to share gratitude for the goodness of these men and women

In 2017 the State of California adopted Assembly Bill 949 making competitive cheerleading a sport, as a result, cheerleaders across the state are now governed by California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). Athletes, coaches and parents are enthusiastic about the benefits that CIF can provide the sport of Traditional Competitive Cheer; however, there is one CIF bylaw that has a negative impact on many of the most elite cheer athletes. CIF's no Sunday play rule means that California cheer teams cannot compete in the Sunday Finals at the National High School Cheerleading Championships (NHSCC) in Orlando, Florida. The NHSCC is one of the few cheerleading competitions sponsored by the governing body of high school sports the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and is featured on ESPN. The no Sunday play rule prohibits the most elite high school cheerleading athletes from competing at the highest level of competition for their sport which directly impacts their potential college participation in this sport. Colleges have representatives present at the NHSCC at a recruitment combine which allows athletes to create contacts for potential scholarship opportunities. Athletes, coaches, and parents support the no Sunday play rule for all other contests; however, for teams who make it to the Finals for the NHSCC, their athletes gain national exposure to college coaches and recruiters. All other sports are given “National Rankings” through MaxPreps without actually having to compete in any national level games or competitions. Of the 51 states there are approximately 30 states represented at the NHSCC; therefore, it gives traditional competitive cheer the closest thing to a ranking system that is similar to Max Preps. In addition, the only high school championship that offers a world ranking is the NHSCC, where approximately 6 countries are represented; this World competition is on Sunday. In the last 5 years, multiple California teams who have made it to Sunday Finals, have received televised national exposure on ESPN creating positive publicity for the high schools they represent. It is for this reason that teams are asking for the waiver for just the NHSCC. California cheer teams would like to continue to represent their high school at the National Level by competing in the Sunday finals at the National High School Cheerleading Championships.

The VA is going to start fatal experiments on dogs! USA Today reports: In Milwaukee, the experiments call for researchers to remove sections of dogs’ brains to test neurons that control breathing before the animals are killed by lethal injection, research records show. In Cleveland, tests involve using electrodes on dogs’ spinal cords to measure cough reflexes before and after severing the cords. In Richmond, Virginia, experiments include implanting pacemakers in dogs, then inducing abnormal heart rhythms and running the animals on treadmills to test cardiac function before euthanizing them by injection or draining their blood.

Too many accidents have caused students to be unsafe by speeding drivers as well as insufficient signage and unsafe traffic pattern that have resulted in serious injuries as well as fatalities. Our children deserve to be safe when walking to school and walking home from school. We are demanding the school area of Dutch Broadway and Elmont Road to be designated as a school zone with all the proper traffic signage, changing the traffic pattern during school hours and greater driver accountability by law.

Parents and students of Tilden Educational Campus, Community members, and staff look to support the Football Coaches of the Tilden Campus as they have been wrongly suspended from coaching and their daily jobs with out pay for reporting an incident that took place among students.

In Recognition of Indigenous People’s Day on October 8, 2018 and Native American Month in November, 2018 Proclamation of Support for Truth and Reconciliation in Washington State There is an emerging and compelling desire to acknowledge the events of the past so that we can work towards a stronger and healthier future. The truth telling and reconciliation process is a sincere acknowledgement of the injustices and harms experienced by Indigenous peoples in Washington State and the need for continued healing. This is a profound commitment to establishing new relationships embedded in mutual recognition and respect that will forge a brighter future. The truth of our common experiences will help set our spirits free and pave the way to reconciliation. 1 We, the residents of Washington State, recognize that every child matters. If all of our residents are to flourish, a process of truth and reconciliation for Indigenous people in our State must be established. 2 By signing this proclamation, we have agreed that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission should be established to contribute to truth, healing and reconciliation in Washington State. 3 We ask that this Commission and its activities be fully funded by the Washington State government. The goals of the Commission shall be to: • Acknowledge the historical and current experiences of Indigenous peoples in Washington State 3,4 • Acknowledge the historical and current impacts and consequences of actions taken by the US government affecting Indigenous peoples in Washington State 1,3 • Provide several holistic, culturally appropriate and safe settings for Indigenous peoples to share their stories and wisdom with the wider community 5 • Witness, support, promote and facilitate truth and reconciliation events at both State and community levels 1,3 • Promote greater awareness and public education of Washington residents about the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Washington State 6 • Promote ongoing curriculum development to support Washington State’s curriculum initiative Since Time Immemorial 3,7 • Identify sources and create a substantial historical record of the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Washington State 1,3 • Document all living Indigenous languages in Washington State and promote revitalization of these languages 3,8 • Document the impacts of environmental damage to Indigenous peoples’ land and acknowledge the extensive habitat restoration that Indigenous tribes have already accomplished 1,9,10 • Promote further environmental protection and restoration in order to support Indigenous people’s land, resources, and food sovereignty 1,3,9 • Identify and review reference documents relevant to truth and reconciliation for indigenous peoples, including but not limited to: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, Proclamation 8947, Maine Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Report, Centennial Accord, Point Elliot Treaty, the Constitution of the United States, the Paris Peace Treaty of 1783, the Oregon Treaty of 1846, the Truth and Reconciliation Mandate of Canada, Jay’s Treaty, and Docket No. 110 1,3,6,9,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 • Document the impact of transboundary family separation through collaboration with the Canadian government and First Nations in British Columbia 18 • Produce and submit a report including recommendations to the Government of Washington State concerning the experiences of Indigenous peoples including: the history of Indigenous peoples in Washington State, the impacts and consequences of actions taken by the US government affecting these Indigenous peoples (including systemic harms, intergenerational consequences, the transboundary impact of family separation, and the impact on human dignity) 1,3 • Support commemoration of former and current Indigenous people and their families who have shown great resilience and maintained their cultural identities under the threat of cultural genocide 3,5 We ask that the Commission pursue the goals during a period of three years. At the close of three years, we ask that further legislative actions (i.e. proposal of a State bill) be taken pursuant to the findings of the Commission. Sources 1. Adapted from Our Mandate. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Schedule N of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (2006). http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/index.php?p=7 (Accessed Sept 2018) 2. Adapted from Through the Lens of Truth and Reconciliation: Next Steps. By R. L. Bourque Bearskin. Canadian Nurse (March 2016). https://www.canadian-nurse.com/articles/issues/2016/march-2016/through-the-lens-of-truth-and-reconciliation-next-steps (Accessed Sept 2018) 3. Adapted from United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. United Nations (Adopted by the General Assembly in Sept 2007). https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf (Accessed Sept 2018) 4. Inspired by Acknowledging the Past to Heal the Future: The Role of Reparations for Native Nations. By R. Tsosie. Chapter from Reparations: Interdisciplinary Inquiries. Oxford University Press. Pages 47-68 (2007). https://apps.law.asu.edu/Repository/2008/06/23043614.pdf (Accessed Sept 2018) 5. Inspired by What Works in Effective Indigenous Community-Managed Programs and Organisations. By S. Morley. Child Family Community Australia, Paper Number 32 (Published 2015). https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/cfca-paper32-indigenous-programs.pdf (Accessed Sept 2018) 6. Inspired by Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Report http://www.mainewabanakitrc.org/report/ (Accessed Sept 2018) 7. Inspired by Since Time Immemorial. Tribal Sovereignty in Washington State. SB5433 Legislature (Passed in 2015). http://www.k12.wa.us/IndianEd/TribalSovereignty/ (Accessed 2018)   8. Inspired by How to Begin an Indigenous Language Revitalization Initiative. First Peoples’ Cultural Cou...

Tortilla Flats has been a downtown NYC staple for nearly 40 years. This little taste of Tijuana in lower meatpacking district has been a confidante to thousands who have passed through its doors over the past 4 decades. It has brought strangers together during the infamous birthday PBR tall boy chug, added the spice we needed to our midweeks by never failing to host Bingo each and every Tuesday night AND LEST NOT FORGET that they have the best quesadilla grande that the east coast has to offer. (THAT IS FACT AND NOT OPINION.) In a world where we are barricaded by Starbucks and snobby wine bars (who are afraid to admit that they too prefer fermented grapes by tha box), we have to preserve the one place that has held true to themselves...and served as a refuge for us to hold true to our own persons as well. SAVE TORTILLA FLATS

Stop Center Pocket Billiards from receiving a liquor license in a shopping center that already has two liquor establishments and have had serious troubles in the past. This cannot be touted as family friendly with such operating hours and the selling of alcohol.

Having just recently gone thru Hurricane Michael and not being able to get gas for generators and such because service stations had no power this is an issue every time we have a power outage. Many if not all of these stations have the gas they just can't run their pumps do to lack of power. By having backup generators lines out the streets and tempers are greatly reduced.

The suburban area of Valparaiso and lakeside residents of Porter County will be negatively affected by the annexation and rezoning of Kilmer Property located at 309 Spectacle Drive. The Kilmer’s are seeking annexation (Petition Number A18-001 and RZ18-001) for the purpose of using Valparaiso utilities and services in addition to General Residential rezoning. The General Residential zoning would allow high density development with a building plan of 40 single-family residential lots with a minimum lot size of 6,000 sq. ft. This development would affect the character of our neighborhoods and the health of our lakes. The property is located across the road from Rogers Lakewood Park which borders Loomis and Spectacle Lake with overflow into Flint Lake. The property is the last, large acre old-growth forest located South of Loomis Lake and is critical for sustaining complex ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Trees play an important role in regulating water flow, trapping sedimentation, air quality purification and mitigation of climate change. Deforestation and land development will increase erosion and water draining issues affecting many of the nearby residents including those surrounding our lake systems. Spectacle Drive is an old, undulating, narrow county road that is distressed and in need of reconstruction. The addition of 40+ lots could potentially increase traffic on Spectacle by 380 vehicles per day placing travelers in harm’s way. The request to annex this property to the city and change the future zoning land requirements is not compatible with the surrounding properties or to the neighborhood. An annexation of the Kilmer’s property into the City would ruin the character of our quiet neighborhoods.

If this is passed, it will threaten the rights of groups or individuals of all persuasions to exercise their right to free expression and free assembly in our nation's capital. Please comment before the Oct 15th deadline.

So my grandfather's legacy will live on!