Fracking harms communities by polluting the air and water and threatening people's health. Property values of homes near fracking wells decrease substantially and are harder to insure and sell. Related industrial practices like injection wells cause more damage, including earthquakes. Sylvania's status as a clean, healthy, safe, and beautiful place to live would suffer because of fracking. Let's ban fracking and related practices in Sylvania now!

As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) is the chief Democratic sponsor of a Farm Bill that would cut food stamps by over $8 billion. Her press release calls it $8 billion in “nutritional savings,” and even brags that the bill would make it harder for states to increase food stamp benefits for low-income people. She also claims the bill only stops “fraud and misuse”—although the food stamp cuts are twice what Stabenow first proposed to the Senate, when she voted against an amendment that would have stopped the cuts by curbing foreign agribusiness subsidies. Already, 1.8 million Michiganders experienced devastating food stamp cuts in the fall—and now these cuts would only make things worse. In Wayne County (the state’s largest county), nearly 30% of residents rely on food stamps—roughly double the national average. As a Michigan voter, please sign and send our petition to Sen. Stabenow—demanding that she not cut food stamps for the state’s most vulnerable residents.

The East Ward of Newark has suffered at the hands of criminals and it is time to do something. The residents, taxpayers, and business owners of the East Ward of Newark New Jersey need to stand together and send a message to our elected representatives that we will no longer tolerate being victims. It is time to take our city back!

We need to have sidewalks installed on Jamacha Rd (west of the 125 freeway) in Spring Valley for the safety of all residents in the area as well as school kids from Mount Miguel High School and Avondale Elementary School. Jamacha Rd has many pedestrians walking this street are forced to walk on the street to get to their destination. Cars travel at 40-50 mph on average, creating a very dangerous situation. The bend near Darby Street creates a blind spot, especially when pedestrians are walking at night.

I believe in the civil freedom to choose my medicine. I have seen many patients quality of life improve from cannabis, and bring them peace before they have passed on. Conventional pharmaceuticals are not right for everyone, so everyone should not be forced to use what is not best for them as medicine because it is accepted as a social norm. I believe cannabis is a much more healthy and less expensive health care option for many, and should be readily available while our legislature makes up their minds of what to do with patients now that I-502 has began implementation so patients do not have to suffer and potentially die in the mean time.

I'm an old white guy who is not personally impacted by the Voting Rights Act, but I can remember the poll tax and all the other slightly more subtile ways that were used to keep black folk and brown folk from voting. I know Pete Gallego personally, and I believe he agrees with me about the damage the Supreme Court did to voting rights last year. Please join me an letting him know we have his back on this issue.

Gathering signatures to move forward with a proposed initiative to be presented to the United Nations to adopt an International Law pertaining to balanced gender representation for every nation whereas each nation will be represented formally, in every element and implementation, by both genders equally. GaiaRisingNow.org

We were glad that President Obama's State of the Union emphasized education throughout his speech — especially the urgent need for universal access to high quality Pre-K and other early education programs. As Obama put it: "Research shows that one of the best investments we can make in a child's life is high-quality early education." However, we need to find an equitable way to achieve this important goal. Obama's reliance on competitive grants, known as Race to the Top, pits states and districts against each other at a time when most education budgets are still dangerously underfunded. Even worse, many of the requirements for eligibility aren't proven solutions, and can even have a negative effect on our schools: increases in charter schools, increased standardized testing, and untested programs of teacher evaluation. Nor do the grants provide the serious funding and resources needed to make sure children can meet the high standards that Race to the Top imposes. Please take a moment to tell President Obama: leave racing and jumping through hoops for the Olympics. All our children deserve equitably funded schools!

Beyonce.

You’ve heard about the Moral Monday demonstrations in Raleigh led by the NC NAACP and a coalition of many groups, including us - Democracy North Carolina. Well, the biggest, boldest Moral Monday is happening next Saturday, February 8 in Raleigh. You’ll definitely want to be a part of this dramatic and historic occasion. See: http://www.hkonj.com/logistics. Tens of thousands of people outraged at attacks on women, teachers, voting rights, workers, the poor, youth and the environment will be pouring in from all parts of the state – and from across the U.S. No civil disobedience is planned but this promises to be the biggest march and rally in the South in 50 years. You’ve got to be there. The march to the General Assembly begins at 9:30 at the corner of Wilmington and South streets. The rally at the General Assembly features movement music, NC NAACP president Rev. William J. Barber II, other speakers, and video of landmark events in the past year. We’d be happy for you to march with other Democracy North Carolina friends and supporters. We’re assembling at the northeast corner of Blount and South streets at 9:30, with banner and signs (or bring your own sign)! Two more tips: ** Bus Ride: Check out the buses coming from your area; reserve a seat quick while they last! See: http://www.hkonj.com/buses ** Local Action: We must act locally to defend our voting rights. See what's possible - read this brief description of how you can “Jumpstart the Vote” in your community. Sign up and act! See: http://www.democracy-nc.org/jumpstart/ I look forward to seeing you in Raleigh soon! Bob Hall, Democracy North Carolina

Fracking is a serious threat to public health. It has been shown to contaminate groundwater water and air and lead to cancer, infertility, and lower birth rates. Tell Gov. Malloy you don’t support his plan to fuel Connecticut by drilling frack wells in the backyards of fellow Americans.

Animal cruelty and animal homicides are only considered a misdemeanor in PA and a felony in almost any other state in the US. We need to have stricter laws on the murders and cruelty of innocent animals in Pennsylvania. If your still undecided, maybe this case will change your mind: http://www.mytwintiers.com/story/d/story/breaking-arrest-made-in-pa-dead-puppy-case/18570/_vIjNpPs-0GFrrQMmt5Klw#.UufpIsD6QhE.facebook OUTRAGEOUS!!