Hello neighbor! If you live in Strathmore at Appletree point and own your home, I am asking for your support. Some of you I have had the pleasure of speaking with in person, but for those of you I haven't met yet, I'd like to explain why I am asking you to sign our petition to permit residents of Strathmore at Appletree Point to raise hens. Two and a half years ago we embarked on a family adventure. That winter we were buying our Christmas tree at a farm that also sold eggs. Our daughter Sofia (11 at the time) asked if we could raise chickens to have our own eggs. We told her “sure, if you do all the research about it, and agree to take care of them.” Much to our surprise, she did, and Tom (after we checked with our immediate neighbors) found himself building a coop. For two years now we have been enjoying their funny personalities and their delicious eggs. They have become much-loved pets. Several months ago we received notice from the Board that chickens were not allowed at Appletree Point and they would have to go. We knew Burlington allowed residents to raise hens, and we had no idea that the neighborhood rules were any different. Much to our surprise, we discovered Strathmore bylaws, which were drafted more than 20 years ago, prohibit the raising of any number of chickens. We were shocked; our hens are clean and quiet and don’t bother anyone. In fact, most Appletree residents we have spoken with didn’t realize that there have been chickens living amongst them for two years! This rule is sadly outdated. As part of the local food movement, cities and towns across the nation are enacting “hen friendly” legislation. People everywhere are learning about the fun and positive aspects of raising backyard chickens. Help us save our hens, and help change the neighborhood bylaw that will allow us to join this national movement. Therefore, we propose that: Strathmore at Appletree Point’s bylaws be amended to align with the city of Burlington’s current policy regarding the raising of hens. Written approval from each adjacent property owner regarding both existence and placement of the hen’s housing structure (i.e. coop) be required. Animal care will be guided by published “best practice” regulations and education. Hens may not roam free and must be in a secure enclosure allowing up to 10 square feet of space per hen. The hen coop must be screened and not visible from the street. Complaints regarding improper hen raising will be heard by the Board, and will follow the Board’s usual procedure for resolving neighborhood disputes. If you are a resident and own your property, click here to sign the petition: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/petition-to-allow-residents?source=c.em&r_by=11009232 Do you need more information before you decide? Have you heard negative things about chicken raising? Let me address your concerns. Myth 1. Chickens are too noisy. Fact: Laying hens—at their loudest—have about the same decibel level as human conversation (60 to 70 decibels). Hens are so quiet that there have been cases of family flocks being kept for years without the next door neighbors knowing it. Myth 2. Chickens cause waste. Fact: A 40-pound dog generates more solid waste than 10 chickens. To be more specific, one 40-pound dog generates about .75 pounds of poop every day. Ten chickens generate about .66 pounds daily poop. The advantage to chicken poop is that it can be used as valuable, high-nitrogen fertilizer. Unlike dog or cat poop, chicken poop can be combined with yard and leaf waste to create compost. Just as valuable, about 40 percent of the chicken manure is organic matter necessary for building fertile, healthy topsoil. There is one huge advantage to family flocks that is often overlooked during chicken debates. That is their role and value in solid waste management systems. Chickens, as clucking civic workers, are biomass recyclers and can divert tons of organic matter from the trash collection and landfills. Combine their manure with grass clippings, fallen leaves and garden waste, and you create compost. Composting with chicken helpers keeps tons of biomass out of municipal trash collection systems. All this can save big time taxpayer dollars, which is especially valuable in these times of stressed municipal budgets. Myth 3. Chickens attract predators, pests and rodents. Fact: Predators and rodents are already living in urban areas. Wild bird feeders, pet food, gardens, fish ponds, bird baths and trash waiting to be collected all attract raccoons, foxes, rodents and flies. Indeed, chickens are part of the solution to pesky problems. Chickens are voracious carnivores and will seek out and eat just about anything that moves including ticks (think Lyme disease), fleas, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, stink bugs, slugs, and even mice, baby rats and small snakes. Myth 4. Property values will decrease. Fact: There is not one single documented case that we know of about a next door family flock that has decreased the value of real estate. On the contrary, local foods and living green is so fashionable, that some realtors and home sellers are offering a free chicken coop with every sale. An example of this can be found at www.GreenWayNews.com. And the benefits of raising backyard hens? Hens produce affordable fresh, healthy and delicious home-grown eggs, free of pesticides and antibiotics. They produce rich garden fertilizer via chicken waste by-products, which is high in nitrogen, eliminating the need for petrochemical fertilizers. They reduce backyard pest populations, through the consumption of bugs by hens. Hens make great pets, as their behavior is interesting and entertaining. They are people-friendly, quiet, and unaggressive. What about this cold, cold winter we’ve just been through? Although it’s true chickens don’t love the snow, and would rather sit on a little girl’s head than get their feet in it, they are hardy and don’t require muc...

After finding out about banfield I thought it was a good idea to get the wellness plan for my 2 year old husky who was perfectly fine, probably the healthiest dog in the world. After he got his vaccines, which were for the lepto, rabies, parvo and bordetella, he started feeling weak and lost his appetite a month after that. I took him back to find out what it was and they thought there was something wrong with his stomach, I knew there wasn't anything wrong with his stomach because when you felt up his abdomen he didn't complain or anything but since I'm not an expert I trusted what the doctor said. He gave him antibiotics for an infection, to control diarrhea and throw up which was $300, I didn't mind the cost because I thought I was saving money with the wellness plan plus it was going to my dog who was my best friend. After he was done with the medication he was feeling worse and didn't eat AT ALL, he was loosing weight so fast and didn't have any energy. I took him back and they thought it was either parvo or endocrine disease so I paid for more test which were $500. They told me it was parvo virus so I bought antibiotics for parvo which were $200 and I did my own research of things i could do to fasten the treatment so he could get better. Another month went by and he was worse than ever, he went from being 70 pounds to almost 30, he still tried to run but he barely had any muscle, fat or energy left. I called them to make an appointment because the treatment wasn't working and they told me it was actually leptospirosis. After a month of trying to fight parvo they told me it was another thing. I did more research on it so i could help my dog out and i saw an article about a woman talking about her dog dying because of the vaccines so I started to look more into it. I learnt that a dog should NEVER get more than one shot at a time because animals have different immune systems and that it takes at least one or two months to recover, Bear had 4 on the same day. On the same page I saw a comment about a girl who was a vet tech and worked at banfield but quit because she saw so many dogs overdose and when a dog gets more than 1 shot their immune system can get so low that they actually get the diseases they got vaccinated for. The leptospirosis shot Bear got is supposed to be an independent shot but banfield gave him 3 more shots along with that and made him suffer without helping him. Bear passed away yesterday and I am frustrated i can't do any justice for him because its their policy. I advise anyone that is looking into going to banfield to go to another vet, don't think your saving money because of the wellness plan since it's a year contract I have to finish paying off for my dead dog. I'm not the only person this has happened to, it's not fair for animals to suffer because of this chain that's in it for the money. Please help me do justice for bear.

It's not fair when the Grandparents have a great relationship with a Grandchild then their parents won't allow them to see you for spiteful reason. My Grandson even told me his dad was mean to him and he wanted to live with me, I don't even get to see him.

We need the ban on pitulls in the Dayton, Ky area lifted. My family and I just moved to Dayton, Ky and someone called animal control on us just because she looks like a pitbull and they said we have to get rid of her, we really don't want to she's part of our family.

This is one of the best Anti-Terrorism measures created by the NYS Legislature which would prevent impersonation of a Retired Law enforcement Officer. Not only can an additional Government ID Card substantiate who an individual is, but now all Retired Law Enforcement can be entered into a NYS State Central Registry that will further substantiate who an individual is.

I have seen too many people get hurt from the online comments under news stories. You were created to report news, not perpetuate online bullying and harassment. I'm only asking to remove the ability to publicly comment on news stories.

This is a petition to re-unite Logan with his mother along with that his Baby Brother and Baby Sister. Please show your support that Logan deserves to have his mother in his life. Mother, Chasidy Lovett is a stable and reliable person who is able and more than capable to provide and take care of Logan. Also who has never touched Drugs as prior drugs test proved.

Intended to strengthen public protection against the unlicensed practice of massage therapy, sponsor a bill that proposes several changes to the laws governing massage therapy licensure. Currently, it is a class E felony to practice massage therapy without a license or to employ three or more unlicensed individuals to practice massage therapy in New York State. This should be change to 1 unlicensed person, and be easily ENFORCED. The Laws are not enforced accurately because the NYS Dept. Of Education Laws are not concise when they describe scope of practice etc. Stop Appearance Enhancement Licensee's from practicing out of scope, governed by Dept of State Division of Licensing. State, County, Town and Village municipalities, as well the Dept. of Licensing and Dept of Education Office of Professions, often cite jurisdiction as an excuse for INACTION. Clarify scope of practice so Alleged Lawbreakers cannot use loopholes such as Reflexology, "beauty massage" "Foot Rub" Back Rub" and so forth. There is an immediate risk to one's health when therapeutic massage services are performed by an unlicensed individual. The scientific system of activity of the muscular structure of the human body requires the application of licensed therapeutic techniques when kneading, tapping and vibrating from the hands seeks to improve muscle tone and circulation. When these services are performed by an unlicensed individual, cramps and other inflicted pain on one's muscles can adversely impact the circulation in one's body. Because this is a problematic issue, greater restrictions and enforcement are needed throughout the State to hold those criminally accountable who are not authorized to perform such services on other people. Greater enforcement and regulation of the massage therapy profession will keep the health of the public a priority. This is a public health issue since there are a mountain of contraindications such as High Blood Pressure, Varicose Veins, peripheral neuropathy , Fever, Cancer, and Inflammation, just to name a few.

Many LA County property owners cannot afford the new high costs of maintenance projects near oak trees imposed by LA County regulations. An example of over-regulation is new provisions in proposed Ordinance 22.44.950.B.1 in the Santa Monica Mountains Local Implementation Program. Many property owners are now viewing smaller oak trees as a liability they cannot afford because the trees will someday reach the size where $1,086 - $8,724 fees are triggered. On August 26th, the County Board of Supervisors will vote on whether to make 6" diameter oak trees subject to these fees. That's right, it could cost $1,086+ to trim a 6" oak tree under these new proposed regulations! It's time to ask LA County to stop over-regulation so that oak trees can flourish. Please sign this petition to support oak trees by stopping their over-regulation. You can also directly email your own comments to the County Board of Supervisors at: [email protected] For more information, see: August 26th, 2014 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hearing Notice: http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-hearing-notice.pdf Oak Tree Permit Information: http://planning.lacounty.gov/apps LA County Fee Schedule, Item 40: http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/general/fee_20140301.pdf Draft Proposed Revised Oak Ordinance page 112 to change diameter trigger from 8" to 6" (22.44.950.B.1): http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-lip.pdf Proposed Land Use Plan See CO-99 and CO-100, pages 46-47: http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-lup.pdf Important Note: The April 2014 LA County Board of Supervisors version of the proposed ordinance did NOT include this revision to regulate 6" oaks for all development in 22.44.950.B.1. This is because the ordinance is meant to implement proposed Land Use Plan CO-99 and CO-100 (see 22.44.1920.K). Both CO-99 and CO-100 pertain to "new" development only and 22.44.1920.K implements this. The Coastal Commission, in a late June 2014 publication, revised 22.44.950.B.1 as well. This was a MISTAKE because 22.44.950.B.1 pertains to both new projects AND existing development maintenance projects - this is a MISTAKE and it is not supported by the proposed Land Use Plan. This mistake needs to be called out by and corrected by the LA County Board of Supervisors.

I believe some of the dangerous Republicans masquerading as tea party members are pushing John Boehner, speaker of the House, into suing President Obama to set the stage for a kangaroo court type of impeachment of the President. If both Houses of Congress are taken over after the 2014 elections, the above can happen. This type of disenfranchisement of the majority voters could cause anarchy, and maybe a civil war. It is my notion the above is what some of those dangerous extremists want; they would rather see a civil war than another Democratic presidency.

I am able for the first time to own my own business thanks to The Affordable Care Act. The Republicans in Congress have done nothing over the last 6 years but find ways to stall progress in the name of "stopping" President Obama. Threatening to sue him, or looking for a way to invalidate the law is a waste of time, could deny millions of healthcare, and is not what Americans want!

We, the Freedmen’s Town Preservation Coalition, request your support in our efforts to encourage the City of Houston to use preservative rather than restorative methods when revamping Andrews and Wilson streets in historic Freedmen’s Town Fourth Ward community. We are petitioning the City of Houston as well as all levels of government and elected officials to support us because of the historical impact of this matter and that historic Freedmen’s Town Fourth Ward has federal, state and local historic designation. We realize that it is extremely important to save the remaining history of this wonderful community as it is a substantial contributor to Houston’s history. We encourage the City of Houston to use preservative rather than restorative methods when revamping historic Andrews and Wilson streets in Freedmen’s Town Fourth Ward; Our goal is to preserve the brick streets by using the best available technology (BAT) to place infrastructure under the sidewalks through micro-tunneling instead of through the street. The difference is, when tunneling takes place under the sidewalk, the historical value of the streets will be preserved instead of removing the bricks and returning them, which is restoration. Be it resolved, that our concerns be respected and implemented immediately by the City of Houston and supported by all levels of government and elected officials.