The State Department has issued their final biased report on the Keystone XL pipeline, and now John Kerry has to make his final recommendation to President Obama. We need to use this time to come together and say once and for all: "NO to Keystone XL!"

Great news! Shell Oil announced it will NOT drill for oil in America's Arctic in 2014! The decision by Shell comes on the heels of a ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stating that the Department of the Interior (DOI) violated the law when it sold offshore oil and gas leases in the Alaska's Chukchi Sea. The Alaskan Arctic is home polar bears, beluga whales, seals and other wildlife. Drilling puts these animals at risk -- endangered by potential oil spills and stores of carbon pollution that could dramatically alter our climate if released. Even though Shell won't be drilling this summer we know Shell won't walk away from its Arctic drilling plans in future years without more pressure! Tell President Obama to terminate all current drilling leases and urge him to cancel all future drilling lease sales in America's Arctic Ocean.

Support Baltimore's Food Trucks! There is legislation being considered that would restrict food truck parking to designated food truck zones. We love the idea of food truck zones but also need to be able to park at metered spaces! If you love trucks and want them to be able to park at meters in addition to the food truck zones, please let your voice be heard!

America was founded on the principle of equal representation: one person, one vote. Unfortunately, this pillar of democracy is under attack. Nowadays, it’s one dollar, one vote. A million dollars? A million votes. In short, money talks… and the rich speak loudest. Over the past four decades, the value of the minimum wage has decreased by 20 percent and if you work full-time you’ll earn a yearly salary of $15,392 - not even enough to keep your family above the poverty line. It’s well-past time for the rest of us to share in this newfound prosperity. Over 70 percent of Michiganders support raising the minimum wage and you can make our voice louder by signing our petition.

I wanted to start this petition because causing harm to an entity with malice shouldn't be rewarded.

Don't victimize young people by forcing them into areas of study that do not reinforce their educational/career goals. What of the students whose ambitions are being hampered by forced course work in disciplines not related to their educational/career goals? Where is the return on their family's educational investment from public school taxes?

I am starting this petition because e-cigs have directly affected the lives of my family and friends that smoke.

Zoning Ordinances are hugely influential on the day to day life of the average citizen effecting how we grow our businesses, what we live next to, and how we treat our natural resources. This process is far too important for the County to side step proper procedures for public participation and involvement. We deserve to have a publicly vetted Comprehensive Plan for Northampton's future that everyone has had a chance to weigh in on. Shorekeeper will be presenting these petitions to county officials before public comment begins March 11th.

On February 10, Moravian College Professor Gary Olson penned an op-ed in The Morning Call. (Read it here: http://bit.ly/1e5uog2) He discussed the 9/11 memorial which he had recently visited, Noel John Foster, a former student of his killed in the World Trade Center, and the commitment to peace and opposition to U.S. foreign policy that both Olson and Foster held in common. In a move unbefitting a Moravian College President, a week later President Bryon Grigsby wrote a letter to the editor attacking Dr. Olson. (The full text of the letter is below.) • Grigsby doesn't engage with any of the ideas or assertions that Olson wrote, preferring to attack him saying anything political at all. That's not a debate of ideas. That's an attempt to silence. • Given Noel Foster's own activist politics (Noel himself was an anti-apartheid activist as a student), it's especially galling to insist that Olson keep a "political platform" out of any discussion about his former student. No one has the right to police how people choose to remember their loved ones. • Writing that Olson "does not speak on behalf of Moravian College" is unnecessary, because that fact was never in question, so it simply serves to try and isolate Olson from the college and community he has called home for decades. Agree with him or not, Gary Olson is the rare academic who actually writes for mainstream consumption. This is the first time we can find that a President has chosen to publicly rebuke him. President Grigsby: We urge you to resist whatever censorious pressures you are receiving. If past Moravian presidents, including an Air Force lieutenant general, weren't threatened by Dr. Olson’s engagement in the debate of ideas, then we suggest you take a cue from your predecessors. If not for Dr. Olson’s sake, for the sake of non-tenured and adjunct professors who no doubt now feel unsafe in speaking their conscience. President Grigsby’s letter: "The greatest value all colleges and universities share is the open and free debate of ideas within its community. The act of debate makes for a stronger college, a more vibrant community, a better-informed citizenry and a stronger nation. It is with this in mind that I write to share my concern regarding Gary Olson's latest Your View, 'Visit to 9/11 Memorial prompts reflections on attacks.' In the Your View, he uses the tragic death of a Moravian alumnus, Noel Foster, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center as an opportunity to promote his own political platform. I did not know Noel personally, but in the face of unimaginable circumstances, Noel made choices that epitomized bravery and concern for others. This is how he should be memorialized. While Gary Olson is more than welcome to express his personal belief and opinions, he does not speak on behalf of Moravian College or the alumni, students, faculty or staff." (Link to Grigsby’s letter here: http://bit.ly/1gDaA8S)

New Jersey received more than $7.6 million from the federal government to publicize newly available health care coverage and how to access it through the Marketplace. Thus far the Governor has refused to use the money to let uninsured New Jerseyans know about the insurance options available to them. And time is running out. If the Governor doesn't act by TODAY, February 20th - and come up with a plan to spend the money on ACA outreach the Feds will take the money back. He's had well over a year to come up with a plan. Failing to spend the money on outreach and enrollment could mean that 95,000 New Jerseyans will go without health insurance this year. Please sign our petition demanding that Governor Christie put people's health before politics.

A recent Washington Post article quoted several Republican Congressional leaders saying they had no plans to vote on any more important legislation until the November elections. Any American worker knows that if they don't do their job, they won't get paid. Republicans in Congress should follow the same rules as American workers.

Update: Since this petition was launched, the remains of the missing worker have been discovered. The system doesn't allow for changes to the body of the petition people have already signed, but I wanted to share this sad news with you. Chevron owes the neighbors of the well that exploded in Greene County. Pennsylvania an apology, a real apology. Read all about Chevron's free pizza giveaway below (and see a photo of the letter and coupon). And stay tuned for more information about a call-in day! http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/Chevron-Endure-our-fracking-fire-and-the-pizzas-on-us.html