Marblehead, Mass., made U.S. history more than a decade ago by becoming the first town to ban lawn and garden pesticide use on public property. We would like to see Door County do the same at all levels, in schools, towns and county government bylaws. According to a Yale University study, children who live in homes where lawn and garden pesticides are used are up to four times more likely to develop leukemia, brain cancer and soft tissue sarcoma. Lawn and garden chemicals are more dangerous to children than adults because their immune systems have not yet fully developed to protect their bodies from the toxins found in pesticides and herbicides (anything with the word -icide at the end, by the way, is chemically designed to kill living things). And yet, at the age when they’re most susceptible to health risks, children are out in yards and parks in more direct contact with lawn and garden chemical residues than adults. Pets are also highly at risk. The entire nation of Canada, and two U.S. states, Connecticut and New York, have enacted laws that just say no to toxins like Weed 'n Feed, Roundup and Sevin in parks and on playing fields used by kids. Connecticut has taken the bold step of removing them from all school grounds in grades K-8. We ask you to do the same!

Virginia Congressman Randy Forbes is VERY proud of his Christian faith. He even founded the Congressional Prayer Caucus. But there's nothing prayerful about the event Rep. Forbes is scheduled to appear at next month. He's going to be the guest of honor at a luncheon organized by the American Family Association. The American Family Association's spokesman has blamed gays for the holocaust, claimed that black people "rut like rabbits," and said that "the jihadists on 9/11 were the agents of God's wrath in order to get our attention." The Southern Poverty Law Center has officially recognized the AFA a hate group. Rep. Randy Forbes needs to hear immediately that appearing at the American Family Association's hatefest is no way to demonstrate his Christian faith.

The political tactics of government shutdown imposes an undue burden on citizens and taxpayers while Congress uses these manipulative tactics and our livelihoods as pawns to their ideological differences. Intentional government shutdown should be deemed illegal. We must leverage our power as citizens to speak to balancing the power of privilege; it will be an uphill battle of true leadership. Congress should not get paid for a failure to work on behalf of the people, nor should a shutdown be a political strategy.

On May 30, 2012 Manuel Juarez Cortez was returning home from work when his car broke down. After pulling off to the side to check the vehicle, a policeman stopped to help, but then arrested Manuel for driving without a license. He cannot get one - the state of North Carolina does not issue driver licenses to undocumented immigrants. Despite having no criminal record, and his strong ties to the Charlotte community, Manuel still faces deportation. Please Make a call and Sign the petition to Keep Manuel Home! Call Charlotte ICE @ (704) 248-9605 Call DC ICE @ (202) 732-3000 or (202) 732-3100 Sample Script: “Hi, I’m calling in support of Manuel Juarez Cortez (A#205-208-677). Manuel has no criminal history, and is the sole bread winner for his family which includes 3 US citizen children. Manuel has lived in the US for over 12 years and is an outstanding member of the Charlotte community. Please keep Manuel home!"

Domestic violence is an epidemic that affects women, children and families in communities across our nation. Firearms play a special role in increasing lethality rates in domestic violence incidents. More than half of women murdered with guns in the United States are killed by intimate partners; in 2010 alone, more female homicides were committed with firearms than with any other weapon. Additionally, the mere presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide for women by 500 percent. Yet domestic violence offenders who are federally prohibited from owning or accessing firearms routinely avoid the background check system by purchasing weapons through unlicensed private sellers at gun shows and online. This can have a devastating and lethal effect on victims of domestic abuse and Congress must directly address this issue. By requiring a background check for every gun sale, we can reduce violence against women and save innocent lives. In states that require universal background checks for every handgun sale, 38 percent fewer women are shot to death by intimate partners.

We all need preventative health care and the ability to see a doctor when sick, and many of us cope with ongoing medical conditions. It's crazy to waste time trying to repeal and delay a law that simply wants to make buying health insurance easier and cheaper. It's time for sensible Kansans to tell their U.S. Representatives: Get out of the way of Obamacare and just see what happens!

1). The new guidelines allow students to use cell phone at the high schools during lunch and between classes, a significant change in policy from previous years. With complete disregard for a due process, the portion of the guidelines describing this drastic change was amended to the publication just days before school started without any attempt to make a public announcement or solicit feedback. 2). The new guidelines were approved as a result of a pilot program that ran in three Howard County high schools last year. The Board failed to demonstrate clear and convincing evidence that this pilot program provided any benefit to students’ learning and educational outcomes. 3). Another pilot program is in place right now to further expand the use of these devices in the classroom. Personal communication devices can be a powerful educational tool. However, without a thoughtful approach, allowing the devices in classrooms will run the risk of becoming a distraction to the students, actually disrupting education. 4). Not all students have a smart phone or any cell phone or other device at all. A haphazard attempt to promote digital citizenship will accomplish little in achieving educational excellence if it cannot be evenly applied to all students. It will only deepen the digital divide and possibly increase the achievement gap in our schools. 5). Many high school students spend considerable time outside of school using their electronic devices. It is critical that they have time during the school day when they’re “unplugged”.

Because there are plenty of good-hard working families that deserve a chance of success and prosper like I had.

Seniors are rapidly becoming the majority, I want to try and organize to make the changes that "we the people" have allowed to happen. We cannot keep blaming Washington, when we keep electing these soon to be "millionaires".

$1.4 BILLION of our taxes will be wasted shutting down and starting up the government (according to the Congressional Research Service). The U.S. will no longer be the most reliable creditor in the world, losing investors and causing interest rates we pay on credit cards, home, and business loans to increase. Social Security checks may not be paid, the doctor who sees Medicare patients won't get reimbursed, 1.4 million troops, 800,000 Pentagon workers, and many other government-run (parks, museums) and contract businesses will not get paid. Millions of jobs--and families--will be affected.

Thomas L.Hicks was convicted of a alledge sexual assult crime he did not do.There was no investigation, and I/We ask you to research all the information regarding this terrible injustice done on him.This is a case which should not have gone to trial since there is compelling evidence of his innocence.Eld. Theodore Culter who is the Pastor of St.James COGIC presented the court a dvd tape showing Mr.Hicks whereabout on the date and time in question.The dvd tape shows Mr. Hicks was at a church on Bainbridge Boulevard from 3pm until 5pm.Which the Court/Judge Dean Sword specifically notes that the defendant's Mr. Hicks presence at church. Judge Dean Sword ignore Eld.Cutler testimony and said that Eld.Cutler testimony wasn't crediable which the tape proves other wise.We would like to know why wasn't Ms.Oneil subponea since she stated that it wasn't true. We are asking for a full investigation and a overturn of his wrongful conviction.Thank You.

To bring back the "Fat Man" as the mascot for Washington Township School.