I am a Entrepreneur and Business Broker. Since the pandemic began I have been witnessing the terrible impact on small businesses and it is devastating. Just recently I have witnessed the hope vanish in the eyes of many business owners that were trying desperately to stay afloat. The pandemic has impacted them drastically in the ability to operate. Businesses are getting strangled with the current restrictions, and if continued, they will eventually be forced to close. If they do manage to stay open, they struggle to find employees. The labor pool has been completely diminished.

President-Elect Biden's inauguration is just over a month away. And while Biden's inaugural committee has rightly rejected money from fossil fuel corporations, they're still planning to accept up to $1 million from individual corporations -- even though Barack Obama rejected corporate contributions for his inauguration in 2009. This inauguration will be different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Instead of gala inaugural balls and parties happening in person, most of it will happen online. That should mean it's even less important than ever before to raise money from corporate interests to fund it. If the Biden-Harris administration is serious about “building back better” in a way that remedies the longstanding ills of the country, Joe Biden should not let corporate interests have this kind of unnecessary influence. Rejecting their contributions to the inauguration fund is a key step this administration can take to signal where their allegiances lie.

This is a letter from his mother- My name is Montye Benjamin I am the mother of Jayvis LeDell Benjamin. Jayvis was UNARMED and killed by officer Lynn Thomas of the Avondale Estates Police Department in Dekalb county Georgia. I would like the opportunity to share with you my experience seeking justice for my son. As his mother I will continue to be his Advocate and voice that was silence by officer Thomas who sentencing Jayvis to a roadside execution, being the judge and jury on the street. My journey includes many barriers that was put in place attempting to force me to quit or having no hope for justice with limited resources, legal counseling and mainly with little to no support from my community. On the night that my son was killed, a false narrative was given that he stole a car and assaulted officer who commanded him to get back in a wrecked car. I did not find out the truth until I appeared before the Grand Jury that my son only ran a red light. On January 18, 2013, Jayvis ran a red-light losing control of the car he was driving running into a telephone pole head on. Officer Thomas witness Jayvis running the light then calling into dispatch stating, “that guy is going 120 miles an hour, I am going to go look for him”. Upon arriving officer Thomas exits his patrol car approaches Jayvis and begin to pat both his left and right side appearing to decide either to use his tazer or gun. Officer Thomas then release from the holster his gun pointing it directly at Jayvis, before Jayvis exit the car. Jayvis then proceed to exit the car brushing away the broken window on the driver side, once he exits he then raised his hand up stating “Do ya’ll see this $h1#. Do see ya’ll see what he trying to do to me” repeatedly and then officer Thomas shouting, “get back into the car”. At no time did officer Thomas access for injuries from the impact of the car hitting the telephone pole. You can see that Jayvis was engaging with the people in the community that began to come out of their home because the power was knock out and the loud noise of the impact hitting the telephone pole. On April 30, 2015 a Grand Jury hearing “Strongly Advised Indictment” of Officer Thomas. On May 1, 2015 DA James announced during a press conference that a warrant would be issued for Officer Thomas and he would appear before a criminal grand jury. Almost a year later the Former DA presented an altered clip of the dash cam video, only showing Jayvis and not officer Thomas exiting the patrol car. Former DA Robert James ruled the shooting justified stating that he did not agree with the jury decision and they needed to be trained to evaluate a police involve shooting. The case was in the appellate court process because the judge dismissed the case. This decision was made on the altered video that was entered to the court and not the same one that was shown during the grand jury hearing. Five months after DA James rule the shooting justified Officer Thomas was promoted to chief of his department. Several request by me and my attorney’s to get the original dash cam video and we are yet to received it or our request has ever been honored. Jayvis and I have been “Denied Due Process”. I am so glad that I was able to view the dash cam video during the grand jury hearing, had I not seen it I would have never known the TRUTH. Jayvis should’ve received a traffic citation and a day in court, not a death sentence. There was no police chase, stolen car report or fitting any description. It wasn’t until after Jayvis was DEAD, that thomas came up with the stolen car report. Also, a background check was done on Jayvis after he was murdered and conducted by the GBI and the DA office showing he did not have any altercations or a criminal record with the justice system. It was the GBI investigator that actually motivated me to look deeper into Jayvis case. When I spoke with him he said that he could not discuss Jayvis case because of the open investigation by the DA office, but that I needed to request all copies of each investigation. The GBI completed their investigation March 2013, and the DA did not completed his until April 2015. For the justice system to function the way it does today I know I may not see justice in my life time but at least I do know the truth and he was murdered by lynn thomas. The only purpose of his badge, gun and uniform is to protect himself with the support of the court system that expect the average citizen to respect the very laws they are paid to enforce. I am presently requesting that Jayvis case be reopened with a special prosecutor and investigator with true transparency. I have been fighting Justice for Jayvis, for the last 7 years. I will continue to do so with my last breathe. My son was racially profiled and murdered with no accountability or remorse for life lost due to thomas incompetence and negligence. Thomas holding the position of chief has really taunted the respect, integrity and honor of the title chief.

On May 16, 2016, Jabril Robinson and his gf were having an altercation outside his gf’s mothers house. The gf’s mother called police wanting police to help de-escalate the fight, but she was quoted as saying, “If I knew they was gonna kill that young man I would have never got them police involved. Never. I love that boy like a son. God! God this is crazy!” She just wanted their help. Both Robinson’s gf and gf’s mother kept being questioned if Robinson had a gun multiple times even though they kept saying that he didn’t. Officers told the mother and gf that they would look for him, talk to him, and bring him back. When Clayton County Police Officer Charlie McDaniel and Dwayne Parkin spotted Robinson, he ran and they chased him behind the house where they shot him multiple times in the back. When he struggled to get up, they shot him in the back of the head. They were called to de-escalate, so why did Jabril Robinson end up dead? Sounds like Charlie McDaniel and Dwayne Parkin, who are civil officers, decided to take the law into their own hands over an argument between two civilians that they are meant to protect.

It’s so important for students to learn about the lgbtqia+ community. We aren’t going away so instead of ignoring the fact we need to educate young students about this topic, teach about it. There’s so many adolescents that are apart of this community and for them to learn more about the history aspect and learn more about same sex sex etc. they would feel so much safer in an environment that shows they care.

The invention of plastic in 1907 is considerably recent. Since then, it has started to accumulate in the environment, our water, our blood, and we have only recently learned some of the biggest consequences of this material. Only about 9% of plastic is ever recycled and 12 billion metric tons (13.2 billion US tons) will enter landfills or the environment by 2050 if current trends continue. Chemicals leached from some plastics used in food/beverage storage are harmful to human health. Correlations have been shown between levels of some of these chemicals, and an increased risk of problems such as chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy. Many plastics contain phthalates (DEHP) and the chemical BPA., these chemicals make their way into our food and into our bodies. Both chemicals are potentially harmful to human hormones, reproductive systems, and early childhood development. Dangerous chemicals such as BPA are found in more than 90% of the human population. We know huge concentrations of plastic debris cover large swaths of the ocean, what we don't know is if the Mississippi has dodged this plastic infestation? The plastic mass between California and Hawaii is the size of the state of Texas. Sea creatures eat or get ensnared in plastic debris and can be killed or maimed. Plastic that is consumed by marine organisms, as well as the toxins they absorb from the water, accumulate up the food chain making seafood potentially dangerous for humans as well. According to a study by Plymouth University, one third of the fish caught in the UK had plastic inside.Scientists predict that if nothing changes in our plastic consumption habits, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than there are fish (by weight). Each year, more than a million marine creatures and other birds and animals die from plastic pollution in their habitats.

These fish help control populations of pan fish that are destroying other fish’s reproduction. Fish such as the white perch eat bass fry and deplete the population. Tiger musky are apex predators integral to keeping a balance in their waterways. These fish cohabitate with pike populations and bring anglers to the area as a very desired sport fish.

We need people who represent the hard working, ethical people of North Dakota. Civil rights should be important to the people who represent us. The constitution was written for all!

Throughout Donald Trump’s presidency, Rudy Giuliani has been a central figure in scheme after scheme. Just last year, Common Cause filed complaints against Giuliani for illegally soliciting foreign help in the 2020 election -- in the form of a Ukraine government investigation into Joe Biden, which was at the heart of Trump’s impeachment. And Giuliani is currently representing Trump in several baseless, futile post-election lawsuits designed to undermine Americans’ faith in our democracy. Now, even though he hasn’t yet been charged with any crimes -- the New York Times is reporting that Giuliani has discussed with Trump the possibility of receiving a broad pardon, pre-empting any charge or conviction. That’s outrageous -- if Giuliani committed crimes, he should be held accountable. And, this could explain why Giuliani is one of the few people remaining who are willing to parrot Trump's conspiracy theories: he thinks it's his best bet to evade the rule of law. Trump has already issued politically-motivated pardons to individuals like Michael Flynn -- who was convicted for lying to the FBI during the Mueller investigation -- as well as far-right figures like Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Dinesh D’Souza. He uses these pardons to ensure loyalty from his associates, rile up his base, and distract us from his ongoing attacks on our values. Trump and Giuliani must come clean -- if they’re discussing a pre-emptive pardon, possibly as part of a quid pro quo, the American people deserve to know. It’d be just another effort by Trump to have one set of rules for his friends, and another set for the American people. We must demonstrate that Americans are united in defense of the rule of law -- and that we’re ready to speak out against any official who abuses their power. Join in by adding your name today.

Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in broad daylight from a sudden, well-executed, technologically sophisticated ambush. A remote controlled machine gun mounted to a Nissan shot the scientist and then self-detonated. Trump spent the last 4 years fanning flames with Iran and now President-Elect Biden will inherit a powder keg with a short fuse. But there’s a way out of this. President-Elect Biden can restore the Iran deal that Trump broke apart in 2018. And now he needs to make that a priority. Sign the petition: Tell President-Elect Biden and Congress to pledge to restore the Iran deal! Under Obama, the Iran deal was a major step forward in easing tensions with Iran and protecting US interests. But just like with the Paris Climate Accord, Trump was eager to shred Obama’s legacy wherever he could. When the US pulled out of the Iran deal, they set the stage for this deeply disturbing, high tech assassination. If Iran retaliates, Trump could use the last few weeks in power to launch an offensive, and leave Biden to clean up not just a pandemic, a climate crisis, an immigration crisis at the border, but now a new war in the Middle East. Restoring the Iran deal needs to be a Day 1 priority for both the Biden administration and Congress now. If President-Elect Biden can double-down now on his campaign promise to bring back the Iran deal, tensions could soften, and we could stop Trump from permanently destroying US foreign policy on his way out of the White House. Sign the petition: Tell President-Elect Biden and Congress to pledge to restore the Iran deal! Source https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/28/world/middleeast/israel-iran-nuclear-deal.html

Contura Energy subsidiary Republic Energy has applied for another mountaintop removal permit on Coal River Mountain: 1,085 acres (1.7 square miles) adjacent to their existing 6,555 acres (10.2 square miles) of mountaintop removal and toxic waste sludge dams. This process involves blasting the mountain with ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, releasing clouds of dust, mostly carcinogenic silica, into the communities below. With some neighborhoods enduring the daily equivalent of 20 Tomahawk missiles (which the West Virginia Dept. of Environmental Protection calls a "small blast") and dozens of scientific studies documenting the significant health impacts, coal companies dismiss residents' concerns. In response to Coal River Mountain Watch's objection to this permit, the $2-billion coal company Contura Energy states that they are "required to comply with WVDEP's air quality rules related to controlling fugitive particulate matter." However, we have aerial footage from Nov. 13, 2020, showing their massive dust cloud from an existing site filling the valley below, obscuring the homes in the neighborhood, and traveling more than two miles downwind. This new permit is right above another nearby neighborhood and comes within 300 feet of some homes. Other hazards of mountaintop removal include structural damage to homes from blasting, pollution of streams from runoff, and increased risk of flooding. West Virginia Dept. of Environmental Protection has the duty and obligation to provide and maintain a healthful environment. To approve this permit, subjecting neighboring residents to carcinogenic dust clouds during a deadly pandemic, is to abdicate this responsibility. WVDEP must do the right thing and deny permit S301419 proposed by Contura Energy subsidiary Republic Energy.

On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and resident of the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, was murdered in the Consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul, Turkey by agents of the Saudi government. The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered this assassination. Soon thereafter, activists in DC launched a petition to rename the Northbound portion of New Hampshire Avenue, adjacent to the Saudi Embassy after Mr. Khashoggi. Almost 10,000 people signed a petiton demanding it. However, that effort did not succeed because DC law prohibits naming any public space after a person unless they are deceased for at least two years. October 2, 2020, marked two years since the horrific murder of Jamal Khashoggi. It is now time to rename the street. Please sign this petition to DC Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser asking them to do so immediately.