Earlier this year, Lapeer Community Schools removed 83 titles and put them under review—with titles focused on LGBTQ+ youth, human rights, and Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American, and other communities of color disproportionately stripped from shelves.  The memoir “All Boys Aren't Blue” by George M. Johnson about growing up queer and Black in America. Gabby Rivera’s “Juliet Takes a Breath,” a coming-of-age story about a Puerto Rican lesbian finding herself. Jonathan Evison’s “Lawn Boy,” which tells the story of a young Chicano man navigating racism and poverty while trying to forge his own American dream.  These are the books that extremists want to remove from schools and libraries. And this blatant censorship is happening on a local, state, and federal level.  A conservative group, Capitol Resource Institute, launched their dystopian “Take Back the Classroom” initiative. The group has a massive database of books they deem inappropriate, and databases for school districts across the country with flagged titles.The group has tracked flagged 18,474 books across more than 1,700 schools in Michigan alone, and has toolkits on how to file book removal requests.  This dangerous wave of censorship threatens our public schools and libraries, and what families and young people have access to read and learn about. This isn’t just about banning books—it’s about restricting the imaginations of young people.  We need every single elected leader—from Michigan school district boards to federal legislators—to defend and protect the freedom to read. Sign the petition now. 

Already, more than 52 communities throughout the state have enacted moratoriums. But the consequences of these data centers are widespread, and we need statewide action.  New York just passed a statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers—the first in the country. The order not only restricts new development, but also directs state regulators to create standards that address environmental impacts, energy demand, and water usage.  We can do the same here in Michigan.  The consequences of these data centers can be widespread, and urgent statewide action is necessary. Add your name to demand a moratorium now!

ADD YOUR INPUT HERE ON EIR Website for Project https://lahainabypassphase1c.org/share-your-feedback We want to hear from you!  LINK ABOVE ! The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT), in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has developed these engagement activities to gather community feedback on the Lahaina Bypass (Phase 1C) project. NOW is the time for you to voice your concerns, thoughts and input.  Please join your neighbors in this important effort to help our community! Pass this on to everyone in our community....Let's get 500+++ Signatures!!!

The constitution of a country is the foundation that defines the relationship between citizens and the state. Decisions that change the way leaders are elected, institutions operate, and citizens participate in governance affect every Zimbabwean, regardless of political affiliation. This issue is important because: • A constitution belongs to the people. Citizens must have confidence that major constitutional changes reflect their views, concerns, and aspirations. • Strong democratic institutions protect everyone. Independent institutions, accountability, and citizen participation help protect the rights of all Zimbabweans. • Good governance affects daily life. Transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership directly influence jobs, healthcare, education, public services, and economic opportunities. • The future generation is affected. Constitutional decisions made today will shape Zimbabwe’s political and social environment for years to come. • Peace depends on trust. A country is more stable when citizens believe that their voices matter and that important decisions are made through inclusive processes. WHY SHOULD PEOPLE JOIN THIS CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE? People should join because this is not only about one political party or one group of citizens. It is about ensuring that every Zimbabwean has a voice in decisions that shape the future of the country. By joining this campaign, citizens can: • Stand for meaningful participation in national decisions. • Promote accountability and transparency. • Support peaceful dialogue and constitutional governance. • Protect the rights and interests of future generations. • Encourage leaders to listen to the concerns of ordinary citizens. This campaign is built on the belief that Zimbabwe’s future should be shaped through the participation, dignity, and confidence of its people. Together, citizens can peacefully advocate for a Zimbabwe where institutions are trusted, leaders are accountable, and every person’s voice matters.

Trump wants to rewrite the past and sow doubt about our elections to lay the groundwork to contest November’s midterm elections and seize control over future elections. There are checks and balances in our country for a reason. Local leaders run our elections—not the president. Only an authoritarian would attempt to seize control of our elections in order to control the outcome.  That’s why it’s so important that secretaries of states across the country double down and commit to overseeing a free and fair election. And they need to know we are watching and support them in upholding the law. They are, after all, elected to serve the people, not the president.  We need to defend our democracy. Add your name to the petition to urge state election officials to protect essential voting processes from partisan interference and uphold the will of the people!  Photograph: Cliff Owen/AP

Reform Utah child support for Equitable co-parenting. 

FoodNet has tracked foodborne illnesses since 1995, giving health officials the data they need to spot outbreaks early, understand their scope, and respond before they spiral. Cyclospora surveillance was part of that system for nearly three decades—until the Trump administration quietly made it optional last year. The consequences are playing out right now. We’re currently facing one of the largest cyclosporiasis outbreaks in years, in dozens of states, with far less visibility into how it’s spreading than we had a year ago. And it’s no surprise after Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE slashed the funding and workforce behind our public health systems. Cutting surveillance doesn’t save money in any meaningful way. It just means outbreaks grow bigger and more dangerous before anyone notices. Americans deserve a public health system that catches foodborne illness early; we need more tracking, not less. Sign the petition now calling on the CDC and the Trump administration to restore full, mandatory tracking of cyclospora and other foodborne illnesses!

Sturgis Hospital was Michigan’s first designated rural emergency hospital, and its doors were just shuttered in June due to lack of funding. And Sturgis isn’t alone—five rural hospitals have closed in Michigan since 2005.  These facilities are often the only places to seek medical care for miles, and as Michigan's population ages, rural communities are being wholly abandoned.  Michigan leaders must ensure that ALL rural hospitals in our state are fully funded to guarantee that people can easily access lifesaving care! 

Trump has refused to rule out deploying the U.S. military to polling sites this November and has called to “nationalize” voting in battleground states. If you’re outraged and worried, you’re not alone. Luckily, lawmakers like Sen. Slotkin are working to block Trump’s shameless and dangerous attempt to intimidate voters and suppress turnout with legislation like the Protect Our Polls Act. They aren’t waiting until it’s too late to react — and neither are we. We’ve already seen Trump follow through on past authoritarian threats, and we can’t risk him doing it again. We know nothing short of our democracy is at stake. That’s why we need to sound the alarm and push members of Congress to keep our elections safe by supporting this common-sense legislation.

Everyone is feeling the pressure of skyrocketing prices—from groceries to gas to rent. And utility companies will keep raising rates unless our lawmakers step in to protect working families.  Right here in Michigan, residents continue to pay the highest utility rates in the Midwest. But if lawmakers pass legislation to make utility companies work in the public interest, Michigan households could save an estimated $267 between 2027 and 2030 alone.  Add your name telling Michigan representatives to keep utility costs down by passing legislation now!

Recovery isn’t just about getting sober – it’s about creating a new life. Many people emerging from treatment use a sober living home to transition from active addiction to becoming healthy, productive citizens. But not all sober living homes offer safe, supportive, and ethical environments. Without common standards and effective oversight, recovery home residents may face dangerous conditions, financial exploitation or feel pushed back into addiction. Why should you care? Every person working toward recovery deserves a chance to succeed. Residents are working hard to rebuild relationships, secure employment and create a sober future for themselves and their families. One place should not have the power to destroy the progress of years of hard work in just a few months. No recovering addict should have to worry if their recovery home has their best interest in mind or is solely focused on taking their money. When you stand with us, you can help hold homes accountable and ensure addiction-affected families have the safe environment they deserve. Safer licensing laws, increased inspections, and trained management will lead to better recovery outcomes, punish bad actors, and ensure recovery homes live up to their mission of helping people. Join us and together we can make recovery housing better for everyone.

Why This Is Important The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution are meant to protect every American—not only when it is convenient, but especially when new technology gives the government greater power to monitor its citizens. The Fourth Amendment protects the people against unreasonable searches and seizures and reflects the principle that Americans should be free from unnecessary government intrusion into their private lives. While courts continue to address how these protections apply to modern technology, many residents believe that widespread automated license plate reader systems raise important questions about privacy, data collection, and government oversight. Recent reports that two Greer Police Department officers were terminated after allegedly misusing the city's Flock Safety camera system have reinforced those concerns. Although the alleged misuse was reportedly identified through an internal audit, the incident demonstrates that access to sensitive location data can be abused. Public trust is difficult to rebuild once it has been broken. This petition is not against law enforcement. We appreciate the difficult job officers do every day and support efforts to keep our communities safe. However, public safety and constitutional freedoms should go hand in hand. Surveillance tools must be transparent, accountable, and used in a way that respects the rights of law-abiding citizens. Our nation was founded on the principle that government derives its power from the consent of the people. As residents of Greer, we believe we have both the right and the responsibility to speak up when we feel government policies threaten our privacy and constitutional liberties. We are asking our elected leaders to put the rights of the people first by removing Flock Safety cameras from Greer and ensuring that any future surveillance technology is subject to meaningful public oversight and accountability.