There are over 100,000 inmates in American prisons for non-violent drug offenses; meanwhile McConnell continues to personally profit by accepting donations linked to cocaine-smuggling companies. It's time for an end to the hypocrisy.

Since its establishment in the 1960s McCrory Gardens has been free and open to the public. We have strolled without restriction among the plantings with family, friends, and visitors. A general admission fee is proposed to begin in the spring and a 6-foot wrought iron fence has been erected around the Gardens. These changes will end McCrory's long-standing tradition as a public space. Our community has been fortunate to have this beautiful botanical gem in our midst and its unfettered access to all has been its greatest asset. Through the Garden we could nurture our nature-dependent psyches and guide our children to explore and love the living world around them. Charging admission and funneling entrance through the Visitor’s Center will discourage the Garden's many casual visitors. Some community members, unable to afford Friends membership or admission fees (modest though they may be), will similarly be unable to partake of McCrory's restorative benefits. We have been told that McCrory has an annual budget shortfall of $100,000 yet the estimated admission revenue is only $15-20,000 per year. The community of Brookings has supported the Gardens for nearly 50 years and will continue to enthusiastically support McCrory as the public space we have enjoyed these many decades. Many other institutions of higher education administer botanical gardens and arboretums that are free and open to the public. Among these are the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, University of California; University of Delaware Botanic Gardens; Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens, Middle Georgia State College; Kansas State University Gardens; Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden, University of Maine; The Botanical Garden of Smith College; Matthaei Botanical Gardens, University of Michigan; University of Nebraska-Lincoln Botanical Garden and Arboretum; Rutgers Gardens; Cornell Plantations; Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Duke University; North Carolina Botanical Garden; University of North Carolina; Reynolda Gardens, Wake Forest University; Kalmia Gardens, Coker College; and South Carolina Botanical Garden, Clemson University. While some of these examples may not be exactly analogous to McCrory perhaps their funding mechanisms can be adapted to McCrory. Any number of fundraising ideas, individually or in tandem, has the potential to generate more revenue than charging admission. Corporate or city sponsorship might be options. Annual fundraising drives. Admission fees for events such as the annual Garden Party. Unlike the alienating admission fee, events can generate awareness and good will as well as funds. Please explore and exhaust other options before resorting to general admission fees. We understand the need for security for the Garden's donated and sponsored plantings as well as the research areas and we hope the fence will deter senseless vandalism. However, the fence is a barrier, both physical and psychological, that isolates McCrory from the community in which it has always been integral. We request that the west parking area be reopened and that the gate in that area be kept open during daylight hours. The Gardens should also have additional gates for emergency entrance or exit.

I believe this petition is necessary, from time to time.

I am a Veteran and work with veterans every day assisting them with receiving benefits

Our children are at risk for being targets from predators on the internet. We need to be sure they are getting educated in every way possible to prevent harm coming to them. Our children are our future and they need to be given the tools to navigate the quickly changing internet safely.

In Baltimore, 36.5 percent of people live below the poverty line. That’s $23,492 in annual income for a family of four, according to the 2012 Census Bureau American Community Survey. Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education at Stanford University and architect of Stanford’s School Redesign Network, argues that socioeconomic status usually accounts for 50-60 percent of overall achievement in schools, while individual teachers may account for only about 7-10 percent. Darling-Hammond also points out that factors related to housing, nutrition, violence and gang-related activity, transportation, and a host of other obstacles communities face affect students’ educational experience as well. Community schools work to address some of these obstacles and have proven successful in providing meals, medical services, home visits and academic opportunities that go beyond the classroom. Increasing and expanding funding will help continue the great work started in the 47 existing community schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools district and help provide all Baltimore’s children the opportunity to succeed. Show your support for Baltimore’s community schools. Sign the petition below.

Florida’s Republican Gov. Rick Scott was narrowly re-elected this year, because the bulk of Democratic voters failed to turn out. If Charlie Crist could have run in 2012 or 2016, he would probably have won. Florida must move its gubernatorial elections to presidential years. In fact, that’s how it used to be in Florida—until segregationists in the 1960’s grew worried that increased voter turnout would threaten their grip on state politics. So they amended the state constitution to move gubernatorial elections to midterm years, with the first election in 1966. There is no reason why it can’t go back to presidential cycles, when more Floridians vote. Sign the pledge to support a constitutional amendment, moving Florida’s gubernatorial elections to presidential years. More Floridians deserve to have their voice heard.

Government reports show that if Shell drills for oil in the Arctic, there is a 75% chance of a large oil spill. Tell the U.S. government to protect polar bears and other wildlife by stopping Shell's plans to drill in the Arctic.

Plastic bags don’t breakdown, carry toxins, are made of petroleum, endanger aquatic life, and ruin Baltimore City and it’s waterways both environmentally and aesthetically. We need to switch to a sustainable and reusable bag system. We certainly need to do more to address the litter epidemic in Baltimore City but, banning certain types of one time use plastic bags is a step in the right direction. Please let the Mayor know that we want this plastic bag ban and that vetoing Ordinance 14-0372 is not acceptable. www.zerolitter.com

To support the passage of House Bill 1236.

I receive approximately 4 to 500 Bed Bug Hotline calls a month from people all over the US. Many of these people just moved into a dwelling that has established bed bug infestations. Make property owners be held responsible and demand for inspection for bed bugs by having appropriate documentation and disclosure on any bed bug problems issued by a professional pest management company to protect the innocent.

On October 2nd, Huffington Post reported yet another story of Ted Nugent spewing racist rhetoric. Accoding to HuffPo: "Musician Ted Nugent took to the Internet on Wednesday to decry what he called "Ferguson thugs" and "a plague of black violence," demanding that blacks stop supporting liberals because of what he saw as biased media coverage of the recent Ferguson police shooting." This is just the latest of a long list of racist, homophobic, sexist, violent ranting that includes but isn't limited to: 1) 'Dead Or In Jail' - "If Barack Obama becomes the president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year," Nugent said to NRA supporters in April 2012. 2) 'I'd Like To Shoot 'Em Dead' - During an interview in 2008, Nugent had harsh words for undocumented immigrants on Sean Hannity (Fox "news") 3) 'Suck On My Machine Gun' - During a 2011 interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, Nugent outlined his views on gun control. "Anybody that wants to disarm me can drop dead," Nugent said. "Anybody that wants to make me unarmed and helpless, we're gonna literally create the proven places that where more innocents are killed called 'gun-free zones,' we're gonna beat you. We're gonna vote you out of office, or suck on my machine gun, you can take it whichever way you want." 4) 'You Punk', 'You Worthless Bitch' - While on stage at a 2008 concert, Nugent held up machine guns and shared his thoughts on Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. "Hey, Obama," he said, guns in hand. "You might wanna suck on one of these, you punk." He continued, "Hillary, you might wanna ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless bitch." 5) 'Apartheid Isn't That Cut-And-Dry' In 1990, Nugent caused a stir when he commented on racial segregation in South Africa to Detroit Free Press magazine. "Apartheid isn't that cut and dry," Nugent said. "All men are not created equal. The preponderance of South Africa is a different breed of man. I mean that with no disrespect. I say that with great respect. I love them because I'm one of them. They are still people of the earth, but they are different. They still put bones in their noses, they still walk around naked, they wipe their butts with their hands ... These are different people. You give 'em toothpaste, they f***ing eat it ... I hope they don't become civilized. They're way ahead of the game." As an endorser of PRS, Peavey and MXR products, Nugent casts a negative shadow on your respective brands. This petition is a request that you drop Nugent from your endorsed artist roster. Not doing so is silent approval of all these racist, sexist, homophobic, violent, separatist rhetoric that deeply divides our country. I hope you agree with me and disassociate with this dark cloud of American society.