A Budweiser affiliate, L&H Distributing of Tullahoma, TN, is to be an official sponsor of the 75th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration in Shelbyville, TN later this month. This show is the epicenter of the worst horse abuse in the world. At last year’s show, 190 horses were chosen at random by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors and 145 of them tested positive for caustic substances that had been used to “sore” the forelegs of the animals to produce the exaggerated front end movement known as the "Big Lick". Soring is illegal in the United States, prohibited by the federal Horse Protection Act. Budweiser’s involvement with the National Celebration comes as a huge shock, but it seems that L&H Distributing Co., located in Tullahoma, has cut a deal with the cash-strapped show to provide alcoholic beverages for the first time ever at what has been previously billed as “a family event.”

Unlike public schools, Achievement First Charter Schools gets to cherry pick which students they serve. They don't admit very many special needs students, or students who are learning English as a secondary language. Recently, it was also revealed that they were suspending huge numbers of elementary school students. In a state Department of Education report, Achievement First Hartford Academy elementary school ranked at the very top of the list of student suspensions. In one year, they suspended 32% of their students in pre-k through fifth grade. They also reported 114 suspensions of students under the age of 6. Now, Achievement First wants to open another elementary school in Hartford. Not only will this take money out of Hartford's public school budget, but it would also likely mean closing down an existing public elementary school. This is unacceptable. We need public schools that teach all our students, not just some of them. Tell the Hartford Board of Education not to let Achievement First open another elementary school.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko stated yesterday that athletes and spectators attending the 2014 Sochi Olympics will be punished if they endorse gay rights in any way. Tell US corporations who are sponsoring the Olympics to withdraw their support.

Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature cut desperately needed funding for services to people living with HIV/AIDS. These cuts have placed great hardships on those who counted on this help to buy life-saving medications and payment of co-pays for medical care. Many of these people are having to choose between eating and taking their medications. We call on Rick Scott and the FL Legislature to increase funding for these vital services.

Scranton should send a clear message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Balakovo is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's anti-gay laws during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russian law allows police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian, or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Russia's “gay propaganda” law makes any parents who tell their children that being gay is okay, any Pride parade organizer, any health official distributing information regarding safe sex between same-sex partners, and even judges and lawyers subject to arrest or fine. Already people are being arrested, beaten, intimidated, and more.

Appleton should send a clear message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Kurgan is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's anti-gay laws during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russian law allows police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian, or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Russia's “gay propaganda” law makes any parents who tell their children that being gay is okay, any Pride parade organizer, any health official distributing information regarding safe sex between same-sex partners, and even judges and lawyers subject to arrest or fine. Already people are being arrested, beaten, intimidated, and more.

Politician and Frederick County Commissioners' President Blaine R. Young, 50% owner of Frederick City Cab/Yellow Cab has never served a day in his life for his country. Yet, because his less than 51% partner Jerry Woods has, he advertises ‘A Veteran-Owned Company' on his cabs. Why does 1% matter? A 2009 GAO report found that fraud and abuse allowed ineligible firms to obtain $100 million of dollars in contracts. From the VA Veteran-Owned Small Business Verification Guidelines - Regulation 38 CFR § 74.3: • An applicant or participant must be at least 51 percent unconditionally and directly owned by one or more Veterans or service-disabled Veterans. How do we know? Young has reported his 50% ownership of City Cab/Yellow Cab and affiliates on his annual Frederick County Ethics Disclosure Forms for three years in a row. Both Young and his partner feel they have the right to advertise their falsehood intent upon deceiving nearby Ft. Detrick military staff, contractors, the general public, and (unique to this situation) campaign funding voters. Worst of all, they pretend their ‘Direct Bill’ subcontract arrangement with one of their largest customers, federal contractor SAIC/ALIANT (featuring a Direct Order/Direct Bill contract payment option) and ACH reimbursements from Frederick County Social Services aren’t really contract agreements at all. Yet, each day they remain unchallenged, a more potentially deserving VA and SBA registered ‘Veteran-Owned’ and ‘Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business’ is neglected and misdirected income is lost. Why then, do AMVETS and more specifically, AMVETS POST #2 ‘The Farm’ in Frederick County, Maryland continue to support and accept funds from Blaine R. Young’s Yellow Cab Picnic for Veterans? I once knew an older and wiser SDVOB who pondered long and hard whether or not to help his business grow by compromising the integrity of his own service by telling a lie or to ask his non-veteran partner to diminish the value of his mutual personal investment in the company they jointly owned. His honor prevailed. BZ to this American hero for a job well done. Blaine Young and Jerry Woods of Yellow Cab, where have your consciences and respect for Veterans gone? AMVETS, you have the power to stop condoning and benefiting from this disingenuous behavior. Please stop the upcoming Yellow Cab/AMVETS Post #2 FARM Picnic and put an end to the misrepresentation. Our petition is asking you to act on behalf of all deserving Veteran-Owned and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses today.

Russia's sports minister, Vitaly Murko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's archaic homophobic laws during the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. I hope our beautiful city of Flagstaff will send a clear message that violence against LGBT citizens of, and visitors to our sister city, Barnaul, the Olympic host city, Sochi, and all of Russia is unacceptable and cannot stand.

San Jose, Ca. should send a clear message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Yekaterinburg is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's anti-gay laws during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russian law allows police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian, or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Russia's “gay propaganda” law makes any parents who tell their children that being gay is okay, any Pride parade organizer, any health official distributing information regarding safe sex between same-sex partners, and even judges and lawyers subject to arrest or fine. Already people are being arrested, beaten, intimidated, and more.

Louisville should send a clear message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Perm, Russia is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's anti-gay laws during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russian law allows police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian, or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Russia's “gay propaganda” law makes any parents who tell their children that being gay is okay, any Pride parade organizer, any health official distributing information regarding safe sex between same-sex partners, and even judges and lawyers subject to arrest or fine. Already people are being arrested, beaten, intimidated, and more.

Demand complete disclosure of restricted pesticide use; Implement 500 ft. buffer zones for schools and sensitive areas; Ban open-air experimenting with new GMO's and pesticides; and complete an environmental impact assessment. This Bill comes to a final vote on September 9, 2013.

Claremore should send a clear message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Salekhard is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's anti-gay laws during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russian law allows police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian, or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Russia's “gay propaganda” law makes any parents who tell their children that being gay is okay, any Pride parade organizer, any health official distributing information regarding safe sex between same-sex partners, and even judges and lawyers subject to arrest or fine. Already people are being arrested, beaten, intimidated, and more.