There are millions of Syrian refugees who need assistance in finding refuge and making new homes. Let's do what we can to help Syrians to settle and enrich our city.

"Syria’s civil war is the worst humanitarian disaster of our time. The number of innocent civilians suffering — more than 11 million people are displaced, thus far — and the increasingly dire impact on neighboring countries can seem too overwhelming to understand." [1] Mayor Murray, will you stand with 18 other mayors around the country, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and the mayors of Los Angeles and Chicago? Please encourage the President to allow more refugees into the country and please pledge to take in these refugees to Seattle. [1] http://www.mercycorps.org/articles/turkey-iraq-jordan-lebanon-syria/quick-facts-what-you-need-know-about-syria-crisis

IT IS A PROBLEM NATIONWIDE

I am from Oregon and grew up with cans and bottle machines at every major grocery store. You drink the contents of the can or bottle, then you set it aside with other empties, then you take it to the store to recycle it and collect your deposit money. A deposit is a HUGE incentive to recycle, and it saves SO many empties from ending up where they never should - the landfill. I was shocked when I traveled to Missouri, Arizona, and especially Oklahoma, where cans are in piles on the side of the road in rural areas (and everywhere.) This is unacceptable. Deposits must be law-mandated across the country. There's no excuse. Although stores tend to charge extra on deposit items, making the point of collecting your deposit money seemingly pointless, having a deposit STILL shows an increase in recycling for states that have deposits. And getting those empties recycled is the whole point. Plus, it's common for people to collect others' cans that have been tossed aside, meaning they earn deposit money when they have not bought the original product. THAT is an incentive. THAT makes an enormous difference.

Planned Parenthood is under investigation for possibly being involved in illegal use of federal funds. They risk losing their federal funding. Big banks like Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, and Lockheed Martin have been proven to be using federal funds illegally. All things being equal, let's put them on the stand and let the people decide if they deserve tax payers money!

On September 29th, 55 House Democrats led by Connecticut Democrat Jim Himes sent a letter to President Obama calling for international talks, including with Russia and Iran, to end the Syrian civil war. [1] As Rep. Himes said on the House floor the next day: “The only real solution in Syria...is for the international community, all of the players that have a stake and influence in Syria, to come together today to begin the process of working out an international agreement, the terms of which will undoubtedly be uncomfortable for us, but an agreement that will bring an end to the civil war...Until we do that, we will simply be managing chaos.”[2] Urge Senators to join with Rep. Himes in supporting international talks, including Russia and Iran, to end the Syrian civil war by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/rep-jim-himes--54-house-d_b_8222622.html 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myg2C3fT3uI

BC\BS has pulled a bait and switch, promising prevention benefits and then reneged on the deal. Prevention was a promised benefit. My cost for an appropriate exercise program will go from $5 a month to $44 or over $500 a year. Seniors vote with you feet and change plans to one that supports prevention in a meaningful way.

As a concerned parent of a student of Cedar Valley Middle school, I know that the rapid growth of our area has created many changes and hazards, one of them being the heavy increase in traffic and therefore deeming the "walk zone" for the school not being something that should be decided only based on geographical distance but also the safety of having to walk or ride a bicycle to school everyday. For this reason, in May 2015 I presented this request to the RRISD board. So far there has been no change on the bus service to our area or a formal response from any responsible authority. I hope that if we can get most parents who believe that we should have bus service in our area to sign this petition, we then will have a stronger case and voice to make a change happen.

The investigation of this case was tainted from the start. Sheriff Glenn Smith, who was fired from a previous job for alleged racism and police brutality, appointed an "independent" commission to review his department. This commission is headed by Paul Looney, an attorney with financial ties to the county's top elected official Carbet Duhon III, who would be responsible for payment to Sandra Bland's family if wrong doing was found. There is no chance for Justice here. Sandra and her family deserve better, please sign this petition and let our government know this is unacceptable.

Alabama just announced it would close 31 DMV offices throughout the state due to budget cuts. That leaves 29 counties in the state without a single DMV location -- and that's a huge problem for voters who live there. Alabama's 2011 voter ID law blocks voters from the polls if they can't present a government issued photo ID. Most folks use a driver's license -- but without an easily accessible DMV location, many citizens won't be able to get any of the identification they need to exercise their right to vote. Worse, these closures will hit poor Americans and communities of color the hardest -- 15 of the 29 counties left without a DMV are in Alabama's Black Belt, where voters have struggled under discriminatory voting practices for decades. Voter ID laws are already controversial for their disproportionate impact on poor voters and voters of color. Alabama's decision to make it even harder for those voters to comply with their voter ID law will only amplify those concerns -- and it could violate federal voting law too.

Verizon Wireless has plans to erect a huge mobile telecommunications facility on the roof of 12345 Ventura Court, a 51-foot tall building. The proposed project includes 12 cellular antennas, 50-foot, 9-inches in height on top of the building! This structure is adjacent to the LA River. This structure would be a terrible eyesore for everyone living on either side of the LA River in Studio City and is clearly in violation of several local Zoning and Community ordinances. This type of development is out of character for our neighborhood. It is crucial to demonstrate OPPOSITION to this project, if we are to have a chance of stopping it. Please sign and share this petition with your neighbors. Time is of the essence. There will be a public hearing on Monday, October 5 at 3:00pm. It's at Marvin Braude San Fernando Valley Constituent Services Center 6262 Van Nuys Bl., Room 1B Please attend and ask to be heard. REFERENCE: Case No. ZA 2014-1797(CUW)(SPP) CEQA NO. ENV 2014-1798-MND

Alabama just closed 31 drivers license bureaus in counties with the highest percentage of non-white voters. Every county with over 75% of registered voters that are African-American will have their DMV office closed. Alabama requires voters to have photo ID to vote, so this will disenfranchise the voters in those counties. The Justice Department can put a stop to this, they are the best hope for upholding the rights of all Alabama voters. Reference: http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/09/alabama_sends_message_we_are_t.html UPDATE 12-9-15: Great news! The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into the closure or reduction in services at 34 drivers' license office in Alabama, "as part of the agency's responsibilities under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to make sure federal dollars going to state and local governments are used in a non-discriminatory fashion". http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/12/us_dot_launches_investigation.html UPDATE 10-16-15: Alabama Governor Bentley says drivers license tests will be offered 1 day a month in those counties that formerly had an office. It's a start, but as Rep. Sewell put it, it provides "only bare minimum access". Please keep contacting the DOJ to make this right. http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/gov_robert_bentley_says_licens.html UPDATE 10-13-15: Alabama Governor Bentley is considering a plan to open the 31 drivers license bureaus back up, but nothing is decided yet. Please keep the pressure on. http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/bentley_plan_would_reopen_clos.html UPDATE 10-5-15: The Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund have asked the DOJ to investigate, as has Rep. Terri Sewell (who represents the Selma area of Alabama). "Dena Iverson, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, confirmed that the department had received Sewell’s letter, declining to comment further." Please keep contacting the DOJ. http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/alabama-dmv-closings-draw-call-federal-voting-rights-probe