There are over 100,000 inmates in American prisons for non-violent drug offenses; meanwhile McConnell continues to personally profit by accepting donations linked to cocaine-smuggling companies. It's time for an end to the hypocrisy.

Since its establishment in the 1960s McCrory Gardens has been free and open to the public. We have strolled without restriction among the plantings with family, friends, and visitors. A general admission fee is proposed to begin in the spring and a 6-foot wrought iron fence has been erected around the Gardens. These changes will end McCrory's long-standing tradition as a public space. Our community has been fortunate to have this beautiful botanical gem in our midst and its unfettered access to all has been its greatest asset. Through the Garden we could nurture our nature-dependent psyches and guide our children to explore and love the living world around them. Charging admission and funneling entrance through the Visitor’s Center will discourage the Garden's many casual visitors. Some community members, unable to afford Friends membership or admission fees (modest though they may be), will similarly be unable to partake of McCrory's restorative benefits. We have been told that McCrory has an annual budget shortfall of $100,000 yet the estimated admission revenue is only $15-20,000 per year. The community of Brookings has supported the Gardens for nearly 50 years and will continue to enthusiastically support McCrory as the public space we have enjoyed these many decades. Many other institutions of higher education administer botanical gardens and arboretums that are free and open to the public. Among these are the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, University of California; University of Delaware Botanic Gardens; Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens, Middle Georgia State College; Kansas State University Gardens; Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden, University of Maine; The Botanical Garden of Smith College; Matthaei Botanical Gardens, University of Michigan; University of Nebraska-Lincoln Botanical Garden and Arboretum; Rutgers Gardens; Cornell Plantations; Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Duke University; North Carolina Botanical Garden; University of North Carolina; Reynolda Gardens, Wake Forest University; Kalmia Gardens, Coker College; and South Carolina Botanical Garden, Clemson University. While some of these examples may not be exactly analogous to McCrory perhaps their funding mechanisms can be adapted to McCrory. Any number of fundraising ideas, individually or in tandem, has the potential to generate more revenue than charging admission. Corporate or city sponsorship might be options. Annual fundraising drives. Admission fees for events such as the annual Garden Party. Unlike the alienating admission fee, events can generate awareness and good will as well as funds. Please explore and exhaust other options before resorting to general admission fees. We understand the need for security for the Garden's donated and sponsored plantings as well as the research areas and we hope the fence will deter senseless vandalism. However, the fence is a barrier, both physical and psychological, that isolates McCrory from the community in which it has always been integral. We request that the west parking area be reopened and that the gate in that area be kept open during daylight hours. The Gardens should also have additional gates for emergency entrance or exit.

On October 2nd, Huffington Post reported yet another story of Ted Nugent spewing racist rhetoric. Accoding to HuffPo: "Musician Ted Nugent took to the Internet on Wednesday to decry what he called "Ferguson thugs" and "a plague of black violence," demanding that blacks stop supporting liberals because of what he saw as biased media coverage of the recent Ferguson police shooting." This is just the latest of a long list of racist, homophobic, sexist, violent ranting that includes but isn't limited to: 1) 'Dead Or In Jail' - "If Barack Obama becomes the president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year," Nugent said to NRA supporters in April 2012. 2) 'I'd Like To Shoot 'Em Dead' - During an interview in 2008, Nugent had harsh words for undocumented immigrants on Sean Hannity (Fox "news") 3) 'Suck On My Machine Gun' - During a 2011 interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, Nugent outlined his views on gun control. "Anybody that wants to disarm me can drop dead," Nugent said. "Anybody that wants to make me unarmed and helpless, we're gonna literally create the proven places that where more innocents are killed called 'gun-free zones,' we're gonna beat you. We're gonna vote you out of office, or suck on my machine gun, you can take it whichever way you want." 4) 'You Punk', 'You Worthless Bitch' - While on stage at a 2008 concert, Nugent held up machine guns and shared his thoughts on Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. "Hey, Obama," he said, guns in hand. "You might wanna suck on one of these, you punk." He continued, "Hillary, you might wanna ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless bitch." 5) 'Apartheid Isn't That Cut-And-Dry' In 1990, Nugent caused a stir when he commented on racial segregation in South Africa to Detroit Free Press magazine. "Apartheid isn't that cut and dry," Nugent said. "All men are not created equal. The preponderance of South Africa is a different breed of man. I mean that with no disrespect. I say that with great respect. I love them because I'm one of them. They are still people of the earth, but they are different. They still put bones in their noses, they still walk around naked, they wipe their butts with their hands ... These are different people. You give 'em toothpaste, they f***ing eat it ... I hope they don't become civilized. They're way ahead of the game." As an endorser of PRS, Peavey and MXR products, Nugent casts a negative shadow on your respective brands. This petition is a request that you drop Nugent from your endorsed artist roster. Not doing so is silent approval of all these racist, sexist, homophobic, violent, separatist rhetoric that deeply divides our country. I hope you agree with me and disassociate with this dark cloud of American society.

To encourage your New Mexico lawmakers to revise the Animal Welfare Act to include a statewide Animal Abuse offenders list.

The purpose of this petition is to unify the voices of the residents of Old Metairie in our joint frustration with the dangers posed by the existing rail line. Our objective is to persuade the State DOTD and the Railway operators to permanently relocate this stretch of railway to a non-residential location.

My own daughters can depend on clean water, health care and nutritious food. I empathize with moms around the world who aren't able to meet these basic needs for their children and watch them suffer and die from treatable and preventable causes.

November 19, 2014 Mayor Charlie Hales Commissioner Dan Saltzman Commissioner Nick Fish Commissioner Steve Novick Commissioner Amanda Fritz Dear Mayor Hales and Members of the Portland City Council, We are a community of members who care about active, healthy, vibrant recreational opportunities. We believe Portland has the potential to become a recognized and acclaimed haven for off-road cycling. To achieve that vision, we agree with Commissioner Amanda Fritz – it’s time for a citywide master plan for recreational cycling. In fact, we are decades overdue at this point. Now is the time to fund a planning process for off-road cycling. We request that City Council designate $200,000 to launch us into that process. It is past time to meet the overflowing demand for recreational cycling access. Thank you for your consideration, Northwest Trail Alliance & Friends

This issue should be a concern for everyone who has compassion for other human lives in this world. There is a constant daily deadline for so many lives on the African Continent. I see everyday how so many people take so much for granted here in the US. It makes me ashamed to call myself an American sometimes. I feel affected by this for the simple fact that I have come to know and love so many amazing and talented people from many parts of this beautiful continent that have become like family and I never want to say goodbye to them for something that can be helped. If nothing is done and we as a country keep allowing this to be for all those innocent men, women and children, then God have mercy on our souls. People seem to forget or not even care to remember the last time nothing was done for the innocent people of Rwanda: In just 100 days in 1994, some 800,000 people were slaughtered in Rwanda by ethnic Hutu extremists. They were targeting members of the minority Tutsi community, as well as their political opponents, irrespective of their ethnic origin...As reported by BBC NEWS. People here always say we need to take care of ourselves and our country first, but what if their loved ones were being slaughtered or starving or couldn't get medical help for lack of money? Would they feel the same?

We, the neighbors of SW 10 street and the Little Gables neighborhood, OBJECT to the residential property located at 4028 SW 10 street being re-zoned and turned into a parking lot. It would destroy our residential block, create safety concerns, diminish our property values, increase noise starting at 5:30am, and pump car pollution directly into our homes. PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS TO HELP SAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

This country's engagement in its right and responsibility to vote and stay engaged in its politics is downright disgraceful, embarrassing and self destructive. If we cannot get more folks to vote we can kiss this country goodbye, because sociopaths with huge megaphones are taking over.

I am starting this because I don't believe that Bo Pelini should be fired after the loss to the Wisconsin Badgers on 11/15/2014.

The portion of the new FAIS Page Street campus white zone directly fronting the property, which is capable of handling 8 to 10 vehicles, is adequate for handling drop-offs and pickups without adversely affecting traffic to any significant degree. The additional four spots taken from in front of the adjoining property, 70 Baker Street, therefore are not required for safe operation of said white zone as was argued. Signing this petition means you would like the SFMTA to return the four parking spaces on Page Street that are not in front of FAIS to the central Haight neighborhood for general parking. This neighborhood has recently lost four blocks of street parking to bicycle lanes as well as more spaces to parklets and expanded bus zones that cater to private buses.