Plans Take Shape for 'Occupy Elk Grove'

Organizers held the First General Assembly of 'Occupy Elk Grove,' the city's entry into , Friday at . 

Eight people—joined by a handful of journalists—gathered on a muggy evening to discuss and plan for their first demonstration.  They chose a theme particularly symbolic to Elk Grove: "99% on Highway 99," a reference to the bulk of the U.S. population and the city's major transportation artery.  

The march will begin at on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m.  From there, demonstrators plan to make their way with signs and banners to the Laguna Blvd overpass of Highway 99.

“We want into the conversation,” said Gretel Elving, who attended the meeting with her husband, Todd, and twin babies.  “We’re tired of Wall Street representing the one percent when we’re the 99 percent and we haven’t been heard.”

A major concern expressed at the meeting was the high rate of home foreclosures in Elk Grove and the nation.

Elk Grove joins hundreds of cities around the country where demonstrators have held rallies and campouts in recent weeks to protest the concentration of wealth and income among the upper echelons of the population.

Todd Elving, who started the 'Occupy Elk Grove' Facebook page, said he wasn't aware of any organized groups supporting the protest. He had never met any of the other participants until Friday's meeting, he said.

"I just opened up a Facebook page, and people started saying they wanted to do something," he said.

Organizers say they are contacting police to see if they need a permit for Wednesday's protest. Anyone interested in joining the march can go to the event's Facebook page for further information.