• Keep Deforest Schools Virtual
    The threat of Covid19 is real. It has killed far too many and creates lasting health effects for more. 1.) Children can’t be expected to maintain sufficient social distancing to keep this pandemic from spreading. They are social creatures. Allowing them back in a physical school setting will cause a new spike in cases. Teachers and staff cannot be expected to carry the responsibility of ensuring everyone is following social distancing guidelines, while teaching and worrying about their own health. Every staff member or student could carry the virus home, even if they are asymptomatic. 2.) Social isolation is very hard. It is wearing on all of us. However, continued spread also means continued isolation. Not to mention the lasting effects of Covid, which will limit one’s ability to go about normal activities the remainder of their lives. This can be a hard teachable moment in life. Talk to your children, have an open dialogue of what this pandemic means and that keeping them healthy is a priority. 3.) Mental health is absolutely a concern; however, it should ALWAYS be a concern. Now is a time parents/guardians must take time to connect with their children and become more in tune with their children's feelings. Help their children work on strategies and coping mechanisms needed for the curveballs life throws at us. Schools cannot be expected to also fix the mental health of our nation. 4.) The economic impact on families is real and it’s difficult, whether schools are open or not. Covid has rippling effects on everyone. However, it is not a school's job to save the economy. It is a school's job to teach our children, which is being done virtually. To put teachers and students health at risk because families need a babysitter is unreasonable and not grounds for schools to open during a very active pandemic. 5.) Deforest has gone above and beyond what most districts have, in means of educating our children. They have been consistent and provided all the resources needed. As in life, there are days adults are adrift in the workplace, just like there are days students are not focused in a school setting. Education interruption will occur if schools open and then need to close repeatedly due to infection spread. And if one becomes gravely ill, there will be an even larger interruption. 6.) Parent's concern for lack of physical activity is also not a reason to open schools. This is a time for parents to be creative. If you don't want them in front of the screen take it away! Have them go outside, go for a walk, play a family game, teach them how to cook, ride a bike, go sledding – get outside or be active indoors if the weather doesn’t cooperate. 7.) Deforest should not be pressured to open. The staff is doing a great job educating students. Teachers have poured their hearts into educating the students they miss dearly, all while under the stress and scrutiny of everyone. We should be supporting our schools and educators, not making them feel unappreciated for their dedication. 8.) Understand that if students go back to in person learning, they will be sitting in a chair, with a mask on all day, working from the same computer they do at home. They will not be together at lunch, they will not be playing or interacting with their friends or even able to collaborate any differently than they do now. This is not in anyone’s best interest, it’s is the exact opposite. At home students can get up and move around, talk to friends on the phone at lunch and even get outside. The threat of Covid19 is real. It has killed far too many and created lasting health effects for even more. Let’s not be the reason more lives are lost or altered. Let’s be the reason we all survive and can return to normal sooner rather than later. Please sign this petition to keep the Deforest schools virtual until it is safe to return. Our kids and teachers deserve it!
    154 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Janel Hartjes
  • Solar & Farming
    The proposed draft code is drafted in a manner that treats solar as a pariah, instead of helping to foster a positive relationship between agriculture, the environment, solar and the community. A well drafted solar code can help ensure that farmers and the community can benefit from additional sources of income, new agriculture, soil preservation and protection from irreversible permanent development. Farmland that hosts solar will not be sold for single family homes The Town of Moreau's 2014 farmland protection plan, projects the population in the R-5 zone could increase by 40% between 2010 and 2050. The report projected increase is the equivalent of 135 new homes. The plan also projected that the district would lose 770 acres to housing and an additional 800 acres for utilities and roads to serve the new residential development. In one scenario it was determined that a total of 5,028 new single-family dwelling units could be constructed at full buildout. A total of 1,561 could be built within the Town’s agricultural zoning districts. Within the R-5 zoning district, approximately 770 single-family homes could be built. With five (5) acre minimum zoning requirements, this would equal 3,850 acres of new residential parcels. Solar panels don’t require town services, they don’t go to school and they never call the police. Solar panels don’t require new roads or road maintenance by the town. Well designed solar farms allow agriculture to exist between the panels. Solar is a temporary land use unlike other forms of permanent development.
    592 of 600 Signatures
    Created by Pat Killian
  • Biden: Immediately halt Trump's border wall. #NotAnotherFoot
    Right now, the US government is dynamiting our borderlands, destroying ecosystems, violating sacred native territories, and carving a path of destruction through our US border cities. Joe Biden can stop all of this immediately, fulfilling his campaign promise that "There will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration." (8/5/2020) Despite being defeated, Trump ignored the election results and has continued building the wall at at warp speed, setting the stage for wall construction to continue well into the Biden administration. It can only be stopped if Biden issues an Executive Order. Your signature will be delivered to members of the Biden/Harris team, and help save countless communities under attack. Your signatures will... HALT THE DESTRUCTION: The wall is not a fence. It is 3-story-tall prison-style barrier (more than twice the height of the Berlin Wall) surrounded by a militarized security zone the width of a football field. It has lasting, devastating impacts on every US community in which it is built. It destroys nature ecosystems and sacred native sites. For example, in just a single US city that the wall would impact, Laredo, TX the wall will carve a path of destruction through over 1000 people's homes, public parks, and even an orphanage run by nuns. https://bit.ly/3hJq3sN SAVE BILLIONS, SAVE LIVES: Halting wall construction and tearing it down would save the US government billions of dollars that can be devoted to the real emergency needs of our country, like Covid relief. The wall costs between $20-30 million for every single mile, which we can instead use to fund housing, education, health care and other real needs. For example, just a single mile of wall can fund over 300,000 Covid vaccine doses. https://bit.ly/2WtkHrX STOP FUELING VIOLENT RACISM: For Trump's most violent supporters, the wall is their single greatest symbol of inspiration, one that fuels violent racist attacks across the country. "Build The Wall!" has become a chant at MAGA rallies in Washington DC, and a slur shouted during assaults on people of color in states as far away from the border as Michigan and Pennsylvania. The wall is a national issue. Stopping the wall helps shut down this engine of racism. https://bit.ly/2WtkHrX END THE FAKE "EMERGENCY": There is no "national emergency" happening on the border. FBI statistics show border cities are among the safest in the United States. The wall is based on a lie, and serves no actual security purpose on the border. Data: https://bit.ly/37ytD5u RESTORE EQUAL RIGHTS: To build the wall, Trump has been seizing public and private lands of thousands of US citizens, and tossing aside over 40 federal laws like the Clean Water Act. As a result, people who live on the border have fewer constitutional rights than those who live in the rest of the US. Help restore the rights of border citizens. STOP THE CORRUPTION: The wall is a feeding frenzy for corrupt contractors, putting billions of dollars of taxpayer handouts directly in the hands of Trump cronies, some of whom are right now under federal investigation for fraud. You can help end this corrupt spending spree. https://bit.ly/34v8es4 Tell Biden to immediately halt all construction and cancel all funding for this harmful and wasteful wall.
    533 of 600 Signatures
    Created by gan golan
  • Tell the Biden COVID-19 task force: Vaccines must be free & accessible worldwide!
    Two U.S. companies — Pfizer and Moderna — have reported that their vaccines are 90%+ effective in providing immunity from COVID-19. This is groundbreaking, game-changing news for people here in the United States and all over the world — but only if everyone can access these treatments. NOW is the time to demand these treatments be free and accessible to EVERYONE. We have a tiny window to pressure President-elect Biden's COVID-19 task force to ensure PEOPLE come before PROFITS. A Biden administration must not only immediately rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO) — the United States has got to go further. Add your name now to urge President-elect Biden's COVID task force to support the global COVAX initiative AND ensure that any FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine is made COMPLETELY free and fully accessible to everyone, as quickly as possible.
    63 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Win Without War Picture
  • Stop the bleeding of small businesses in California
    I am a Entrepreneur and Business Broker. Since the pandemic began I have been witnessing the terrible impact on small businesses and it is devastating. Just recently I have witnessed the hope vanish in the eyes of many business owners that were trying desperately to stay afloat. The pandemic has impacted them drastically in the ability to operate. Businesses are getting strangled with the current restrictions, and if continued, they will eventually be forced to close. If they do manage to stay open, they struggle to find employees. The labor pool has been completely diminished.
    36 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Andre Gulmesoff, Business Broker Picture
  • Students For the HEROES Act
    Many West Virginians struggle every day, and since COVID started those struggles has simply multiplied. If the government passes this second stimulus package, and see to it that it goes to the people that actually need it, we feel that it would not only benefit the people who are struggling through these hard times, that it would also benefit small businesses who struggle to stay aloft. Small businesses this state relies on.
    76 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Charles Damron
  • TWO TERM LIMITS FOR ALDERMEN AND ALDERWOMEN
    Decades upon decades I witnessed as our local politicians take advantage of our communities and of the will of the people. They know the statistics and averages and how to get people activated and how to keep people inactive. Politicians in office know that people who don’t vote are the same people who say things will never change and are completely discouraged from partaking in our local politics and activities. They see the same politicians election after election making the same decisions and believe deep down inside that things will never change and that their one vote could never count. Politicians take advantage of this and allow themselves to get reelected over and over while not activating any new community members to get involved in our local government. The same voters vote for them year after year, and have no interest in encouraging the youth or new community members to get involved. Those that benefit from a politician being seated for decades are the ones that will vote and are the ones that will activate more voters like them to get the result they want. The people of Illinois are an example of these problems that come from politicians holding seats for far too long! We've had so many of our recent politicians go to jail because of their illegalities just slipping through the cracks, yet they were voted in election after election. At any given time an Illinois politician is under investigation and this is not right! Right now on this date 11/23/2020, the Mayor of Chicago, several Aldermen and woman and the decision to allow General Iron to move locations from the North side of Chicago to the South Side of Chicago is under investigation. This example is the #StopGeneralIron movement. Setting term limits will put an end to many of these problems. When we place two term limits on our local Aldermen and women it will activate more people to get involved in our government with each election and we will have a better and more current representation of the will of the people. Imagine knowing that when elections come up people will actually be working to build a better community and working towards activating new voters instead of manipulating our local government against the will of the people and suppressing our voters. The goal is to have as many people active in our local politics every four years not just when our community is at rock bottom! Setting a two a term limit to Aldermen and women will contribute to building a bigger and better community, involved and engaged and will also detour any local loyalist who will do the most to work against the will of the people. Please sign this petition for the good of the people! Thank You!
    50 of 100 Signatures
    Created by MARGARITA VEGA
  • Keep Fair Lawn Bakery Open
    This is a company very dear to my heart. My grandfather left Bulgaria to pursue a better life in America for our family and this was his first real job here. It changed everything for us! My mother is a long time employee in this location and has dedicated her life to this company. So many lives will be changed if this location closes. We are in the middle of a pandemic and many families are dependent on this income. Our economy will be affected, our local businesses. We need to rally together and make sure the jobs stay here!
    2,238 of 3,000 Signatures
    Created by Elaine Hristov
  • Sign Our Petition in Support of the Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2020 to Cancel Pigford Debt
    In 1997, the USDA released the Civil Rights Action Team (CRAT) Report, a condemning report that affirmed Black farmer narratives of pervasive government-sanctioned racial discrimination against them through the Farm Service Agency and county committee systems. Later that year, farmer-plaintiffs Timothy Pigford, Cecil Brewington, Lucious Abrams, George Hall, Eddie Ross, and Lloyd Shaffer filed class action lawsuits, charging the USDA with discrimination against Black farmers in the distribution of loans as well as failure to investigate complaints regarding widespread systemic racial animus. The goal of the Pigford lawsuit was to restore Black farmers and their agricultural land base through full debt cancellation, federal and state tax relief, monetary compensation, priority of lending services, and access to land. After the lawsuit, the vast majority of Black farmers were left with crushing debts originating from the racist misdeeds of USDA, threat of foreclosures, and no legal recourse to save their family farms. The $1 billion settlement was paid out mostly in $50,000 cash payments to 15,645 claimants. Only 4.8% of the $1 billion settlement went to debt relief. 6,906 farmers were denied the cash payments and debt relief. Most of the 6,906 were actual farmers with verifiable farm identification numbers. According to recent USDA, 17,000 Black legacy farmers are delinquent on their loans with USDA. Our farmers have been under threat of foreclosure ranging from 5 to 30 years. Over the years, aging Black farmers have delayed foreclosures by filing pro se complaints in federal court. The USDA continues to offset Black farmers’ tax refunds, social security, disability, and subsidy payments to cover outstanding debts. Decades of farmer-led organizing combined with our heightened efforts over the last three years laid the groundwork for the Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2020. Introduced by U.S. Senators Corey Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Kirsten Gillibrand the Justice for Black Farmers Act, is historic legislation that finally includes comprehensive debt cancellation for our Black legacy farmers. Due to Congress being out of session today, the Act will be officially introduced by U.S. Senators Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Kirsten Gillibrand on November 30th. In order to claim this victory for our farmers, we need to activate our collective power. Thank you to all of our supporters that have helped amplify our campaign and raise awareness of the plight of our Black legacy farmers. In the words of June Jordan, “we are the ones we have been waiting for.” The legacy of the Pigford lawsuit is the theft of Black farms through usurious debt. Now is the time to rectify this shameful chapter in U.S. history. We urge President-Elect Joe Biden and the new Congress to quickly enact the Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2020.
    1,196 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Acres of Ancestry Initiative/ Black Agrarian Fund Picture
  • President-elect Biden: We're ready to fight for a bold agenda
    The people have spoken, and they voted for bold action. We elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in an overwhelming victory with the highest voter turnout in history. People-powered organizing over the past four years and in this election turned the tide against Republicans despite their efforts to suppress Americans’ voices everywhere from the courts to the census to the ballot box. Everyday people—from frontline workers to students getting creative on social media to parents juggling work from home with kids to mothers, fathers, and children demanding justice for Black lives—mobilized to protect each other and our democracy, and we're ready to continue the work to create an America that works for all of us. Only big ideas, like a new New Deal or an investment akin to Kennedy's moonshot, will be able to alleviate the multiple crises our country faces: record unemployment, severe weather with multiple once-in-a-lifetime storms, wildfires raging, unbridled police violence, massive wealth inequality, millions without health coverage in a pandemic, and so much more. Incremental shifts will not tackle the crises or provide the relief desperately needed. We must change the status quo, invest in people and our communities, and shift power away from the wealthy and corporations. Together, we can send a powerful message to the Biden/Harris transition team. MoveOn will deliver your signature and comments to ensure the new administration knows why we need transformative solutions and that we're ready to work to ensure they are enacted. After four years of pushing back against the worst of the Trump administration's policies, hundreds of thousands of MoveOn members worked tirelessly to ensure progressive voters were able to cast their ballots. We voted to make Washington work for the people again. We voted because we can't survive another four years of attacks, the pandemic, and the sinking economy. We voted because we believe that Biden/Harris will deliver for the people who delivered the election for them. Now, we're ready to support the Biden administration implement a bold new vision where everyone can thrive.
    105 of 200 Signatures
  • Wayne County and All Government Employees Bill for Hazard pay
    Because now its a matter of fighting for money to pay us for everday work function. A function that can take us away from our family. An uninsured family left to fill a void unrecognized for the danger of a everyday regular job, with either environmental, health, material,equipment, chemical,or natural dangers involved.
    145 of 200 Signatures
    Created by President Darlene Buffington
  • COVID-19 Emergency Stimulus
    Every day this becomes even more imperative as we currently seeing a resurgence of COVID-19, not just in America, but across the world. By supporting this petition today you will help millions of Americans prepare for the next wave of COVID-19 & be well protected as we await a vaccine.
    68 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Adison Alexia-Quinn Winkles Picture