Having worked for the last 54 years, I am now living on social security and it is not enough. Even with my 401K, it is not enough. We need regular increases in the amount paid.

There are better ways to strengthen Social Security and none require cuts. Do not hurt seniors by tying Social Security Cost of Living to a chained CPI.

We have all been personally affected by the recent crime on campus, and serious change needs to happen to make us feel safe again. "As a result of increased crime, I recognize the immediate need for additional police presence on the University of Minnesota campus and the surrounding neighborhoods."

There is so much evidence to support the fact that Fluoride is harmful and not helpful to our health. Just do a quick internet search for "fluoride in drinking water" if you want the details. We won't sit back and allow our cities to be poisoned through our water supplies and we shouldn't have to purchase expensive reverse-osmosis machines to remove Fluoride from the water in our homes. It just doesn't need to be added and shouldn't continue to be added to our water. Let us decide what we put in the water we drink. Period!!

We want to keep our neighborhood the way it is. We do not want flag lots, condos, apartments, or large multifamily structures invading our neighborhoods. Families in Lake Balboa love the quiet oak lined streets, and we will fight against anything that diminishes our quality of life.

"Dean" was a young, easily influenced resident of a halfway house for alcoholics and addicts where I volunteered for many years. Over 10 years that I knew him, I saw our criminal justice turn him into a hard, possibly lifelong criminal by treating his drug problems with increasingly long incarcerations, rather than the mental health and substance abuse treatment he needed. "Dean" was like a lot of people I met at that halfway house. They told me that the majority of prisoners had drug and alcohol problems -- and for many that's why they were locked up. Now,we're hearing the call for more jail cells in Los Angeles. But a better use of our taxes would be to improve community-based mental health and substance services. And that would give "Dean" and thousands like him a better chance at a useful, productive. Please make this issue a central plank in your 2014 election campaigns.

This holiday season, 2 million people in Illinois, including 886,000 children, will have less to eat because of recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps). Now, some in Congress want to cut another $40 billion from an effective anti-hunger program that provides timely, targeted, and temporary benefits that helps families buy groceries. We need to act quickly so that Rep. Hultgren understands that taking food from kids and other vulnerable populations is just wrong.

More than a million Americans will lose unemployment insurance at the end of the year unless Congress takes action. The National Employment Law Project stated that the 1.3 million Americans currently receiving long-term unemployment insurance will abruptly lose federal benefits. In the ensuing months, another 850,000 jobless workers will run out of state benefits and not receive an extension. "Congress cannot conscionably ignore or dismiss the economic realities facing far too many unemployed workers and their families," NELP director Christine Owens said in a press release.

Let me give you a little insight in to my issues here. As we all know drugs are a major problem in society. People are killing for these drugs and destroying people's lives. So when I say I had a dirty ua for drugs , one might believe I should have my children taken away. But let me enlighten you here, this is the first and only dirty ua I've had in my 39 years. I have no criminal record, no drug history, completed high school , became a surgical Dental assistant. Worked for 6 years at scholastic book fairs. (And still 14 clean ua's later, I am labeled a drug abuser) My children's father has a long criminal history, while on probation 3 years ago, he was arrested for 3 dirty ua's for meth. While I faced the trial alone (because he was bribed to testify against me), he took the stand and confessed to being a past meth abuser and cook. And claimed sobriety for 2 years ( no rehab, and last year had a dirty ua for meth, that cps themselves had given him) Cps chose to give custody of the children to him, after the court had ordered the children be returned home. Since he has allowed his long term friend and buddy (with 179 counts on his criminal record, that include meth production, sales and use) around the children (the children know this man well now, by first name) When I brought up this witnessed fact to the caseworker , she told him don't do it again (yeah like that's gonna stop him) He has made countless bad decisions that shows he is a safety risk, transporting the children without car seats, (mind you he owns car seats) these children are ages 8, 5 & 4. Smoking in the house and car with the children present. (I tried talking to him about this, he just said "so", I told him second hand smoke is a first rate killer, he said "stop bring up petty shit". He has Neglected in giving our son, with benign rolandic seizures ,his medication correctly (kipler, causes high emotions) neglecting to give the vitamin b6 to help stabilize his emotions , to the point the school wanted to remove our son from themselves. (Way to figure out the root of the problem before jumping to conclusions) Our children have all lost weight while in his care. And the dentist has been concerned with his ability to follow simple instructions, since he brought our daughter in for dental surgery, (she was not to be sick) and only informed the dentist she was just getting over strep throat after the dentist decided it wouldn't be safe to do the surgery (this was dangerous and life threatening) I have tried to speak with the caseworker about this (she wants to have a meeting with me to inform me to stop brining up petty stuff. Please do not get me wrong, this father is out of his element, he hasn't a clue. But he loves his children very much, and they love him. He is trying hard. But this is not a role he ever wanted to take on. (As he says , it's woman's work, yeah a bit of a pig, but come on, woman are more emotional on these things so this role is second nature) Please understand there is a balance here that the father and I are trying to work out. I do not wish to take full custody of the children, I want him to help raise our kids (with the help of his family, my family and so on...... come on raising children is a group effort sometimes) But the intrusion of cps is not a useful effort when they help alienate the children and families. I have been asking for help to get my children back home....... I created a petition (I hope it didn't come across wrong) that questions the placement of my children. And asked for the help in returning my children home. I've completed all that cps had required of me, yet still I'm forced to have supervised visits ( yes the father has even asked the caseworker if he can just drop the kids off with me) I've asked for the clarification as to any current safety threat that would justify her decision on this (it's been a month and she still won't reply) especially since they themselves signed off and are not conducting anymore safety meetings. (There wasn't really anything there to begin with) I have five children, the two oldest are still home with me in my four bedroom four bathroom home. When they get out of school I have to leave them to go visit with their 3 younger siblings , in a two bedroom home with 5 adults and three children. If I miss any of these visits it looks bad upon me, yet my older children can not stand to go with me because of the verbal abuse they receive from the other adults there. I am a mom being forced to neglect my children , while trying to be in two places at once. This can not be in my children's best interest. This is not in my families best interest. But this is the kind of help cps has to offer families. Please help me tell the cps worker to return my children. Thank you............

I have close friends that are firefighters and they are all parents of young children, they should not have to be facing increased cancer rates because they choose one of the most noble professions in existence.

Too many people illegal and US citizens are on general assistance and they obtain free housing, free food, free education, and free phones. I have asked for help in the past and have been denied. They are getting many more perks and driving better cars, etc, then I am and I work for a living. Something is not right with this. Need to crack down on those scamming the system and only help those that truly need it.

12 Keith Ave is a historic 115 year old home built in 1900 by Allie-Louise Keith (1877-1926) the only child of the well known shoe manufacturer and councilman Preston B. Keith (1847-1928) and her husband Dr.Charles Ernest Perkins(1866-1959) on the avenue named after her father. The home stayed in the hands of the Perkins family until it was sold within the family to Wayne Everts Keith (1901-1984) (Grandson to the famous Capt. Ziba Keith) and his wife Dorthy Perkins Keith (1905-2005) . In the 60's the home became a rooming house and in the early 70's the home was once again sold and was completely restored to its original 1900's state. In 1991 it was sold to a Mark Seigrest who continued to restore the historic structure, but after a mysterious fire in 2008 it has sat in a sad state of disrepair and has fallen victim to theft and vandalism. Some see it as a an eyesore that should be ripped to the ground but many others see it as a beautiful reminder to the community of what our city was like in it's prime and what it has the potential to be again. With its unique architecture, grand staircase and ornate woodwork it is a gem of what this family had to offer the Campello section of Brockton Mass. 08/27/15- proposal for the building to be demolished for a parking lot... A parking lot-really?!? We can't let this happen!!!! Almost all their homes have been lost to a wrecking ball, our city can not afford to lose anymore of its proud history so that a corporate company can come in and destroy what the proud citizens of this city fought to build. So please show your support for this cause and sign up to save a Historic home! You do not need to live in Brockton to sign this petition... It is preferred but absolutely not a requirement, let's show our buildings are worth saving wherever they are!! Please also like our Facebook page called 'SAVE 12 KEITH AVE'