GARDINER, MONTANA. In spite of continuous national public outcry calling for Montana to cancel its controversial bison hunt, the state's zero-tolerance policy against the country's last wild bison continues. On New Years Day it resulted in another bison death in Gardiner, Montana, just outside the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park.

In the past ten years Montana and the federal government have killed 2,477 wild Yellowstone bison, more than half of the existing herd. Twenty wild bull bison have been killed in Montana since September; seventeen have been shot by Montana hunters, two by Montana's Department of Livestock (DOL), and another was shot by a Yellowstone National Park ranger inside the Park.

What does Greg Schumacher, of Schumacher Fur Co., do when the persistent protestors are ruining his holiday fur sales with their weekly demonstrations? What any corporate-minded shopkeeper would do, have a Protest Sale! Yes, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, and that is exactly what Schumacher did on the last day of 2005 when around 25 anti-fur activists arrived at his shop. Schumacher climbed into the display windows to hang giant signs inside the full-window store front that read, "50% OFF EVERYTHING, PROTEST SALE, (during protest only)." This act of desperation was met with grins and chuckles from seasoned activists who interpreted the "protest sale" as an incremental victory.

Northern Dynasty Mines, a Canadian company, is proposing to start operations on what would be North America's largest open pit gold and copper mine, deep in the heart of pristine Alaskan wilderness. The Pebble Mine site is located just south of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, 15 miles northwest of Lake Iliamna and some 250 miles south of Anchorage. The Iliamna region is important to many Alaskan’s subsistence lifestyle. It is home to one of the world’s only populations of freshwater seals, the large Mulchatna caribou herd, and contains the headwaters of Bristol Bay, with the largest runs of sockeye and Chinook salmon in the world.

Members of the PhillyIMC have joined the Poverty Initiative on a fact-finding tour of the South. The group, which also includes 40 Columbia Social Work and Union Seminary students, is meeting with community groups, evacuees, and politicians in five cities to document first-hand the struggle against poverty that Katrina has brought to the nation's attention. The U.S. is the richest nation in the history of the world, yet 45 million have no health insurance, soup kitchen visits are up 150%, and child homelessness is at an all time high. PhillyIMC is highlighting the grassroots efforts that offer real solutions to poverty in this country. [Continuing Coverage]

Dispatches from the PhillyIMC Team:
Fact-Finding Mission: Day 1
Katrina Evacuees Pitted Against Atlanta’s Poor
Fact-Finding Mission: Day 2
PhillyIMC Podcast: Radio Free Georgia Podcast
Fact Finding Mission: Day 3
Fact Finding Mission: Day 4
Interview with Jeanette Foreman of the S.O.S. coalition - Uncut
Atlanta’s Plan for a Revitalized Downtown Displacing Homeless and Working Poor
Fact Finding Mission: Day 5
Fact Finding Mission: Day 6
Fact Finding Mission: Day 7

Other Independent Coverage
Race and the Left Response to Katrina by Walidah Imarisha
Inside NOLA Jails by Walidah Imarisha
Radio Free Georgia

Event that took place on Friday, January 13th, 2006

This is a story written from Camille. The past few days, it has been past around various web forums, and internet networking websites. The story is unedited, and goes as follows:

I met up with Amanda outside of Elm St. Tattoo, and there was a derby girl skating from the bar across the street to the tattoo parlor. No big deal. But a cop stopped her to give her a ticket. Well, she gave some attitude, but went with it. Kept her hands on the car while he wrote her a ticket. I crossed the street to the bar, and another skater went past me, nothing happened to her, even though her friend was getting a ticket for skating in the street.... very wierd. I turned back around to look at the girl and the cop, and I see him wrestling her to the ground. She's screaming, this tiny girl, is struggling, while about 50 people gather and start yelling. Turns out someone on the sidewalk yelled something to her, she turned to see the person, took her hands off of the car, and the cop got pissed. ...

The FBI's witch hunt against activists continues, with two more charged with arson in the last 36 hours, both Cascadian environmentalists. Jonathan has long been an outspoken advocate for direct action for environmental causes, gaining the attention of numerous industry backed anti-environmental [1, 2] watch groups and the FBI for his activism. Jonathan also was involved in Earth First! campaigns, was on the Sea Shepard crew, and was involved in founding the American Whales Alliance and Ocean Defense International. Jonathan also spent 6 months in jail in 1992 for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating Animal Liberation Front activities.

Suzanne, also an environmental activist, had been visited in on December 7th by two FBI agents and several state police officers who subpoenaed her to appear before the grand jury hearing scheduled for February 16th in Eugene. [ read more ]

Further Developments in Sacramento arrests: FBI infiltrator was running in activist circles

On Friday, January 13th Eric McDavid, Zachary Jenson and Lauren Weiner were arrested in Auburn, California and accused of "conspiring to damage or destroy by explosive or fire" cell phone towers, power plants and US Forest Service facilities. No arson occurred, however: the charges allege the 3 were planning one.

The latest development here is the release of the FBI's affidavit in the case, which relies heavily on a deep cover, paid infiltrator. According to the affidavit "Anna" has has provided information in at least 12 anarchist cases since 2004. She has traveled to and infiltrated various anarchist gatherings and protests across the country including the Biodev 2005 demonstrations in Philadelphia, a CrimethInc. convergence in Indiana and the Feral Visions green anarchist gathering in North Carolina, all the while recording conversations and communicating with the FBI. [ read more ]

All this follows 6 arrests of people accused of Earth Liberation Front activities last month.

North American Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network | Portland Indymedia's Prisoner Support Page

UPDATE 1:39PM: Regents vote yes to create a committee to consider divestment

Over 100 UCSD and UCLA students staged a die-in today at the Price Center, a central area for campus traffic, to urge the UC Regents to divest from Darfur. The UC Regents are meeting at UCSD today to decide on whether or not to divest from Darfur. A race-based genocide is going on in Darfur, and over 400,000 have died as a result. As students and a TV crew looked on, the students held signs about divestment from Darfur and one person spoke about why they were holding the die-in. The regents meeting will be taking place today from 10:30am to 2pm at UCSD and students will be attending the meeting.

Click here for a complete schedule of events. | Click here for more photos

Daniel Burns, 44, was sentenced to six months of federal prison in Binghamton federal court today by Judge Thomas J. McAvoy for each of his misdemeanor convictions last fall. The two six month terms are to be served concurrently. Burns was also fined $250.00 for a contempt of court charge and was ordered to pay his share of the $958.00 restitution for damages imposed by the court.

Burns is one of the four non-violent peace activists known as the St. Patrick’s Four. The convictions stem from Burns’ participation in a non-violent protest at a military recruiting station outside of Ithaca, NY on March 17th, 2003, where the four carefully poured their own blood on the posters, flag and walls of the recruiting station. Burns was the first of the St. Patrick’s Four to appear this week for sentencing in Binghamton, NY. Peter DeMott, Clare Grady and Teresa Grady will also be sentenced individually this week.

see also: Vietnam Vet and Civil Resister, Peter DeMott, Sentenced in Federal Court || Mother and Activist, Clare Grady, Sentenced in Federal Court || Human Rights Award Recipient, Teresa Grady, Sentenced in Federal Court

John Kerry is scrambling around the capitol in hopes of securing last minute support for a filibuster against Judge Alito. Public gatherings, blogs and email petitions continue, giving voice to widespread opposition to the high court nominee. See events in Tennessee, Philly, DC, Miami, and San Fran. There is still time to call (Senator Salazar (D-CO) 202-224-5852, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) 202-224-5824, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) 202-224-3841) or fax key Senators before 4:30PM on Monday.

1/31 | According to the World Can't Wait Press Office, "as Bush steps to the podium to deliver his State of the Union address, "political drown-out” rallies will take place in 65 cities across the country."

Local IMC coverage: DC, Philly, NYC, Cleveland, Miami, Seattle, Portland, SF Bay, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego

World Can't Wait is calling for people to converge on Washington, DC at 11:00am on Saturday, February 4th, "for a historic demonstration in front of the White House demanding that BUSH STEP DOWN! AND TAKE YOUR PROGRAM WITH YOU!" On Sunday, February 5th, there will be a WCW National Organizing Conference in Washington, DC.