As noted in a recent report of the Children's Defense Fund, U.S. children and teens are 17 times more likely to die from a gun than their peers in 25 other high-income countries combined. In 2010, children and teen gun death rates in the U.S. were over four times higher than in Canada, nearly seven times higher than in Israel, and nearly 65 times higher than in the United Kingdom. [CDF, "Protect Children not Guns Overview," p.1] The events in Newtown, CT in December 2012, were unimaginable, and yet, thus far, our nation has been unable to make legal and cultural changes to sufficiently protect children from the effects of gun violence. A campaign to develop awareness is necessary. We must never forget the horrible massacre of school children and staff at Sandy Hook Elementary in December of 2012. We must also be mindful of the children we may or may not hear about but whose death by gun violence most assuredly is felt deeply by their families, friends and communities. The proclamation of December as "National Children and Gun Violence Awareness Month" will honor the memory of those we have lost and build the awareness needed to create lasting change.

This bill would further damage school funding in PA. This bill creates a private authorizer system and it allows some charters to escape local oversight through consolidation. Higher education institutions would be able to decide to approve a charter school and communities would still be responsible for paying for them - so taxpayers would have all of the responsibility and none of the say. The state would oversee consolidated charters, but state enforcement has been weak. It also eliminates reasonable enrollment limits, which allow communities to plan and determine how best to meet their community's educational needs and how tax dollars will be used! Oppose SB 1085 today!

Newspapers need to stop publishing letters that deny climate change.

Newspapers need to stop publishing letters that deny the facts of climate change. There is room for a healthy debate on the appropriate actions to take in response to the reality of human-activity-caused global warming and consequent climate change, but there is no longer a legitimate debate about the facts that the globe is warming and that human activity is causing it.

City of Detroit retirees have worked long and hard for up to 30 years or more for their pensions and now, as part of the bankruptcy, the Governor and the Emergency Manager propose to eliminate our pensions. I, personally, worked for the Detroit Housing Commission for over 30 years and have earned the pension which I was promised at the time I signed on and it would be tragic (and unfair) for me to lose it at this point. (Please note, my actual petition is somewhat longer and I would really like to have the opportunity to let you see it in its entirety).

Newspapers need to stop publishing letters that deny climate change.

I would like the Leader to follow it's parent's lead and take a stand against climate change in two ways. First, agree to only publish factual statements on the subject. Second, to actually discuss the subject more often in local reporting. Burbank, along with the rest of the planet, continues to experience hotter temperatures and more extreme weather events. This important topic should not be "outside the wheelhouse" of our journalists and I think readers would be very interested to see how area cities like LA are preparing for adaptation and are connecting the dots between extreme weather events, increases in vector diseases like west nile, reduced snow pack and water supplies, or major news stories such as the recent hurricane in the Philippines to climate change and the excessive burning of fossil fuels.

Newspapers both in Maryland and around the country need to stop publishing letters that deny climate change. Please do not just look past this fundamental issue that is causing the majority of scientists to be very concerned about the future health of our planet!

I have autism, so does my daughter and so does my nonverbal brother. I want the world to know that Autism Speaks raises a lot of money in the name of autism, without respecting us or including us as part of their organization. Co-founder Suzanne Wright's recent post, "This is Autism" was especially offensive to myself and the millions of families like us. Psychology Today, Forbes, The Arc, Autism Society of America have joined individuals and families in solidarity against Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks major supporter Doug Sanders is the President/CEO of a grocery chain that has a store in my neighborhood. My daughter, and maybe a couple of her friends, would like the chance to meet with him and show him that autistic young people are pretty wonderful, capable individuals and not the monsters or hopeless types that Autism Speaks makes them out to be. I need your help to make that happen.

Politicians, Law enforcement, and many others enjoy absolute immunity from suit for their wrong actions that result in harm to another person or group of persons. This statutory immunity prohibits an injured party from seeking redress for injuries sustained as a direct result of the actions of the person who has been granted immunity under that law. Thus creating a class or group of select persons who are declared by law to be above the law and free from either prosecution or suit solely on the basis of their position or office. This blanket immunity by law directly contradicts the constitutional precept that "all men are equal," and cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged within a democratic society.

INJUSTICE! MY SON WAS MURDERED AFTER A PHYSICAL/VERBAL CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE TWO. MY SON EXITS FIRST AND MR. JONES EXITS THEN SHOOTS HIM. HE RUNS FOR FIVE MONTHS AND 11 DAYS BEFOE BEING CAPTURED.

Newspapers need to stop publishing letters that deny climate change.