The Massachusetts public records law is broken. Our freedom of information law hasn't been substantially updated since 1973 and has received an F grade multiple years in a row. Journalists, citizens, and all those with a need - and right - to know what their government is doing are too often unable to find out. We need reform to bring added sunshine to our state and help protect the public's right to know.

Before a single snow flake fell, D.C. officials announced that they wouldn't enforce the law requiring property owners to shovel sidewalks and keep them free of snow. But now that sidewalks have become dangerous and impassable, the police are threatening to ticket anyone who walks in the streets. Councilmember Jack Evans even wrote that "if you can't travel on sidewalks, then stay inside." It's absurd to force carless D.C. residents to choose between staying inside for weeks and risking their lives on icy sidewalks.

Manatees face significant threats of extinction, and have been dying in record numbers in recent years. Despite this, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed downgrading the manatee from “endangered” to merely “threatened,” leaving it vulnerable to capture and displacement. Of course, if this downgrade were because they were surviving, that would be good news. But this move is premature. The Center for Biological Diversity says that the threats “that landed it on the endangered species list persist today.” We simply can’t let the manatee die off. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently launched a 90-day comment period to hear from the public on this issue. Tell them to reverse their decision and keep the manatee on the endangered species list. Together, we can raise our voice and prevent this beautiful animal from going extinct. Sign the Petition: Keep the manatee on the endangered species list!

The disastrous, brutal, and failed war on drugs has been especially punishing for Latinos in the US and across Latin America. In Central and South America the drug war — fueled for decades by racist United States policy — has led to misery, corruption and widespread violence. In the United States it has led to the criminalization and incarceration of generations of people, mostly for low-level and nonviolent drug crimes; and discriminatory enforcement that sees poor neighborhoods and communities of color more heavily targeted by police despite their using drugs at lower rates than their wealthier and/or white counterparts. This April, world leaders will gather at the United Nations to debate drug policy for the first time in nearly 20 years at an international convening known as UNGASS 2016. The stakes of this meeting are high — the outcomes could further entrench the world in the failed policies of the past, or they could signal the beginning of the end of the war on drugs. President Obama is still very influential internationally. If he were to speak out in favor of common sense drug policy, his voice could help to ensure a strong outcome. That's why we're asking him to address the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on drugs and call for global drug policies focused on public health and human rights, not punishment and criminalization.

We need real reform and these three steps will drastically change the economic future of past and current students and of our country. It allows past and current students a way to pay the debts and halts the fraud of the department of education which has blocked our access to the free market. The system would regain checks and balance to stop the fraud of our educational loan system.

We are requesting that our elementary schools provide students with at least fifteen to twenty additional minutes of additional unstructured, outdoor playtime each day. Teachers should be included and supported in figuring out how best to implement the recommendations, in order to best support the needs of their students. We support the teachers’ request for less testing and more learning, and we envision that adding recess will fit into those efforts. There has been a marked increase in the past few years of the intensity of children’s emotional needs within our district. This increase has coincided with a push to increase students’ time spent on classroom instruction and on standardized assessments. Increasing instructional time and assessment time have not made a dent in the achievement gap. Meanwhile, research has shown that increasing recess time improves students’ ability to focus on academic tasks, while reducing behavioral issues in the classroom. Children with special needs and children of color receive a much higher proportion of disciplinary action within our district. Providing more recess would be providing a more equitable system.

Because I am 83 years old, I sometimes think about unpleasant possibilities for my last years. I know many contemporaries in the same position.

1994: The first lie... and apology http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/us/politics/chris-christie-first-campaign.html 2010: First call-out regarding travel expenses http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/gov_christie_cited_as_us_attor.html 2010: $400 million in federal education reform funds; mistake or vendetta? http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/error_on_race_to_the_top_appli.html 2012: Temper, temper, temper http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/gov_christie_takes_part_in_hea.html 2013: The bridge closing; why did they think they could? http://www.mediaite.com/online/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chris-christies-bridgegate-scandal/ 2013: Grade-school one-upmanship at the Supreme Court level http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/gov_christie_takes_part_in_hea.html 2015: Hugs and contracts; a love affair with Jerry Jones http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/port_authority_awarded_contract_to_christies_cowboys_owner_jones.html 2015: Going down? State credit rating sure is http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/nj_credit_rating_cut_record_ninth_time_as_moodys_c.html

It is imperative that we address Global Climate Change immediately due to lack of action that has allowed it to reach this stage of development. It will take immediate and aggressive action on the part of our legislators if we ever hope to stem the tide of its effect on our lives and economies. Acting now will save trillions in future costs and untold numbers of lives and suffering to the American people.

I am concerned about the lives of Illinois' most vulnerable residents. IL still has no budget and hence is not paying for social service programs and schools. Our governor is leading our state towards a public health and educational crisis. So far 4700 residents will lose needed social services, 30 programs have closed, and 750 jobs have been lost- mine or yours could be next! This is unfair and poor management of our state tax dollars. Please take a stand and sign this petition! Debbie

Justice for Darrien Hunt and family.

This is for the future generation of this nation. Yes! I do feel for the students of this nation, including mine. Just reduce the defense spending by 10%.