Two of the four Arcadia "tree-sitters"--Julia Jaye Posin and Andrea Bowers--have pleaded no contest to one count each of trespassing, while protesting the destruction of an Arcadia woodland. The two women were fined $60, waived for jail time served, and ordered to do 10 hours of community service. The two other tree-sitters John Quigley and Travis Jochimsen are scheduled to appear in court in late July.
Los Angeles County supervisor Mike Antonovich plans to set aside $650,000 of county funds to re-seed the oak woodland habitat in Arcadia that was demolished last week for flood control purposes, after mud and debris dredged from the Santa Anita Dam has been spread at the site. Bob Spencer, spokesman for Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, said there is much more debris poised to come down the hills and "We need to find a solution." Other county wilderness areas face destruction to make way for sediment. Officials are already considering the relocation of sediment from Devil's Gate Dam, which could end up on a 40-acre mature black willow woodland in the Hahamongna Watershed Park. Environmental activists won't let that happen without a fight.
Environmental activists gathered at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration to demand an investigation into the county's destruction last week of oak woodland in Arcadia. Shown in photo are activists Camron Stone, John Quigley, Andrea Bowers and Julie Posin.
Two of four "tree-sitters" that were arrested while protesting the destruction of an 11-acre Arcadia oak woodland in January appeared in Alhambra Superior Court on Thursday and had their arraignment postponed until February 18. They are John Quigley, 50, of Glendale, and Julia Jaye Posin, 23 of Venice Beach. Travis Jochimsen, 28, of Lancaster and Andrea Bowers, 45 of Los Angeles, were also arrested but did not appear for arraignment.