UC Students Protest Fee Hikes
The day after University of California Regents voted to increase student fees by a whopping 32 percent, angry demonstrators vented their frustration. Early Friday morning, students at UC Berkeley barricaded themselves inside a building on campus. The three-day protest throughout the UC system comes after the Regents, meeting at UCLA, agreed to raise undergraduate fees by $2,500 a year.
Crab Season's Disappointing Start
Northern California's Dungeness crab season opened this week. The 10 legged crustacean is a delight to foodies, but predictions for a low harvest this year are putting a damper on their enthusiasm. And then there are the fishermen. They suffered through a lousy crab season last year, followed by a total ban on salmon fishing. This year's crab haul could be another disappointment.
Pittsburg High School Band Lands the Big Parade
Next Thursday morning, millions of Americans will switch on their TVs to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. It's the 83rd year of the holiday ritual, and if you look carefully amidst the Broadway singers, clowns and massive Snoopy and Spider Man balloons, you'll spot a marching band from Pittsburg High School in Contra Costa County. It was a real coup for the band -- they're one of just five high schools performing in this year's parade.
Homeless in Laguna Beach
Visitors to Orange County's Laguna Beach can expect to see crystal blue coves, tide pools teeming with sea life and, until recently, a small shantytown on the sand. Since last spring, homeless people have been legally camping on the beach and in parks. But last week Laguna Beach set up a temporary shelter far away from the city's ocean front property.
Ukulele Revival
If you've gone to a movie or watched TV in the last five years, you've probably heard a ukulele version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by the late Hawaiian musician known as 'Iz.' You may also know the performances of Jake Shimabukuro -- they've gone viral on YouTube. It's all helping to fuel the growing popularity of the tiny instrument.