No one needs to be in ICE detention as they await their case to work through the courts. Forcing people to remain there during the coronavirus pandemic is cruel and inhumane. Along with ICE’s already horrific record of medical neglect and denying basic necessities for maintaining health and sanitation, people locked up in immigration detention are extremely vulnerable to the spread of infectious disease because they are unable to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves like social distancing and sanitizing regularly. There have already been 10 reported deaths in ICE custody in the last six months alone, and multiple ICE officers and people detained have tested positive for COVID-19. Acting Director of ICE Matthew Albence must act now, before it is too late and the virus spreads like wildfire through detention centers. The answer is clear: release people now.

UBER and Lyft drivers are on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, shuttling people back and forth who still need to go to work and get groceries. But UBER and Lyft have yet to extend protections their drivers can actually take, including sick days and paid leave. And these companies aren’t providing the drivers who do want to keep working with adequate sanitary supplies. That means drivers might feel forced to work when they feel ill, or when their family members are sick and need care. These drivers are taking care of us during this pandemic, and the companies they work for need to take care of them by providing critical benefits that protect them, their families, passengers, and communities.

Big Pharma companies are already trying to profit from drugs to treat or prevent coronavirus infection -- and we need your help to stop them. Last week Gilead Sciences was caught attempting to get exclusive rights to one drug that has shown promise in treating covid-19. Under intense public pressure they backed off, but they and other Pharma companies still have the ability to raise the price high and gouge everyone for desperately needed medicine. Under a federal law known as Section 1498, the government can override a patent at any time as long as the company receives "reasonable compensation." This gives the government critical leverage to negotiate lower prices. And the government could even start producing lifesaving treatments itself under the Defense Production Act. Will you help use that leverage to save lives and stop Big Pharma from gouging people?

Every single human being is stressed now with everything that has evolved as a direct result of this crisis. Pharmaceutical drugs have proven to wreak havoc around the world causing many deaths. while cannabis is a safer alternative for many and has never killed anyone. Re-legalize cannabis NOW, it is the only humane thing to do at this point.

1099 business have been literally tossed by the wayside and ignored. We have needs, responsibilities, families and obligations, just as any other business in Maryland and we should not be treated, as if we do not matter, when we still pay taxes. Business taxes, personal property taxes, sales taxes, bottle taxes., etc.Our rents and mortgages on our businesses are due, just like every other business in Maryland and it's time we stop being ignored.

IT IS OUR HIGHSCHOOL GRADUATION!! that is one of the biggest milestones in our lives. we dont deserve to have that taken away! help us so we can all resolve this is a better way than a “emailed” diploma.

The coronavirus is a pandemic emergency and should be considered a national emergency in the United States. The piecemeal attempts to control the spread by local or scattered state mandates is not effective. The whole nation must be involved. The coronavirus does not respect borders. If the national government refuses to make the guidelines a national mandate, we need to pressure the state governors into doing that for it. We are all in this together.

As of March 31, 2020, there are 100 reported cases of COVID-19 in Lubbock. Yesterday there were 41 cases. Depending on the level of testing, there will be many more reported cases by the end of the week, probably approaching 200 and counting. This number is arrived at by taking the number of new cases since yesterday 36, and adding it for each day until Saturday. This is a simplistic estimate that will certainly underestimate the true number, since this assumes that the growth won't increase each day but instead remain constant. This is an underestimate since, in exponential growth, the rates increase depending on the previous rate (so the growth rates are not constant). Further, the people who are being tested are those who have the most severe symptoms, leading to the reported cases underestimating the true cases. Many asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases of COVID-19 have not yet been tested. This implies that the growth rate, which depends on reported cases, is an underestimate of the true growth rate, so COVID-19 is spreading more rapidly in Lubbock than we currently understand. Lubbock hospitals are exemplary and have substantial resources prepared to handle this pandemic, however, the growth rate is larger than we hope and may soon inundate the hospitals. Whether the hospitals can handle a large number of cases or not, it is still a good decision to protect their resources available to fight the virus. This is best done as a community by sheltering in place for a longer period of time, so as to reduce the number of cases the hospitals need to care for. This preserves the resources needed to safely care for the patients as well as the doctors and nurses working on the front lines. It is a difficult decision to order a shelter-in-place for a longer period of time when there is hope that such an order isn't needed, since it could appear to be a greater measure than what is necessary. However, by not ordering a shelter-in-place for a long enough time, the virus will spread beyond control so that other actions cannot rectify the situation. The longer the order is extended, the better. This is an opportunity for Lubbock to emerge as a leader in West Texas on how to combat COVID-19, and protect the wonderful people and healthcare workers in the city.

Donald Trump just told Fox & Friends outright: he doesn’t want to make our elections more accessible to eligible voters. Why? Because, according to him, “You'd never have a Republican elected in this country again.” That’s right -- the President of the United States openly admitted that he doesn’t care if Americans are denied one of their most fundamental rights in our democracy… as long as it benefits him and his party. Trump made this shameless remark in response to the House’s efforts to include crucial reforms, like expanded vote-by-mail and increased early voting hours, in Congress’ latest COVID-19 stimulus bill. These reforms are essential to protect voters during this global public health crisis -- and to ensure nobody loses their voice in our democracy this year. But Trump has made it clear that he doesn’t care about preserving our rights and defending our nation’s values. He cares about his party’s chances of winning. We must show Donald Trump just how wrong he is: EVERY eligible American should be able to vote, no matter who they want to vote for. Add your name to condemn the president’s remarks -- and urge Congress to pass the reforms voters need to cast their ballots safely this year.

We are unbelievably upset by the decision to host the graduating class of 2020 Commencement events online. This is incredibly unfair and feels like a slap in the face to not only the seniors who have worked hard and put in a tremendous amount of time and hard work to get to this position, but to the supporting families who have spent a fortune for us to even be at this school in the first place, as well. This ceremony is not only for us but for the families who have continuously supported us AND this institution. We understand the current events occurring in the world are out of your control. However, this decision completely discounts our experience, especially in regards to the Commencement Concert. A virtual Commencement concert is not realistic or ideal and does not encapsulate our experiences at this college. This concert is a culmination of all the work we have individually put into our different crafts. It is our final chance to perform together as one graduating class and show that we are ready to take on the music industry within whatever route we choose to pursue. There is no reason why, when things return to a normal state, the school cannot host the exact same caliber of event as they have in previous years. We have earned it and deserve to be celebrated.

The problem of overloaded hospitals can be solved by moving mobile hospital units around the country where they are needed. It is not a matter of flattening the curve. We are already too late for that. Call for Mobile Hospital Units!

During this stay home order we are only supposed to be shopping for life sustaining supplies. Lotto is NOT life sustaining. It puts my team and myself at risk. It puts customers shopping for life sustaining supplies at risk.