By the ruling of the Yakima Farmer's Market manager Don Eastridge and it's President, Dimmick Delights can no longer vend at the market despite being there for the last 10 years selling it's famous lemonade and roasted nuts. The manager wrote on a letter of dismissal saying it was due to "lack of response this year and years of pass years of problems" (see attachment 1). Dimmick Delights believes this vague ruling came after I decided to whistle blow to board members last year that the manager Don Eastridge was acting fraudulently. The board, has repetitively requested that the market manager provide financial records and receipts that show the whereabouts of thousands of dollars that the market receives from farmers, small businesses and corporate sponsors. It is even questionable if the market has ever filed a tax report or received a tax refund. We believe that some board members are intimidated to take a stand against removing Don as a Manager in fear that they too will face the same outcome that we are experiencing. I assure you there are many people who are willing to take on this position and see the market succeed and flourish myself included. Since whistle blowing the market manager Don Eastridge has made extortionist comments that suggested, "By creating problems for the market, he would make sure that Dimmick Delights would never be allowed to vend at the market again." He followed through with his threats. For the past 2 months the market manager has created fabricated excuses that Dimmick Delight's vendor application was in non-compliance and claimed it was incomplete. For this reason Don has disallowed us the right to vend or products. It should be noted that for 10 years we have operated our business the same and have never had issues surrounding our application. Up until this year, Don was even one of our valued customers. All of this activity started once the whistle blowing occurred and board members started to question financial records and lack of receipts. When we requested a special board meeting to discuss the situation, the President responded by sending off emails to other board members calling Dimmick Delights liars. Stating that, “Dimmick Delights lied about having liability insurance.” The slanderous comment is not true at all. In an effort to get a better rate we switched companies. We currently are covered under 2 policies until one expires and have never been without a policy. (See attachment 2) Our question is why would Don only allow us to return to sell nuts and not lemonade? If we were non-compliant wouldn’t it be in the best interest of the market to help its vendors serve their customers? How are placing limits on their business helping them? Don Eastridge continuously uses his authority to make decisions without the board's approval. The current Treasure is also concerned about the financial standing of the market. Since volunteering for the position over a year ago she has yet to get any receipts or answers to questions she has about the expenses and assets belonging to the market. She is considering leaving her position in fear it destroy her career. While my time as a board member I witnessed several meetings where Don used excuses that the computer crashed and all the records were lost. Recently it was brought to the board’s attention that the market even had accounts in collections. As an accounting major I can tell you this is textbook fraudulent behavior. Don has exercised his absolute authority. He has placed limits to what and how we marketed our products even how we make our product (see attachment 2). According to him he has absolute authority to remove vendors and make revisions to the Bylaws. It is our understanding that the board members have not approved the revisions to the bylaws. This means that at any given time Don has the authority to send you home if you sell a product that you have offered for 10 years and with no explanation. (See attachment 3) He has made contradictory decisions saying that we could return but only if we agreed to offer only 2 flavors of lemonade and roast nuts on site. He then reversed the decision by saying that we were no longer allowed to sell lemonade because we didn’t follow the rules. This has cost us in lost earnings and creates hardships given that we come from over 60 miles to serve this market. When asked what rules we broke, we were not given an answer and if we don’t like it we will be removed. It should also be noted that he and the market's President are also leading competitors with Dimmick Delights because they both sell beverages at the Farmer's Market. If Dimmick Delights is no longer able to vend they both stand to gain financially. Dimmick Delights has been featured on the Market's Website as being both lemonade and nut vendors, we have for 10 years (see attachment 3). Under no written agreement did we agree that we would roast on-site at every market. It is not cost effective and will cause us to go out of business. The former market manager approved Dimmick Delights to sell lemonade. We have been doing it successfully for 10 years. Yet on several occasions Don tells us that we are not approved. If we are not approved then why does the website say that we are? We have been loyal and dedicated to the market and the community. Dimmick Delights was even voted by Yakima Herald as one of the top things to do in Yakima. We use fresh ingredients that come from this market when feasible. We promote the farmers that we support. We have a seen children grow up and bring their own children to our booth over the years. Many of them are the vendor’s own children. This business is our family's livelihood. 3 years ago, I was laid off as a Union Carpenter. I have 5 children to support and this is a detrimental event that is unjust and wrong. We believe that the actions taken against us have nothing to do with our application, insurance or products. We believe this activity is occurring b...

Governer Steve Beshear wants to give over $37 million in tax incentives to open a Noah's Ark theme park in Florence, Kentucky. Funding religious agendas is an unacceptable use of tax dollars. We, the people, must tell Gov. Beshear to stand up for the separation of church and state. We do not want our tax dollars wasted on myth and and fable when that money could be put to good use educating our youth about facts and reality. Please sign my petition, and let the state officials know your tax dollars are not a tithing fund.

I am the mother of an 8-year-old daughter who gets violently ill when she eats GMOs. For her, this is not about wanting the right to know. For her, it is about NEEDING to know. Will it take someone dying and an autopsy to reveal that their death was ultimately caused by GMOs for something to be done about GMO labeling? Well, I am not willing to allow that, and I certainly won't offer up my daughter. Please help me protect her. To read her story please go to www.facebook.com/momsagainstgmos and click on Notes. This could be your child, too.

Keno is a highly addictive form of gambling. It is so addictive that it has been called the “crack cocaine” of gambling. And unless we act NOW, it will soon be coming to our neighborhoods. Last month, with no public debate or discussion, the Connecticut Legislature voted to allow gambling in the form of Keno in our restaurants, bowling alleys, and bars. This was driven by the legislative leadership - including New Haven Senators Harp and Looney - through a backroom deal. What this will mean for New Haven and other cities is more crime, more poverty, and the breakup of families. It will also expose our children in restaurants and bowling alleys to gambling, forcing them to witness an activity which is highly addictive for young people. We call on New Haven’s Senators Harp and Looney, who negotiated this budget (including Keno), to immediately move to stop Keno from going forward. And, given how out of touch our state legislature is with the needs of New Haven, we demand that a state law be passed banning gambling in any city in Connecticut that does not want it.

Starting today, I pledge to boycott all soy products until all GMO soy is voluntarily labeled by all the major corporations. The non-GMO labeled products are excluded from this pledge.

The universal draft in the U.S. during WW II had a major impact on the success of civil rights and racial integration efforts in this country. Making such a policy for Israel a requirement for further U.S. aid would give Israel a chance of solving its internal apartheid problem.

People getting others banned from FB by reporting them for disagreements.

Governor Cuomo has a chance to become a NYCLASS’ TOP DOG by signing the puppy mill bill into law! Without this law, local governments will be unable to regulate abusive pet dealers leading to the awful treatment of dogs and puppies in New York. We need to encourage him to sign the bill as quickly as possible.

Fish farms are breeding grounds for viruses, diseases, and parasites that can spread to wild fish. They create fish waste that is contaminated with toxins and creates dead zones. Many times, they are contaminated with dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyl, and persistent insecticides, which are not especially healthy as food. They threaten commercial, tribal, and sport fisheries and related tourism, which are more economically important to Washington.

Since August 2010 I have attended every Town of Hempstead board meeting. During this time I have witnessed the Hempstead Town Board violating the Constitutional rights of residents at Town Board meetings. People critical of Town government are given less speaking time than residents that offer praise. In addition, the press (which is at Town meetings) does not report these violations or other news that may be of interest to residents. I have asked Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and the Town Council members (on many occasions) to broadcast Town Board meetings online and they have refused. I feel it is important to broadcast Town Board meetings online to give residents insight into the workings of their Town government and to prevent their Constitutional rights from being violated.

The policies and laws from the Republican-controlled N.C. General Assembly and governor’s office have gone too far. The plans to cut unemployment benefits, slash Medicaid assistance, shift taxes toward middle- and lower-income taxpayers, repeal environmental measures, and enact the new voter ID bill are immoral and unacceptable. We stand in solidarity with the thousands who have been protesting on Moral Mondays against the conservatives' takeover in North Carolina. Las políticas y leyes de la Asamblea General de Carolina del norte controlado por republicanos y oficina de Gobernación han ido demasiado lejos. Los planes para cortar subsidios de desempleo, gran cortes a la asistencia de Medicaid, cambio de impuestos hacia los contribuyentes de ingresos medios y bajos, revocar las medidas ambientales y promulgar la nueva ley de identificación de votante son inmoral e inaceptable. Estamos en solidaridad con los miles que han protestado el lunes Morales contra la toma de posesión de los conservadores en Carolina del norte.

We request that Steve Bullock appoint a special prosecutor who will impanel a grand jury to investigate the death of Hellgate Senor Chance Geery.