Eliminating brokers from the trucking industry is important to support the sustainability and fairness of the market for those who actually perform the job. Carriers, especially small and independent operators, are the backbone of the trucking industry, yet they face substantial challenges. Starting a carrier company requires a huge financial investment, adherence to strict safety regulations, and substantial ongoing operational costs. Brokers, on the other hand, enter the market with minimal investment, yet can take 30-50% of the total payment for a load, sometimes making more than the carrier who handles the transport. This puts carriers at a significant disadvantage, affecting their ability to sustain their businesses and, in many cases, driving them to bankruptcy. Without regulation on broker profit margins or transparency into broker payouts from shippers, carriers have no clear understanding of what the actual market rates are. When they try to get this information, they risk being blacklisted by brokers. This lack of transparency and control by brokers creates a system that is unfairly biased against the carrier. Moreover, brokers often have cost-cutting advantages by outsourcing work to call centers abroad, while recent regulations prevent U.S. carriers from hiring dispatchers outside the country. This disparity further erodes the competitiveness of actual carriers, who are already stretched thin due to high operational costs and market uncertainties. The removal of brokers would help restore market balance, allowing carriers to negotiate directly with shippers and ensure they receive fair compensation for their work. By reducing the need for middlemen, the industry could support the financial health of carriers, reduce unnecessary fees, and provide more stability. In a low-rate market, every dollar matters, and eliminating brokers would allow carriers to retain a fairer share of the earnings, ultimately fostering a stronger and more equitable trucking industry.

Join the Campaign to Lift the SNAP Ban! Help give people a second chance, break the cycle of poverty, and ensure food security. Why?  • Breaks cycle of poverty • Supports rehabilitation & reentry • Provides food security • Promotes justice reform Join to: •  Raise awareness •  Advocate for policy change •  Support organizations helping those in need Every voice counts! Sign & share the petition! Message...

Rum River Elementary is the only school in our district with this large of an impact to our students. There is one other elementary school where students are in two different middle school attendance boundaries, and it is divided approximately 60% to Oak View Middle School and 40% to Coon Rapids Middle School, far less disjoined than our 92/8 separation.  Moving schools during middle school can have a significant negative impact on a student, often leading to emotional stress, social disruption, potential academic setbacks, and challenges with forming new relationships, as they are at a crucial developmental stage where peer connections are vital and adapting to new environments can be difficult; this can manifest as anxiety, sadness, feelings of isolation, and decreased academic engagement.  This is supported through research and best practice findings by multiple reputable organizations including U.S. Department of Education.  Considering property taxes associated with living in this location, we would hope priority would be given to attending the schools we fund.  We are currently in the process of gathering data from the school district to gain further clarity on the balance of in-district transfers vs out of district open enrollment.  When evaluating all of the information we cannot see where the risks outweigh the benefits of having this very small student population be allowed to permanently attend Oak View Middle School and Andover High School (not through in-district transfer).  

The 1927  landmarked Montclair Firehouse was once one of the shining jewels of Oakland.  Constructed from steel-reinforced concrete, the building itself is in good condition.  The City's application of a gunite material over the copper roof in the 1960's perfectly protected the interior. Two seismic studies have made very cost-effective recommendations for retro-fitting the building.  The MFAC Nonprofit has obtained current estimates for renovating the building, with all required City permits, and has submitted those, along with a complete Business Plan and Proposed Lease, to the City Real Estate Department, the Community and Economic Development Committee of the City Council, and Councilwoman Ramachandran with no response in 15 months. It is time to make The Montclair Firehouse Arts Center happen in this abandoned building.  Public buildings should be used by the public.  This one has been neglected and abandoned for 35 years by the City of Oakland.  Such waste is shameful.  The MFAC is a community-based citizen group with a proven track record of renovating an abandoned public building in Piedmont into The Piedmont Center For The Arts.  Please help them give this same gift to our Montclair community, at no expense to the City.  A beautiful Arts Center in a building the City has simply abandoned.

FSW EMS program needs Megan Davis to be successful 

The urgency of this matter stems from our unmanageable bills. We need your support to tackle the problem of exorbitant and overdue bills. By uniting and advocating for change, we may achieve some respite from crippling electricity bills, ensuring we can provide basic necessities while fulfilling other financial obligations. Your backing is essential in our quest for fairness.

There is ample evidence that Trump and Vance made false claims about Springfield’s Haitian community which sparked widespread threats of violence and endangered the city’s residents. Prosecutor Driscoll has a responsibility to pursue charges against them as he would if any other person were to inflict open, notorious, and serious crimes on the people and government in Springfield.

We’re living in a time where anti-voter actors can make fiction appear real with artificial intelligence (AI). From hyper-realistic but entirely fake “deepfake” videos spreading disinformation about candidates  to AI-generated robocalls sowing confusion among voters, the abuse of this new technology could be disastrous for our democracy. But here’s the good news: Just this year, Common Cause members like you helped pass legislation protecting voters from deceptive AI advertising in states like New York and Oregon – and with the bipartisan Protect Elections From Deceptive AI Act, we can take these wins nationwide. The Protect Elections From Deceptive AI Act will make all the difference for voters – banning misleading AI-generated audio, image, or video advertisements that aim to influence our elections, and empowering candidates to take swift action against deceptive content.  Add your name to tell Congress: We must push back against deceptive AI in our elections. Pass the Protect Elections From Deceptive AI Act NOW.

Supreme Court justices just got the green light to continue being wined and dined by billionaires, special interests, and big corporations – and now they don’t even have to disclose most of it to the public!  That’s right: despite public outcry over Justice Clarence Thomas accepting luxury trips from conservative billionaire Harlan Crow, the Judicial Conference – which oversees federal courts – just made it easier for wealthy donors to secretly influence our highest court.  These new loosened rules would likely allow Justice Thomas to get away with hiding several of his previous stays at Harlan Crow’s properties.  We deserve better than this. With the stroke of a pen, the Supreme Court makes far-reaching decisions on reproductive rights, environmental protections, the freedom to vote, and so much more – affecting millions of people every day.  We deserve the full truth about the lavish gifts megadonors provide justices with – and what, if anything, they expect to get in return. With your help, we can uncover their attempts to curry favor with justices by passing a strong Supreme Court Code of Conduct to hold justices to the same high ethical standards as every other federal judge. Add your name to urge Congress to finally pass a REAL, enforceable Supreme Court Code of Conduct. 

I have created this petition to express my concerns regarding the upcoming planned aerial spraying for mosquitoes in our area. Based on current conditions, it seems unnecessary for the following reasons: 1. Seasonal Decline of Mosquito Population: The worst of the mosquito season appears to have passed, and their numbers are decreasing each day. Additionally, with an anticipated cold snap soon, this natural change in weather will significantly reduce mosquito activity without the need for chemical intervention. 2. Impact on Beneficial Insects and Wildlife: Aerial spraying will not only affect mosquitoes but also harm beneficial insects such as dragonflies, which are natural predators of mosquitoes. Additionally, the spray poses a threat to butterflies emerging from their chrysalis and could disrupt the local ecosystem. 3. Health and Environmental Concerns: While spraying at night may reduce human exposure, it does not eliminate the health risks for people, pets, and wildlife. The chemicals used can have unintended and harmful consequences on the environment and public health. 4. Inefficient Use of Taxpayer Dollars: Large-scale aerial spraying seems like an unnecessary expense, especially when there are more targeted, cost-effective alternatives available. For example, individual yard spraying for residents who request it would be a more focused and environmentally friendly options. Thank you for considering these points. I hope this encourages Brunswick county to explore  more sustainable and less invasive solution to address the mosquito issue.

Despite his 34 felony convictions, Donald Trump doesn’t have to worry about his eligibility to vote this fall. He has the wealth, connections, and privilege to ensure his voting rights would never be in question – not to mention a high-powered legal team paid for by his political donors due to gaps in campaign finance laws. But the 4.4 million ordinary Americans currently disenfranchised by felony convictions aren’t so lucky. Just look at Trump’s home state of Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis has personally guaranteed that the former president will be able to cast a ballot this fall. In stark contrast, Black Florida residents have been dragged from their homes at gunpoint and arrested for the "crime" of not realizing they were ineligible to vote. It’s time to end this double standard and ensure NO American is denied their right to vote in federal elections. Add your name to tell Congress: Pass the Inclusive Democracy Act to restore full voting rights to all Americans with felony convictions.

Gas fired power plants pose dire consequences for the health of the environment and the health of citizens living in their shadows. There is a higher incidence of cancers, respiratory diseases, kidney problems, and low birth weights and failure to thrive in infants and children. There is a grave danger of explosions and harmful gas leaks which would affect the land, water and air all around us. We are respectfully asking that this project be moved to a remote location at the very least, and ultimately stopped altogether due to their blatant disregard for the health and safety of our community and its environment.