an annual indie game competition that challenges teams from across the nation to develop an innovative game in just 48 hours, is going on right now. Yes, like right now.

Even better, UC Santa Cruz has a delegation representing the good ol’ Banana Slugs. Yay! You can head over to http://www.ustream.tv/channel/global-game-jam-santa-cruz to watch them live. UCSC is just one of 138 locations across the globe participating in the event.

With so much competition, they need our support! So head on over and cheer ‘em on. The jam ends at 4 p.m. Sunday.

If you’re curious to learn more about the GGJ and to watch teams across the world live, check out the links below.

Global Game Jam at UCSC [UCSC SoE]
Global Site for the GGJ [IGDA]

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Global Game Jam is Live… Like Now

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Live Stream of Regents Meeting at Daily Bruin