By Daniel Zarchy
Co-Editor in Chief
Campus tree-sit could see resolution in near future
The UC Santa Cruz tree-sit, one of the more heated ongoing controversies on campus, may be in its last stages as both sides appear to be “seeking mediated resolution” to the conflict, according to an e-mail sent to the campus by David Kliger, campus provost and executive vice chancellor.
“University of California, Santa Cruz and the Science Hill Tree Sitters announced Tuesday that they are seeking a mediated resolution to the 13-month protest. Both parties are hoping to reach a voluntary peaceful end to the protest before winter break,” the e-mail said.
The tree-sit began just over a year ago during a Nov. 7, 2007 protest, when demonstrators clashed with police on the site of a proposed Biomedical Sciences Facility. The tree-sit resembled a similar sit at UC Berkeley near Memorial Stadium, which ended in September after 21 months.
“Participating in their discussions seemed both reasonable and potentially productive,” campus spokesperson Jim Burns said. “We have consistently said we prefer a voluntary and peaceful resolution. It’s our desire to give the talks every chance of success.”
And as far as the future of the facility, “We have consistently said we need to build the Biomedical Sciences Facility,” he said, “and that has not changed.”
Madrigal edges out Terrazas for fourth City Council seat
The race for Santa Cruz City Council, which has flip-flopped since election day, is finally over. Tony Madrigal, one of two incumbents running for re-election, secured the fourth spot on the council after a month of uncertainty. Madrigal and fellow candidate David Terrazas finished just nine votes apart on Nov. 4, while several thousand mail-in and provisional ballots still uncounted.
Madrigal rejoins incumbent Mayor Ryan Coonerty and former mayors Don Lane and Katherine Beiers on the council, as well as Cynthia Mathews, Lynn Robinson and Mike Rotkin, whose terms end in 2010.
Terrazas, a first-time candidate for City Council, currently serves on the city’s Transportation Commission. Though at times the updated counts showed him beating out Madrigal for the fourth spot, the final count listed him losing by just 45 votes, 11,365 to 11,325.
