Masks, when combined with other measures, have proven to be the best way to significantly stop the spread of the virus. Masks have been proven effective across the globe and in our state. Orleans Parish successfully reduced the devastating effects of the COVID-19 virus by continuing to make masks mandatory throughout the reopening process. By doing so, Orleans Parish went from an epicenter of the virus to a safe place to work and live. As of June 29th, 2020, Jefferson Parish is instituting the same restrictions in order to reduce their numbers that have been increased since Phase Two of reopening. Not only are St. Tammany Parish’s COVID-19 numbers increasing, but close proximity to parishes with increasing numbers such as Washington and Jefferson create even more of a risk to those who live and work in St. Tammany. It is not uncommon to live on the Northshore and work on the Southshore. This commute increases the likelihood of infection and bringing the virus further into our community. According to recent numbers, St. Tammany is the parish with the fifth-highest recorded COVID-19 cases. Parish President Cooper even said it himself “We can shape the size of the scar this pandemic leaves on our community.” If he is truly committed to the safety of our parish then making masks mandatory in public is the only option for success. __________________ Here is the link for the contact information of your Parish Council Representative as well as the Parish President. Email them the statement above and let them know you support a safer St. Tammany! Below I have included a phone script if you would like to call their offices directly. http://www.stpgov.org/government/parish-council http://www.stpgov.org/government/parish-president Script for telephone: Be prepared to have your zip code in hand. “Hello, my name is (your name) and I am a constituent of (your council members name). I am calling today to urge (Council Member X) to introduce a policy to make facial masks mandatory in St. Tammany Parish. Thank you.”

The DAS extends police power to surveil nearly all New Yorkers 24/7. The system uses cameras, license plate readers, MTA trip data, and radiological sensors to create a real-time surveillance map of New York City. It also taps into private data feeds ranging from Wall Street banks’ security systems to private data brokers. Once the data is funneled into the DAS, it can be stored indefinitely. Even worse, NYC gets a sweet kickback commission from Microsoft any time another city or town buys the DAS technology. The DAS heightens the NYPD’s racist policing practice against BIPOC and immigrants. Not only can the DAS technology allow unconstitutional warrantless location tracking, it can also provide information for ICE to help deport people, too. We shouldn’t have to wait years for the Supreme Court to strike down the DAS. Microsoft should ditch it today. We’re calling on Microsoft to immediately end its partnership with the NYPD on the Domain Awareness System.

This is important because now is the time for change and monuments made to preserve nothing but white supremacy and its violent dominance over non-white culture from suppression to genocide need to be removed. The exploitation of Native American culture also needs to come to an end.

Explanations for each request: 1. Designated Government Run Quarantine Facilities: On several social media travel groups, people planning to travel to Hawaii have openly stated they will not test as, if they test positive, they may have financial loss (deposits for vacation). Instead, they plan to “quarantine”. There are some realizing that, if enough people opt to “quarantine” at their accommodation, the state of Hawaii will be unable to enforce the 14 day mandate. The state will have to spend money enforcing and chasing down quarantine breakers OR running a designated quarantine location. Our tax money is better spent on a designated quarantine location. This will be more efficient in controlling the spread of COVID-19 and will better keep our residents and kupuna safe. Also this will further encourage people to get tested before they travel. In addition, if a traveler is opposed to testing for fear of positive results and possible financial impact, or because they are hard-headed and don’t like to follow rules then these same people will have little regard for the safety of our residents. Therefore it is unrealistic to assume they will respect quarantine rules and orders. Finally, this would give locals who live here and are returning an easy way to get tested here instead of in another state. We would also prefer that returning residents who are concerned they may be bringing the virus back to their family be given the option to stay in quarantine if they request. This infrastructure would give the residents of Hawaii more control and will decrease the chance of COVID19 spread from travelers. 2. Require 2nd test: While there is no full proof way to allow travel and prevent COVID19, this would at slow and mitigate the spread of infection by catching some of those that were infected during travel. 3. Mandatory Quarantine for travelers from hotspots: There is a much greater likelihood that people from areas that are currently having significant outbreaks will be carriers of COVID-19. If their own states and cities are not allowing them to dine out, and do recreational activities. Why would we allow them to put our community at risk by coming to Hawaii to do those things? We should not have to pay the price of another community’s outbreak.

Florida needs a statewide masking mandate now to combat the rapidly spreading influence of the UK (B.1.1.7) variant. A statewide masking mandate will not only protect Floridians, but the rest of the nation. Florida has the most confirmed COVID cases of the UK variant in the country by far. The variant is 35% to 45 % more transmissible than the original COVID virus. Even with the alarming rise in variant cases, the true number is undoubtedly far greater as genome sequencing (which determines the strain of COVID of an individual case) is expensive and rare. Despite the still raging pandemic, Florida has reopened for tourism, hosting the Super Bowl and now has become the epicenter of the B.1.1.7 strain. As tourists leave Florida to return home, they will likely take the UK variant of COVID with them. “This isn’t just a Florida problem right now — it’s potentially an everywhere problem,” Robert Bednarczyk, a public health expert and assistant professor at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health said. There is a SMART way to keep the COVID cases in check until a greater portion of the population can be vaccinated, but it requires more genomic sequencing, increasing availability of testing, clear vaccination policies and adequate and accurate data that informs our every step. This only begins when face masks are mandated indoors statewide for all who are able. Even in light of the rapid spread of the UK variant in Florida , Governor Ron DeSantis has refused to take any meaningful action. We call on Governor DeSantis to mandate masks statewide -- and take the other steps outlined above -- to slow the spread of this virus and keep Floridians safe. Sources: https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/02/10/will-a-more-contagious-virus-reverse-floridas-progress-in-covid-cases/ Photo credit: Tens of thousands of people gathered on 7th Ave. in Ybor City after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55 on Monday, Feb. 8, 2021 in Ybor City. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

This is important because racism and discrimination should be eliminated and the only way to do that is to allow Americans to be equally represented by someone who can relate to their struggles and advocate change for the better. This is important because it will allow the opportunity for non whites to be in highest position in the government. It will break the repetitive cycle of a white male always being elected for President. It is importance because it will solidify change and give equality to black and brown Americans.

Dear Representative Raskin, As residents of Maryland’s 8th district, we call upon you to use your position on the House Judiciary Committee to take real and concrete steps to address the systemic violence and racism that plagues every level of our criminal justice system. While the legislation you’ve supported thus far is an excellent start, the reforms we’ve tried in the past have not ended the brutality. At the moment, there’s no reason for us to believe the reforms in the bills you’ve supported will end the racist brutality now. We have moved past the time for moderate, reactionary reforms. The momentum to fundamentally change the system is here, and we call upon you to support legislation that puts the following demands into action. End the transfer of military-grade equipment to police departments, and eliminate funding for programs that supply these weapons to police departments. Require disciplinary action for officers who prevent body/car/street cameras (any and all recording equipment) from filming, even unintentionally. Require footage from all police interactions to be automatically uploaded to publicly accessible platforms to which police departments do not have editorial access. Oppose additional federal funding for implicit bias training, de-escalation training, or “neighborhood watches” that cities may create to replace police departments. End qualified immunity and allow for suits to be brought retroactively against officers (including federal officials) who have violated civil rights in the past. The Bivens Act must allow for retroactive suits to be brought. End suspensions with pay for officers who commit acts of brutality. Create police involvement and brutality databases, aggregated by race, gender, sexuality, etc on a publicly accessible and easy to use online platform (where police involvement means all police encounters with the public, including non-arrests; all stop and frisks, all speeding tickets, etc). Require disciplinary action for police who do not report their interactions with civilians, even unintentionally. Institute stronger federal protections for police whistleblowers, including but not limited to personal security (if so desired) and pension/benefits protection. Demand that the proposed Law Enforcement Identification Act must be coupled with disciplinary action for any officers who break it, whether “unknowingly” or intentionally. Ignorance of the law is no excuse for us; it cannot be an excuse for them. Fully legalize marijuana, remove it from level 1 status, and allow NIH grants to go to marijuana research. Release all nonviolent drug offenders in federal prisons (including non-marijuana charges), particularly those convicted under mandatory minimums. Federally decriminalize sex work, repeal SESTA-FOSTA. Demilitarize and defund ICE. We know this list of demands presents a challenge, but these changes are necessary to end the violence perpetrated against black, brown and poor people in this country. Note: “Disciplinary action” may include, but is not be limited to: suspensions without pay, firings, loss of weapons/firearms, losing the right to own firearms, pay cuts, demotions, press releases that include the officer’s name, photo, and specifics about the actions of that officer to local (and potentially national) news outlets

This is important because the City Council took a sacred site away from the historic aboriginal Tribe of El Dorado County and gave it to the Sutter County Tribe just as the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors did in 2004. The Upper Broadway site belongs to the Wopumnes Tribe with over 150 years of history in El Dorado County. This is their sacred site that they have been protecting for over 100 years. On April 16, 2020 the City of Placerville bull-dozed the site without CEQA review and without warning. The City claims they gave notice in their 2018 MND but the site was obscured from the construction activities so there was no need for the Tribe to reveal the site. On June 23, 2020, item 12.1 on the City Agenda, the Placerville City Council, in an unprecedented act of insensitivity and amidst much support of the historic tribe, decided to ignore the Wopumnes request to allow them access to their sacred site to monitor study and construction activities. Instead the City Council decided to give the Wopumnes sacred site to the Sacramento-Verona Band (who arrived in El Dorado County in 1980, owns Redhawk Casino and calls themselves (SSBMI)). The City did exactly what the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors did in 2004... they gave the Wopumnes' sacred site away to the Sacramento-Verona Band, an out of town group from Sutter County. The Citizens of El Dorado County say "Not in my town. Placerville City Council, give the Wopumnes back their sacred site so they monitor construction and study activities, and bring in UC Davis to do the dig, Collect, Study and Care for the Wopumnes Tribe's artifacts.

Tom Tiffany is not a team player! He is concerned about Tom and what Tom wants ONLY. It is time to get rid of Toxic Tom and protect Wisconsinites. It is time to show FULL Support for the Governor Wisconsinites elected. It is time other politicians respect and work with the man WE the Citizens of Wisconsin elected. Mr. Tiffany is only one example of those who refuse to work with officials that Wisconsinites elected. This is unsafe for Wisconsin. We need a government that works together for it's citizens.

In the Kentucky primary election that occurred yesterday, several hundred voters were locked out of the KY Expo Center right at 6 pm, barring them from their right to vote. The only reason they were allowed inside is because both US Senate Democratic Nominees, Amy McGrath and Charles Booker, filed injunctions with the Jefferson County Circuit Court to open the doors and allow those waiting in line outside to vote. Charles Booker filed a second injunction to keep the polls open until 9 pm, and was denied. Kentucky's current election law states that polls are to be closed at 6 pm with the precinct election sheriff identifying the last person in line to be the last voter. This early closing time prevents many working people from getting to their polling place in time, especially if they work far from their home precinct. Restricting voting hours to end at 6 pm is voter disenfranchisement, aimed specifically at working-class citizens and people of color, who are more likely to be working in the service industries where there is little flexibility to leave one's shift to go vote. In the case of this last primary election, there was only ONE polling place for all of Jefferson County/city of Louisville -- where there are nearly 1 million residents. At 6 pm the traffic to get into the KY Expo Center was nearly an hour long. Voters were parking and running up to the doors to make it in time, only to find they had been locked out. With the coronavirus crisis continuing indefinitely into the future, we can only assume that our state and county will choose to have a singular polling place for the November general election. We MUST URGE our KY state officials, Governor Andy Beshear, Secretary of State Michael Adams, KY Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, and KY House of Representatives David Osborne to EXTEND voting hours to at least 7 pm, if not until 9 pm. That last hour is critial in expanding access for voters who cannot leave work in time to get to their polling place.

On 5/29 and 5/30, Virginians outraged by recent police murders and systemic racism took to the streets of Richmond. The police met this unrest with violence, tear-gassing protestors and nearly running people over with a police vehicle. As in dozens of other cities, there was significant damage to both private and public property. Some protesters also defaced symbols of white supremacy with anti-racist graffiti. The next day, Mayor Levar Stoney called in the National Guard and imposed an 8 pm curfew for the city. That night, protesters took to the streets once more. At around nine o'clock, RPD interrupted an otherwise peaceful protest by firing tear gas into the crowd. They pursued and arrested 233 people, some of whom were not protesting and were unaware of the curfew. Police transported these individuals to the Richmond City Jail where they were kept in a hot poorly ventilated bus, some for over twelve hours. The full litany of abuses they suffered at the hands of police is too long to list here (for more see @nomoniker on Twitter). Over the course of the night, law enforcement officials sexually harassed protesters, failed to adequately address medical and psychological crises, dismissed concerns about COVID-19 exposure, and regularly denied arrestees water—all for behavior that should NOT HAVE BEEN CRIMINALIZED in the first place. More arrests were made on the second night of the curfew. More recently, on 6/14 and 6/15, protestors were maced and gassed by police in riot gear outside the precinct. On 6/14 Michaela G. Hatton, a 22-year-old protester with a master’s degree in social work from VCU, was targeted by RPD and charged with felony assault on a law enforcement officer and conspiracy to incite a riot. Michaela lost her job because of the arrest. Despite the numerous calls to drop charges against protestors, the City has taken NO substantive action to reject police repression and violence. Let's all pressure Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin, Mayor Stoney, and Richmond City Council to protect the people they supposedly serve. We demand that our elected officials work to ensure that ALL chargers against protestors are dropped immediately!

Recently, our Village has lost another valuable employee amidst allegations of harassment and retaliation within Village Hall. While the details have been shared with some board members, over the course of the last month and a half there has been no action by the board to improve the employee relations within our Village Hall. At this point, we, the residents of the Village of Lakewood, believe all parties need a cooling off period and to have a fair and independent review of the facts of these complaints. We want action from the Board that says we value our staff, all of the staff, and I want transparency in the process so that we can all have trust that this is not opening the Village up to any legal action on behalf of the Village Employees.