I'm troubled with the options for school lunches. There are certainly better options currently to choose from. I say take it a step further and serve non GMO verified food products, whole organic fruit (not from bulk BPA laden cans) & non GMO frozen/fresh vegetables, no chocolate milk, organic milk, hormone/antibiotic free dairy and meats, etc...

Because we lost Venus (my daughter) due to the lack of healthcare insurance, we now fight to help others not have to endure the same thing.One-third of Non-Elderly Alabamians are Uninsured Nearly one-third of Alabamians under the age of 65 did not have health insurance at some point during the last two years, with more than 75 percent of them going without insurance for more than six months. This information, compiled for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. More than 50 percent of those who were found to be uninsured in the national study had incomes of less than $15,000 for a family of three. “Approximately 70 percent of them were employed. And, while the likelihood of being uninsured was greater among 18 to 24 year olds, the vast majority of the uninsured identified in the study were middle-aged.” Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has said he would not expand a "broken" Medicaid system. He signed into law last month a Medicaid reform bill, which turns toward a managed care model. States were given the right to opt out of the Medicaid expansion portion of the Affordable Care Act with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2012. In addition to Alabama, the other states publicly stating they will not participate are: Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid eligibility would be raised to nearly everyone with an annual income of less than 138 percent of poverty. "If 14 states opt out of expanding Medicaid, there are likely to be 27.9 million uninsured people - 3.6 million more than if the Affordable Care Act were fully implemented," the study stated. And the 14 states would see their federal transfer payments decrease by $8.4 billion, according to RAND. The states would see an increase in spending in the short term because they would spend more on uncompensated care, the study stated. Under the ACA expansion, the federal government will cover 100 percent of health care expenditures from 2014 through 2016. During these first years, Alabama would be responsible for a share of the administrative costs of the expansion. The federal matching rate declines after 2016, falling gradually to 90 percent in 2020. As a result, the annual costs to Alabama increase from $39 million in 2014 to $222 million in 2020, for a total over the years of $771 millions. A University of Alabama at Birmingham study last year said that the expansion in Alabama will provide Medicaid coverage to an additional 300,000 people and generate $20 billion in economic activity which will add $1.7 billion in tax revenue. This will create jobs from every sector. From the top tier Surgeons, doctors, nurses of every level, office work not just secretarial, dieticians, maintenance, and the list goes on and on. How can we continue to support this kind of thinking and the actions behind them? I can’t and won’t 45, 00 people die each year from lack of Health Care Insurance.

I live minutes away from the draft-permitted drilling site. Fracking will use carcinogenic products benzene and methane to move the water into the earth and deliver oil and gas. The bond posted by the drilling company is inadequate in case of emergencies, and the safety details are nonexistent per a report delivered here last week March 11. Dick Armey (Former House Majority Leader and former Chairman of FreedomWorks) and Rex Tillerson (CEO of Exxon) are plaintiffs in Texas about the same sort of water-well and potential drilling near their homes that will "decrease property values, increase noise and air pollution from fracking water trucks, disturb personal health, safety [wording from the lawsuit]" and more. Our water levels are deteriorating and this new site will lead to further depletion plus storage of millions of barrels of contaminated water with no science to clean it.

The economical and medical benefits of marijuana exceeds any negative it might have on the individual or the society by far. Too much taxpayers money is wasted in Grenada on sending people to jail for a spliff. It's time to change that, legalize now!

I called the SWF office to get information about the upcoming festival and how to become a vendor. I was told and so was someone else, that someone from Brazil, IN already has the spot and has paid for 4 years in advance. So I asked when someone else might get a chance and she said "well, pretty much NEVER". I said I thought it would be nice if the local businesses got a chance before out-of-towners. We ARE the ones who bring our families to the festival and spend money and she said I had a good point and that I should bring it up to the board. So I'm gathering signatures to have in hand at that board meeting. As a local, personal business owner I believe myself and others should have the first chance to purchase booth space at the Swiss Wine Festival. It has come to my attention that certain "out of town" agencies are being allowed to reserve spots up to 4-5 years out and I personally don't think that's fair. As a local patron, I bring my family to the festival and spend money and support the community. While doing this I would like to see that I'm also supporting local businesses. If all the spaces are rented out to others when do local business owners get a chance? There should be a deadline announced in the local paper and on the radio given locals a chance and if the deadline isn't met then open it up for non-local businesses that are in line. If you agree PLEASE sign this petition so our local community has a chance to support and help the growth of the Swiss Wine Festival! Please share with family and friends also. They are the ones who support YOU and we need everyone to support US! SO please if you agree, SIGN & SHARE SHARE SHARE!!!

I was born and raised in Ohio. Alfredo came into my life when I needed him most. We eventually married and these were some of the best years for us as a family. About 15 years ago, I received a call from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that I’ll never forget. Alfredo was being deported back to Mexico. I was nine months pregnant with our first child when he was deported. I begged him to come back. Alfredo lived in constant fear of getting picked up by ICE and separated from his children. Because of his status, he struggled to find a steady, good paying job, I assumed the role of primary provider. The financial strain placed a heavy burden on all of us and led to our separation -- but we found a way to hold our family together. Alfredo remained a constant and active father in our children’s lives. He was also there for me and the kids. Our lives were turned upside down once again last month. In February, Alfredo was stopped by the police on the way to the mall. Even though Alfredo was only a passenger in the car the Border Patrol was called. He was taken away in handcuffs in front of our 11 year old daughter. Alfredo has no criminal record in the 24 years he has been in the U.S. Apparently for Mr. Hickton, the lack of immigration reform means it's a free-for-all on all the families like mine. I’m pleading with U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton and the Obama Administration to please let my ex-husband return to his family. Let him reunite with us and continue to be the model aspiring citizen he’s always been. Will you please join me in asking the Obama Administration to stop Alfredo's prosecution?

"I know right from wrong, and it is wrong to spend over $300 million on Rupp while we have homeless folks freezing to death on our streets" Jerry Moody

California is losing thousands of middle-class jobs and significant tax revenue as a direct result of other regions offering more competitive production subsidies. We need to support AB 1839 to expand our state's film and television tax credit program!

SEVERAL CITIZENS OF HOLLY SPRINGS, MS WOULD LIKE TO PETITION AGAINST THE HIGH COSTS OF UTILITY BILLS THAT ARE UNPREDICTABLE MONTH TO MONTH REGARDLESS OF USAGE. IN A LOW-INCOME PAYING CITY WITH A POPULATION OF AN ESTIMATED 7,699 CITIZENS, THE AVERAGE UTILITIES (LIGHT/WATER/GAS) BILL IS $450 USD AND HIGHER IN THE CITY OF HOLLY SPRINGS. SEVERAL CUSTOMERS' UTILITIES COST MORE THAN THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, HOUSE NOTES AND/OR RENT. THE CITIZENS AND THE HSUD NEED TO FIND A COMMON GROUND TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. SIGN THIS PETITION AND SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE.

The most valuable- our children always get the short end of the stick due to poorly delegated funds. We the people- the tax payers, should have way more say in how our hard earned tax dollars are spent. Public schools being left to scrape the bottom of the bucket has to end and now. Currently the public school two of my children reside at shall lose 2 very valuable teacher aides- this March 25. A kindergarten class with at least 26 thriving students shall soon suffer since 1 teacher can only go so far. Same goes for 2 other classrooms. Aprox 75 students shall lose out on having the valuable teacher aids present. The two teacher aids help out 3 different classrooms each school day. They are vital. This is partly due to way too much red tape and politics mixed up in our public school system. The USA is on a roll with knocking down the long standing walls of obstruction. Seattle is at the forefront with this with same sex marriage being legalized and marijuana to say the least. We have a stellar football team and many other thriving organizations all within the Emerald City. Yet, our children suffer. This is absurd. So this message goes out to each and every citizen in the USA. It's time to start paying attention and tribute to our children and their education. We must all join together, problem solve and stop complicating what should be so simple- Our children should come first! We must all voice to the politicians that we are all tired of begging for money year after year for something so vital. It's not right and it has to stop now. Hard working parents can't continue to be asked to chip in constantly to keep our schools in healthy operation. I'm talking about the pure necessities. Proper funding for the teaching staff and their aids. There are not even enough aids as it is. For example- last year a 2nd grade teacher had 3 girls and the rest all boys. Just one woman teaching on a daily basis. This is not fair to the kids or the teacher. Our teachers are special people and we must take better care of them. As of now Arbor Heights Elementary needs to come up with $5900 by March 25 or the children lose two very wonderful teacher aids. This effects mostly young busy Kindergartners. They need more than just one adult. So please sign this petition and help us create change- even if you do not have children. You were once a child yourself. Didn't you deserve a healthy and rewarding education? The USA can afford to do much better for our children. If you happen to be able to help us get through the rest of the this year via a PTA contribution please contact Arbor Heights School. http://arborheightses.seattleschools.org Until we create serious change- it's still begging for money for our Public School systems. Thank you for your time. Peace

This petition seeks to extend the statute of limitations in regards to criminal and civil offenses against children. In addition, this petition seeks to amend Illinois child abuse and abandonment definitions to better protect children from institutional abuse. As a survivor of institutional abuse and child advocate, I believe these changes are necessary to better protect children from abuse in Illinois. Illinois should include kidnapping and sexual assault/abuse of children in list of offenses with no statute of limitations. Illinois legislators should amend Illinois Code 720 ILCS 5/3-5; 5/3-7 to include sexual assault/rape/abuse of children and kidnapping in the list of offenses having no Statute of Limitations. Alaska provides one example of a State that includes kidnapping, rape, and sexual abuse in the list of offenses that have no Statute of Limitations for prosecution. (Source: ALASKA STAT. § 12.10.010) Illinois legislators should amend Illinois code (735 ILCS 5/13-202.2) to extend the Statute of Limitations for child victims to file suit upon reaching age of majority. Child victims should be given 20 years from time of serious psychological and/or physical injury (in addition to sexual abuse which already has a 20 year statute of limitations for filing civil suit in IL) or 15 years upon reaching age of majority to file a tort claim against the tortfeasor. Alternatives to the above extension of time to file a claim for injured minors include judicial system providing accessible and competent attorneys required to represent minors on a contingency basis with no fees due unless case is won and amount to be paid to attorney may not exceed 50% of the damages and 50% total must include all attorney fees and expenses. In addition, Illinois legislators should revise its child abuse statutory definitions to include the following: Emotional Abuse Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21 (New Jersey Statutory Definition) Abused child or abused or neglected child means a child under age 18 years who is in an institution, and: · Has been placed there inappropriately for a continued period of time with the knowledge that the placement has resulted or may continue to result in harm to the child's mental or physical well-being · Who has been willfully isolated from ordinary social contact under circumstances that indicate emotional or social deprivation The definitions and laws pertaining to child abuse and/or endangering the welfare of a child in Illinois are found in Illinois Code 325 ILCS 5/. Please amend Illinois' laws to include the above definitions as applied under our Child Endangerment, Child Welfare, and Child Abuse laws. In addition, Illinois legislators should amend to include the following definition of Abandonment to Illinois' Child Endangerment Laws at 325 ILCS 5/ defined as in the following Kansas Statute: Kansas § 38-2202. Definitions.  “As used in the revised Kansas code for care of children, unless the context otherwise indicates: "Abandon" or "abandonment" means to forsake, desert or, (a) without making appropriate provision for substitute care, cease providing care for the child.” Illinois legislators should be sure to specify that “appropriate provision for substitute care” be limited to the least restrictive environment within the child’s community of residence and/or within the State of Illinois if institutionalization is required.

Emboldened by its influence on Capitol Hill, the NRA is now flexing its muscles and actively working to derail Dr. Vivek Murthy’s nomination and confirmation to the position of U.S. Surgeon General. Why? Because, like many other doctors, he has in the past referred to gun violence as a threat to public health. Dr. Murthy is a Harvard- and Yale-educated doctor at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. His concern for gun safety is completely consistent with the consensus of medical and public health experts, and shared by such groups as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Public Health Association. Even C. Everett Koop, the legendary Surgeon General nominated by Ronald Reagan, described gun violence as a “public health emergency.” The NRA has no business meddling in who should be the United States’ foremost champion for public health issues. Tell the White House and the U.S. Senate to stand firm behind the nomination of Dr. Murthy for the position of U.S. Surgeon General and to move forward with his confirmation!