The village of Yarnell was devastated by wildfire on June 30, 2013. Half the town burned and 19 firefighters lost their lives. Charitable organizations showed immediate compassion with bottled water, food, sandbags, and volunteers to sift ash. But our own government has denied us funding to rebuild burned/damaged water lines--one of life's most basic necessities.

Responsible Homeowners like myself who have never been late on a mortgage payment have been waiting at least a year and a half since plans for HARP 3.0 were announced. With rising interest rates, refinancing with a conventional loan is now no longer possible. Refinancing with a FHA loan offers little relief and qualifying is difficult because homes must often appraise for higher than the market value. It is estimated that HARP 3.0 could potentially affect 7.5 million mortgages. Passing HARP 3.0 will free up the interest expense on millions of mortgages and move the economy and housing market forward. Passing HARP 3.0 should be a top priority. Let's end the logjam in Congress ASAP.

My mother, aunt and several friends are, or have been, residents at Warren Haven. Warren Haven is an excellent, compassionate, long term, sub-acute health care facility. It is currently in danger of being privatized and the Warren Haven Family Council is petitioning the Freeholder board to keep the facility public and non-profit.

An Associated Press story reported that oil companies have been fracking off our coasts for years and basically no one in California, including the California Coastal Commission, knew about it. What’s even more egregious, federal regulations exempt fracking wastewater from clean water laws, so oil companies have been dumping this toxic, chemical-laden wastewater right back into the ocean -- right in areas where blue and humpback whales congregate. We need the EPA and Department of the Interior to step in and protect the Pacific and its wildlife from dangerous fracking. The wastewater contains chemicals that are “toxins to fish larvae and crustaceans, bottom dwellers most at risk from drilling activities, according to government health disclosure documents detailing some of the fluids used off California's shore”. Seven California legislators just sent a letter to the EPA and Department of the Interior calling for new regulations for fracking in the seabed.

President Obama may choose Larry Summers to Chair the Federal Reserve Bank. This is a petition for members of the Harvard community. It is informing President Obama that we oppose the appointment of Larry Summers to this position. Please only sign this petition if you are a member of the Harvard community and indicate your affiliation. Please also note if you were a member of the Harvard community while Summers was President of Harvard (2001-2006). Summers was involved with many policies that resulted in the crash of 2008, including the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act. His sexism has created controversies for many years, including, most famously, for comments he made while President of Harvard; after a vote of no confidence from the Harvard faculty, he resigned his post. He is also known for being abrasive and aggressive, and these qualities would not be helpful in building consensus as Fed Chair. Janet Yellen, the woman who is currently Vice-Chair of Fed, is experienced, eminently qualified for the job, and would follow through on Ben Bernanke's policies

If you're gay, read this. If you're straight, read this. There's a war going on in California that affects any of us that plan to be parents one day-- especially those of us (gay or straight) who may end up using alternative methods of conception. As a gay man who's trying to start a family with my partner, we're lucky to live in a state that's historically been progressive in regards to non-traditional families-- but as in the case of my brother Jason Patric, there are still ways, no matter what your orientation, to fall through the cracks-- unless, that is, he can have his day in court to demand partial custody of the son he has spent the past three years co-raising. And to have that, we need SB 115 to pass in the California Assembly this month. Unfortunately, six months ago, Jason's son Gus was taken away unceremoniously by his then girlfriend. After spending three years helping to raise his son, he now is unable to seek formal paternity because of 7630 of the California Family Code-- but the passing of SB 115 will give him the chance to seek custody. California has a laudable history of crafting legislation to support the intended family structures of people using reproductive technologies-- in many ways, it's a model for the nation. Unfortunately, 7630 of the Family Code inadvertently fails to live up to this standard. It creates more than a rebuttable presumption against a sperm donor (that a court could weigh and set aside based on the evidence of the parties), it creates an absolute ban on fatherhood, despite the intention or action of the parties and despite the best interests of the child. This not only serves to undermine individuals who did not obtain legal advice at the time of insemination, but sees fatherhood as the singular event of procreation, rather than as a process of nurturing a child by bringing it into one’s home and holding it out as one’s child. Surely, that cannot have been the legislature’s intent, as it would be inconsistent with the State’s other legislation that respects family choices of individuals using reproductive technologies and recognizes the benefits to children of supporting familial relationships. SB 115 will allow courts to provide for father’s rights in cases where the parties are able to establish that their actions proved a father-child relationship rather than rely on a lawyer having prepared a contract about a hypothetical future relationship a donor might have with an unborn child. SB 115 will only bring 7630 in line with other reproductive legislation in the State and could only serve the best interests of the child. SB 115 goes to a vote in the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, August 13th. It is imperative that it gets to the floor for a vote after already passing through the Senate at 38-0. Please realize that the passing of SB 115 is not only important to my family, but to all parents who want the continued opportunity to be in their child's life. Sincerely, Joshua John Miller

Israel Hernandez was killed by the Miami Beach Police for scribbling an "R" pictured here on a McDonald's wall. The 18-year-old skater was chased down, pushed up against a wall, and tased, after which he started to show signs of "medical duress." One witness even said the officers were congratulating each other after tasing him. Hernandez might have been fleeing out of fear of deportation. He was a recently documented Columbian immigrant. Regardless of the circumstances, no one should have to die for scribbling an "R" on a wall. Sign and share to tell the Miami Beach Police department that you want the officers who did this to be held accountable and action taken to make sure this never happens again.

Genetically Engineered Organisms are one the largest threats to our health, environment, and economy, all of which we depend on for survival. Sign this petition and let consumers choose, as the essence of Democracy calls for it!

My sister was given a lethal combination of medication by doctors at Morristown Memorial Hospital that caused her death. I filed a complaint with Gov Christie's Office. He has taken no action but to continue the cover up. He refuses to meet with my family and I.

Now that the Boy Scouts of America have stopped excluding gay youth, some anti-gay extremists are trying to kick Boy Scout troops out of Catholic parishes. The latest example comes from Altoona, Wisconsin, where Boy Scout Troop 90 has been meeting at Saint Mary's Catholic Church for more than 20 years. The troop doesn't even have any gay members, but the local parish priest is nevertheless kicking out the boy scouts because of the Boy Scouts of America's national policy allowing gay youth to participate. The same thing is happening to another troop in the same diocese. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that gays and lesbians "must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity," and that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided." And numerous Catholic bishops, including the official liaison to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, have said that the scouts' new policy doesn't prevent parishes from hosting scout troops. It's time for the local bishop to stand up to the anti-gay extremists in his diocese -- and beyond -- by publicly announcing that parishes in his diocese may not expel Boy Scout troops.

Currently, there is a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. It is imperative that an African American candidate be considered to ensure that there is diversity on the Court. Racial equality is an important factor that must be considered.

I believe in equality, and I am working to take after Oregon's example with their current same-sex marriage initiative which has collected over 240,000 signatures.