The election of President Barack Obama was a huge step forward in America's history regarding race, but long-time civil rights activist Julian Bond believes there is still much more to be done.

 In the 21st Century, says Bond, the concept of civil rights is expanding to include a multitude of other minorities within the larger society, such as gay men and lesbians.

Julian Bond will speak March 20 at Sonoma State University at 7:30pm  in the Person Theater on "The Road to Freedom:  From Alabama to Obama." The event is open to the public.  He's no stranger to college campuses, even today, as a professor at two universities near Washington, D.C. That has given him a clear sense of who today's college generation are, and where their interests and motivations lie.

The chart below offers an illustration of the central role Julian Bond has played in the national conversation about race over the past half century (links shown with dotted lines are no longer current).

Was the arrest and conviction of Eric McDavid (right) a successful prosecution of an eco-terrorist conspiracy, or a case of entrapment by an overzealous undercover operative? His friends and family make a compelling case for the latter, on today's North Bay Report.

The use of terrorism and conspiracy charges to suppress free speech and dissent has been used most aggressively against members of the Earth Liberation Front and the  Animal Liberation Front, but Jenny Esquivel  observes that the same  tactics were employed to pre-emptively arrest organizers of political protests at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis last summer.

 McDavid's friends and family have also established an online support website for him and his appeal at supporteric.org .

Injustice For an Activist: In 2008, Eric McDavid, an environmental activist was imprisoned, and subsequently sentenced to 19 years and 7 months for crimes he never committed. Loved ones will be giving a 2 hour presentation of Eric's story including the FBI's use of entrapment as part of the government's Green Scare campaign .

Thursday, February 19, 7 pm, at the Peace and Justice Center in Santa Rosa.

 Newly preserved and restored, a rare piece of bay area history reopens for visitors on Sunday.  (See below for details of the reopening day ceremonies)

The federal immigration station on Angel Island, as seen above in 1915,  was reached by a long wooden dock which no longer exists. Most of the other structures remain, with the exception of the main administration building (seen in the left foreground in the photo below), which was partially destroyed by fire in 19xx.  The restored barracks building is on the hill to the right, with the station hospital on the far hill to the left. You can read a much more extensive history of the facility here. 

One of the interpretive park rangers at Angel Island, Casey Lee, describes and then translates a poem that was carved into the wooden wall in one of the smaller rooms at the Immigration Station barracks. It has been preserved and will now be on public display.

Poetic Waves  is a elegant and detailed website devoted to the poetry of Angel Island.

You can also read a more scholarly article about the carved poetry here.

The Grand Re-Opening of the U.S. Immigration Station at Angel Island will be celebrated on  Sunday, February 15, 2009 with a public Dedication Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This will be followed by public tours from Noon to 3 p.m. with presentations by storyteller Charlie Chin; performance artist/dancer Melody Takata, ; historical re-enactor Silvia Lange; and museum designer Daniel Quan.

Free admission, free tram service on Angel Island, and reduced rates on ferries from San Francisco and Tiburon are available. See schedule below. You must take the 8:45 a.m. ferry from San Francisco or the 8:50 a.m. ferry from Tiburon to attend the Dedication Ceremony. For complete schedule, visit www.aiisf.org.

Tram to U.S. Immigration Station, Angel Island Schedule

Departs Ayala Cove at 10:00 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

Trams will depart from the Immigration Station for Ayala Cove every half hour starting at noon. Visitors are encouraged to walk one mile to the U.S. Immigration Station from Ayala Cove as space on the trams is limited. Walk and enjoy the beautiful view of the Sonoma Valley and the Bay.

Visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park in advance at 415-435-5390.

Tiburon Ferry Schedule

Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry, 21 Main St., Tiburon, CA

Depart Tiburon-Arrive at Angel Island, Ayala Cove

Depart - 8:50 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Depart Angel Island-arrive at Tiburon

Depart 1:20 p.m., 3:20 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.

San Francisco Ferry Schedule

San Francisco Blue and Gold Fleet

Depart San Francisco Pier 41-Arrive at Angel Island, Ayala Cove

Depart - 8:45 a.m.- 10:35 a.m., and 1:00 p.m.

Depart Angel Island-arrive at San Francisco Pier 41

 You can check the weather conditions at the Island by looking at the Ayala Cove webcam here.

As many as 25% of the homeless in Sonoma County are veterans, people who are entitled to services and assistance they often don't know about. But a new volunteer coalition is working to change that.

  One frequent obstacle that Vet Connect volunteers must often overcome, says Andy Pyburn, is a widespread reluctance to accept the services to which the veterans are entitled.

Vet Connect gatherings are held regularly at the following Sonoma County locations:
Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building
    Every Tuesday, 9 am to noon
Contact Dave: 694-7614
Guerneville Veterans Memorial Building
    Second Thursday of each month, 3-6 pm
Contact John: 869-9459
Sonoma Veterans Memorial Building
    Third Thursday of each month, Noon -3 pm
Contact Ted: 337-4518
Petaluma, next to the library (310 Payran St.)
    Fourth Thursday of each month, Noon -3 pm
Contact Andy: 763-9924
Participating agencies include: The Santa Rosa VA Clinic (left), Sonoma County Veterans Service Office, Sonoma County Department of Health Services, North Bay Veterans Resource Center, and the Vet Center of Rohnert Park.
All Veterans and family members are welcome!