Fleeing the threat of genocide, thousands of ethnic minority Rohingya from Burma are trapped at sea in crowded wooden boats. With food and clean water running low, their lives are in danger. Governments, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, are turning their boats away. The Andaman Sea is about to become a floating mass grave, and it’s because of the failure of governments, including the United States, to do what is necessary. President Obama should call the leaders of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, urging them to rescue and shelter refugees. The United States should assist with these rescue operations and we must also make it clear that the root problem—Burma's persecution of the Rohingya—must stop. Unless the policies of hate end in Burma, the crisis will only escalate. We must act now to save those stranded at sea and take the steps needed to protect the Rohingya that remain in Burma.

For decades, the American labor movement has worked closely with the United Way to help raise funds for those in need and help charitable efforts around the world. Recently, staff of the United Way Worldwide sought out union representation of their own to make their workplace a better one. Instead of remaining neutral and allowing workers to chart their own course, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Haggerty embarked on an anti-union campaign to scare employees away from voting in favor of union representation. In his letter he directly said "The answer is that UWW does not believe that a Union would provide added value for the vast majority of our Associates." "First, we do not believe that having a Union will add anything significant to your wages, benefits and working conditions and that anything achieved will be more than offset by Union dues." We need to tell Joe Haggerty to stop disrespecting workers's unions that have helped create and sustain United Way Worldwide.

One reason why democracy is the best form of government is because in a democracy more than one person gets to make decisions, which leads to better informed decisions. And one reason why monarchy is not as good because only one person can make decisions.

This is an important issue that needs to be addressed before we lose any more sisters and daughters to preventable violence.

Stop violent persons from obtaining or possessing guns in Rhode Island. We need to save women's lives!

We have a 17 yr old girl who lives in Sussex and is looking forward to having a say in her services starting in Sept. Over the years, covered services and items have diminished with cut backs and changes to various programs. This year Art Therapy was eliminated from County Waiver as not scientifically proven successful. We know what works for us and we are finally looking forward to utilizing funding efficiently that meets our daughter's specific needs. Only we really know what works for us not some short sighted untested options. Please help us to continue to have our FREEDOM OF CHOICE.

This is a persistent problem that must be addressed.

Yoga School of South County has been a Recreation Department staple for 16 years; for 7 of those years, it poured its own resources—in conjunction with the community's support—into improving Peace Dale Office Building and its space, making it more attractive and adding usable square footage. Affordable, quality yoga is needed in the community—Yoga School of South County serves that niche and has been an important community asset.

Our Fellow Native Americans Living On Reservation Lands Are Suffering Due To Lack Of Proper Housing, Electricity, And Water. We Need A Change Now!

Connecticut taxpayers subsidize large, low-wage corporations to the tune of $480 million annually because their workers are forced into needed programs such as Medicaid, food stamps and child care assistance programs. Too many Connecticut families receive poverty wages, work 60 to 80 hours per week, and still cannot pay the rent, their car payments, or put food on the table. This has to stop now! Enact the Low Wage Employer Fee--and make corporations pay their fair share.

The IRIS program that allows disabled persons or their families to manage their needs. My grandson Carter has severe cerebral palsy and is non-verbal. His homecare services are highly specialized for his unique needs and require a great deal of patience, training and coordination by parents and nursing staff. Experience has show us that agencies do not have the staffing consistencies to deal with these special needs. Independently, the family has been able to use funding to find nurses who have caring for Carter for 12 years. Please don't take that away from us. Wisconsin has led the nation with the IRIS program. Help us continue IRIS.

The City of Coral Gables has commenced the design of their long-planned project for a complete makeover of its signature street, "Miracle Mile", the heart of the downtown area. This $20 million project will include shrinking travel lanes, and reconfiguring angled parking to parallel parking to allow more space for the pedestrian sidewalk. When designed correctly, there is adequate space to add a protected or standard bicycle lane, so that bicycle riders can access the many retail shops and restaurants on Miracle Mile. The initial plans prepared by the firm hired by the Coral Gables Business Improvement District ("BID") in 2009 increased the sidewalk from 14.5' to 21'. Experts in street planning (Streetplans) found that by reducing travel lanes and parking lanes slightly, bicycle lanes could be added to Miracle Mile, providing a tremendous potential improvement to the safety of the street for pedestrians and bicycles, as well as allowing safe access to the bicycle riding community. Plans showing protected bicycle lanes were included and recommended in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan which was approved by the City Commission in 2014. In 2014 a final financing plan was approved that would create an equal cost-share where the BID and the City (residents) would each pay 1/2 of the total cost. A firm was then hired to commence the design phase services. A steering committee was appointed and the design commenced. At its first public meeting, the designers showed that the travel lanes and parallel parking lane could be narrowed, and all of the extra space would be added to the pedestrian-only sidewalk. Bicycle riders seeking to shop, dine and work on Miracle Mile will be expected to ride on the street. We the undersigned support the inclusion of dedicated bicycle lanes for bicycle riders of all ages to enjoy the many retail stores and restaurants on Miracle Mile without fear of harm from vehicles or risk of injuring pedestrians, and urge the City of Coral Gables to immediately direct the design consultants to include a bicycle lane in their plans.