This petition is intended to influence all 50 U.S. States and the District of Columbia. I am a U.S. Air Force Desert Storm Veteran who currently serves in the U.S Air Force Reserves. This is my TRUTH. Jaelen and Faith Edge are my children. They were alienated from me for almost eight years. During that time I got incarcerated in a U.S. jail FOR PAYING child support, mislead into supervised visitation, judicially ROBBED of my savings and courtroom ALIENATED from my children. I had only petitioned the Cobb County Georgia Superior Court for a divorce and regular visitation of my autistic son and toddler daughter. Jaelen and Faith Edge were later murdered by their mother AFTER a Superior Court Judge called Marilyn Kay Woody-Edge a Parental Alienator and then REFUSED to give me full custody of my children or incarcerate her. I received FULL CUSTODY of my children from a California funeral home. Despite my best efforts to be a part of my children’s lives, I ended up being portrayed as a deadbeat dad who had deserted his children. A deadbeat dad who did not pay child support and should be locked away; A deadbeat dad who could not properly care for his autistic son without special training; A deadbeat dad who needed to be supervised by a Parental Supervision Service; A deadbeat dad who was good enough to serve his country but not good enough to be a part of his children’s lives. In years before filing for a divorce I had spent regular quality time with both of my children. I did my best to give them a good active childhood. I maintained a military security clearance, attended college part time and worked a decent job. I had never been accused of domestic violence, I had never been incarcerated and I had not needed supervision to be able to spend time with my children. Within the first year of my notifying Marilyn of my intent to divorce her all of that changed. Marilyn Woody had deserted our marriage almost three years prior to me filing for a divorce. The reason I decided to divorce was because there was no opportunity to repair our relationship and due to her families influence she and I could not agree on how best to rear my autistic son. She thought there was a magic cure for Autism and her family supported her in that. I did not believe that there was any cure for Autism and I only wanted to mitigate my son’s autism with speech, logic and physical type therapies. Marilyn had expressed her interest to take my son for alternative therapies and I disagreed. I later asked for a divorce after I discovered that she had charged up my equity line of credit and a credit card at an alternative medicine clinic. After asking for the divorce Marilyn almost immediately started making excuses to keep me from spending time with my son or daughter alone. She first started making ultimatums that she come to my home or on trips for overnight visits with the children. Although I wasn’t comfortable with the idea I thought it best to just go along with it to spend time with my children. I loved my children and at that point I would have compromised for them. However the compromise was short lived. The time apart helped me to see many things. I started to see her as spoiled and selfish. I did not see her in the same light that had brought us together. I did not want to pursue any relationship with her other than being friends for the betterment of my children. Marilyn was glossing over the fact that I had asked for a divorce so I told her a second time. Thereafter she immediately stopped my son from having overnight visits with me and started trying to persuade my daughter the same. The difference between the two children’s response to Marilyn’s early attempts to isolate or brainwash them; was that my daughter could verbally express exactly what she wanted and my son could not because he was nonverbal. I had strong bonds with both of my children. By the time they could walk they had spent a lot of time with me and done a lot of things with me. They knew that I was supposed to be with them and vice versa. My son like all children his age wanted his mom and dad to be together whereas my daughter had always known us not to live together. Jaelen was easily persuaded by his mom Faith was not. Before the alienation Jaelen had spent a lot of time hanging out with me. We took road trips to the beach, I pushed him around in his kettle car, we fished, played video games, and had a great time together. Every time Jaelen would see me I could see that he wanted so badly to leave with me. Marilyn made Jaelen’s efforts to leave his grandparents home so dramatic that he began to choose the path of least disappointment. For example Jaelen would crawl up into my truck look around for a bit before waving for his mom to come with us and if she did not come to the vehicle, he would kiss his sister, hug me and go back into the house. The one thing that I could always count on is that when I came to see Jaelen that he would be waiting at the window for me to play with him and that he would run to the window to watch me drive away. I wanted so much for him to just say, “I’m going with my dad!” I never forced him to come with me because I knew it had to be his decision and I did not want to add tension to my relationship with Marilyn or her family. I just went with Jaelen’s flow if he wanted to play ball we played ball, if he wanted to play with remote control cars we played with remote control cars, if he wanted to wrestle we wrestled. I always played with Jaelen to his heart’s content no matter how much time it took to make him happy. When he was tired I would leave and come back the next day to play with him more. I wanted him to know that everything with him and I was going to be okay even if he didn’t choose to spend overnight visits with me and his sister. I was so tired of arguing by that time, so tired of being threatened by her families bogus complaints, so tired of the back and forth wi...

On December 30, 2011, Ms. Glenda G. Lewis of Cocoa, Florida was found battered and dead lying in her bed with her violent and abusive ex-boyfriend, Calvin Lamal Williams. Her family reported that weeks before her death, she had filed for a domestic violence injunction, but was repeatedly threatened by Williams to rescind it. Sadly, she did. Days later, she was dead. At the time of Glenda’s death, he was an absconder (his whereabouts unknown to authorities) and was wanted for a probation violation regarding another victim of his domestic violence. Outrage and disbelief has taken the place of grief and sadness by Glenda’s family and friends. We are desperate for answers to why her ex-boyfriend, a man with an extensive history of crime and violence, had not been charged with any crime regarding her “suspicious death” nearly 12 years ago. Why else would an otherwise healthy 40-year-old woman be found dead in her own bedroom in which her furniture was totally destroyed; if foul play was not involved? The message that was sent by Detective Glenn Wade was that you must be a LIVE victim of domestic violence to get charges filed, because once your abuser MURDERS you, you cease to have any rights for justice. Once you are DEAD, you no longer have a voice and your killer can get away with murder. We, the family and friends of Glenda Lewis, are her voice. Please hear our cries for justice. Domestic violence is not a private matter and does not affect the Lewis family solely. It is a public epidemic and if we are not careful with the progress of this case, none of us will ever be safe.

Legislation (HB 48) is being introduced to end capital punishment. In its crowded, 30-day session, the Kentucky state house will consider public support for doing away with capital punishment. Murder will become a Class A Felony punishable by life without parole or life without parole for 25 years.

Many high schools today start school in the 7 o'clock hour, a practice started several decades ago to save money by recycling school bus runs. Now considerable research confirms that these school start times are inconsistent with sleep needs of teenagers and young adults and are seriously undermining school performance as well as children's health and welfare. Because politics, money, and other logistical issues inevitably keep most school systems from changing start times, we need a national minimum start time for all public schools to make it easier for communities to do what's best for the safety, health, and learning of all children of every age when they set local schedules.

In Washington, DC, our nation's capital, we have no voting member of Congress, and our local taxes and laws are subject to the control of Congress. This violates every principle of democracy and it is un-American.

Howard Community College is a pillar of Howard County and a key institution for students, parents, workers, families, and residents of Howard County, and the faculty who serve that institution are dedicated to serving that community as well. The full-time faculty at HCC are the people executing the mission of the college, providing high-quality education for our students, and creating community on campus, and they deserve recognition for their commitment to our community in the form of a strong union contract. Faculty have been in the process of negotiating with the college for close to a year and a half and have been met with stalling tactics, unpreparedness by the college, and disrespect from administrators. At the same time, the college is actively suppressing union speech on campus and working to intimidate faculty to prevent them from speaking out. This behavior is unacceptable and in direct opposition of what Maryland and Howard County Legislators intended when collective bargaining rights were given to faculty years ago. The signers of this petition demand that HCC cease their union-busting behavior and treat faculty with respect in order to rebuild the community and recenter the mission of the College.

1. Ensuring Equal Access to Voting The bill addresses a major barrier to voting: access to a valid ID. Many eligible voters, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals experiencing homelessness, struggle to afford the cost of obtaining a REAL ID or upgrading to a REAL ID Driver’s License. By upgrading their current forms of identification to REAL ID-compliant versions at no cost, this bill ensures that these groups can participate in elections without the financial burden of paying for an ID. 2. Promoting Voter Inclusivity Historically, certain populations have been marginalized in the electoral process due to lack of access to valid identification. This bill seeks to level the playing field by ensuring that individuals at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, seniors, and disabled individuals can vote without being excluded due to inability to afford the cost of updating their identification. 3. Supporting Individuals with Disabilities People with disabilities often face additional obstacles in daily life, including barriers to obtaining and updating identification. This bill prioritizes their needs by ensuring they are not burdened with the cost of upgrading to a REAL ID or REAL ID Driver’s License making it easier for them to exercise their fundamental right to vote. 4. Addressing Homelessness Homeless individuals often lack the proper documentation and identification to vote. This bill removes the financial barrier, helping to integrate homeless individuals into the voting process, and giving them a voice in elections. 5. Reducing Voter Suppression Forcing people to pay for ID upgrades creates an unnecessary financial obstacle that disproportionately affects disadvantaged groups. This bill reduces voter suppression by eliminating the cost and ensuring everyone, regardless of their financial status, has equal access to participate in the democratic process. 6. Encouraging Civic Engagement By making the process of obtaining a REAL ID or REAL ID Driver’s License more accessible, this bill fosters greater civic engagement. When citizens are able to exercise their right to vote, they feel more empowered and connected to their communities and the democratic process. 7. Strengthening Democracy A democracy is only as strong as its ability to fairly represent all citizens. By ensuring that voting is accessible to everyone, including the most vulnerable, this bill strengthens the democratic process and ensures a fuller, more inclusive representation of the nation's diverse population.

Why Is This Important? HPRA is about keeping families together and ensuring that long-term undocumented parents of U.S. citizen children are not unfairly separated from their kids. These parents have built their lives in the U.S., contributed to their communities, and yet remain at risk of deportation—leaving their children behind to face emotional, financial, and social hardships. No child should have to grow up in fear of losing a parent due to outdated immigration laws. Why Should Others Join This Campaign? ✔ It Protects Families & Children • Thousands of U.S. citizen children are at risk of being separated from their parents. • Deportation disrupts children's education, mental health, and future stability. ✔ It’s a Fair & Practical Solution • HPRA is not an amnesty program; it provides a structured legal process with strict eligibility requirements. • It supports parents who have demonstrated their commitment to their families and communities. ✔ It Strengthens Communities & the Economy • Allowing parents to stay legally and work helps families achieve stability and strengthens the economy. • Strong, stable families contribute to safer, more connected communities. ✔ It’s a Human Issue, Not Just a Policy Debate • Behind every statistic is a real family, a real child, a real story. • These are hardworking parents who have built their lives here—they deserve a chance to stay and raise their children without fear. How I'd Explain It to a Friend "Imagine waking up every day wondering if your mom or dad will be taken away from you. Imagine your parents working hard, paying taxes, and contributing to the community, yet they have no way to fix their status. That’s the reality for thousands of families in the U.S. right now." "HPRA is about providing a fair opportunity for these families. It’s not about automatically granting citizenship—it’s about preventing unnecessary family separations and allowing parents who have been here for years to live and work legally while raising their U.S. citizen children." "The more people who join this movement, the stronger our voices become—and the harder it is for lawmakers to ignore us."  Learn more about HPRA here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EsP7ijbHGwFqfhi3fk8PP6TJHdh0Yt2f7N69GLKlS5Y/edit?usp=sharing

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, many families in Western North Carolina remain isolated due to the destruction of essential bridges, their only connection to their homes. Temporary footbridges, funded by nonprofits, provided short-term relief but are inadequate for long-term use. Efforts to rebuild permanent structures have been halted due to FEMA's No-Rise Certification requirements. While these certifications are important for preventing future flooding, they require costly engineering studies and lengthy approval processes that many families cannot afford. Among those affected is my own family: my mother has been unable to reach her home except by four-wheeler, and an elderly neighbor battling cancer is stranded with only a footbridge for access. The storm has reshaped rivers and eroded landscapes, making exact reconstruction impossible for many. We urge North Carolina legislators to take immediate action by: 1. Waiving No-Rise Certification costs for families rebuilding essential access bridges. 2. Allocating funding for engineering studies to assist low-income residents. 3. Expediting the permitting process for critical recovery projects. These families need access to their homes, medical care, and resources now. We cannot wait for another disaster to make this right. Join us in calling for practical, compassionate solutions to this urgent issue.

This was an incredibly destructive and dark event in the CalPERS history, to allow pensioners who paid into the CalPERS system for decades to hang in the wind with 63% of their planned retirement taken away.    ·       Contracts were Irresponsible: CalPERS wrote pension contracts with well over 170 public Joint Powers Authorities (JPA).  CalPERS staff wrote these contracts (building growth for the CalPERS fund) never making the JPA Founding Cities responsible for the CalPERS pensions. Without such a provision, the JPA employees had no knowledge of the peril their pension accounts were in.  There was no way the JPA’s would fund their pension accounts in perpetuity.  Developing CalPERS contracts,  without a means to continue pension plan payments, was an irresponsible and horrendous error!    ·       No Social Security: We are/were public servants, who faithfully paid for decades into our PERS retirement accounts, and we deserved our full pensions. Our pensions have been slashed (since 2016) for reasons we had absolutely no control over. Additionally, the majority of us were prohibited from contributing to Social Security (couldn’t contribute to both SS and PERS) so we have no Social Security pensions to fall back on. Many have had to go back to work late in life, and everyone will be working into our 70’s and 80’s and never make up this retire. Ghost Pensioners Included in Termination Fee:   CalPERS has applied absurd assumptions against us, and we are paying the price of “ghost pensioners” who will never be a cost to CalPERS:   1) The ESGVC $18M “termination fee” has been grossly inflated by the CalPERS Actuary, as follows: calculated in the $18M termination “projection”,  are many “ghost pensioners” who are deemed a “potential future cost”.  The “ghost pensioners” are individuals who were never vested in CalPERS to start with, or withdrew ALL their funds from their PERS account (when they left public employment), but CalPERS says they MIGHT come back into the PERS system at some point in their lifetime.  Additionally, CalPERS is applying an interest penalty of 2.8% to the Termination  Fee of $18M, when it is CalPERS' shortcomings that caused this contract to exist in the first place.  Legislators:  Fortunately, for all rest of the JPA employees in the State of California, AB 1912 was passed to assure that what happened to the ESGVC pensioners doesn’t happen again.  However,  AB1912 did not resove the ESGVC pensioners devastation.  ESGVC was excluded from eligibility for AB1912.  

ABC 7 Chicago story that aired on 12/16/24 regarding Andy. https://youtu.be/KstKbAZ4-wQ?si=kAqwB_Szli--yc9K

1. Human Rights: Advocacy Supporting Christopher Hunter’s case is a stand for the fundamental rights of all individuals, emphasizing the importance of compassion and justice within the legal system. 2. Awareness of Injustice: This campaign highlights issues related to unjust sentencing, prison conditions, and the need for reform in the criminal justice system, raising awareness about systemic problems that affect many. 3. Compassionate Approach: Advocating for compassionate release underscores the value of empathy and understanding in our society, promoting a more humane approach to justice. 4. Community Solidarity: By joining this campaign, individuals can demonstrate solidarity with those affected by the criminal justice system, fostering community support and connection around shared values of fairness and compassion. 5. Potential for Change: Campaigns like this can lead to significant changes in policy and practice, potentially benefiting not only Christopher but also others in similar situations who deserve a second chance. 6. Mobilizing for Justice: Collective action can amplify the call for Christopher's release, making it more difficult for authorities to ignore the demands for justice and compassion. 7. Inspiration for Others: Taking part in this campaign can inspire others to advocate for those who are marginalized or wrongfully treated, creating a ripple effect of activism and awareness. By joining the campaign for Christopher Hunter’s compassionate release, individuals can be part of a movement that seeks to correct injustices and promote a more compassionate society.