Ensuring the safety and reliability of public transportation in Chicago is paramount for the well-being of its residents and the city's economic vitality. A functional public transit system not only provides essential mobility for commuters but also reduces traffic congestion, pollution, and dependence on personal vehicles. However, recent disruptions and safety concerns on trains and buses not only undermine passenger confidence but also hinder productivity and increase the financial burden on commuters forced to seek alternative transportation options. Moreover, the unchecked behavior poses a broader societal issue, reflecting the need for improved mental health services and social support systems. By addressing these challenges through enhanced security measures with proper mental health training and regulating ride-sharing prices, Chicago can promote a safer, more accessible, and equitable transit experience for all residents, thereby fostering a thriving urban environment.

This petition will be delivered with the letter below. As of this writing, more than 50 organizations and 70 individuals have signed it. If you would like add your organizations to the letter, please visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehxDE1egWy-bj2OBwGm1urZg363IfUYhj_DeMP4zZuZZzcLA/viewfor The letter opens, Dear Governor Shapiro, Legislators, In written testimony on road spreading of conventional drilling wastewater the DEP submitted to the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, the agency said that “if a valid coproduct determination can be made that adequately compares brine to a commercially available product, even if it may not be as effective as other road-spreading products, it’s possible that oil and gas waste brine may continue to be spread as a dust suppressant. [emphasis added]” Given the scientific evidence of the danger road spreading poses, as well as the inability of the agency to manage oil and gas waste, continued road spreading is unacceptable. The undersigned organizations and individuals are calling for an outright ban on road spreading of all oil & gas waste in the Commonwealth. In 2022, the DEP issued a report ordered by Governor Wolf evaluating the agency’s oversight of the conventional drilling industry in Pennsylvania that declared, “A significant change in the culture of non-compliance as an acceptable norm in the conventional oil and gas industry will need to occur before meaningful improvement can happen.” The remark was based, in part, on shocking statistics that indicated that fewer than half of the conventional drillers operating in the state had filed production and waste reports in the previous five years. The yearly percentages told an even worse story. The rate of non-compliance was trending upward from 53.7% in 2017 to 61.8% in 2021. It was no surprise in March when Kurt Klapkowski told the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee that the figure for 2023 had risen to 86%. When a moratorium on road spreading of conventional drilling waste was imposed in 2018, some companies continued the practice by claiming a loophole in a program managed by the Bureau of Waste Management called the Coproduct program. Some of those drillers continued to report road spreading in their annual waste reports, so we know that at least 3.5 million gallons of highly toxic, radioactive drilling waste has been disposed of on our roads in the past six years. Given the degree of non-compliance, the amount that has gone unreported is surely much higher. Read the full letter at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehxDE1egWy-bj2OBwGm1urZg363IfUYhj_DeMP4zZuZZzcLA/viewform Photo credit: PA Environment Digest

Barnett worked at Boeing for nearly 30 years and reported concerns that he said could lead to “catastrophic” damage to management, who he says ignored his complaints and moved him to another part of the plant. Dean also raised concerns to management who then pressured Dean and his coworkers to downplay the defects that they found. And last month, Sam Salehpour, another whistleblower, told members of Congress that employees like Dean, Barnett, and himself who sound the alarm on safety concerns are “ignored, marginalized, threatened, sidelined and worse.” Salehpour even shared that he feared “physical violence” after coming forward. In the last three months, a Boeing plane door plug exploded on an Alaska Airlines flight; a Boeing plane suddenly nosedived mid-flight, injuring 50 people on a Latam Airlines flight; and a United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing when a wheel fell off the Boeing plane, damaging and crushing several cars in San Francisco. And in 2018 and 2019 there were two Boeing crashes that resulted in the death of more than 340 people. There are workers working tirelessly to inspect these Boeing planes to ensure they’re safe to fly, but then workers like Dean are ignored, intimidated into not reporting defects, told to falsify records, and retaliated against for speaking out so that planes can get out of the factory faster. One of John Barnett’s friends asked him if he was scared and he said, “No, I ain't scared, but if anything happens to me, it's not suicide.” And Joshua Dean’s family said Joshua was very healthy and it was his first time in the hospital. Dean’s doctor says he’s never seen anything like what happened to Joshua in his life. Boeing’s former CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, was fired and accused of creating a culture that put profits ahead of safety, notably telling Congress, "We don't 'sell' safety; that's not our business model." Over the years, Boeing has continued gaining a monopoly when it comes to the aviation industry. CEO David Calhoun raked in $22.5 million from 2022 profits, and last year the company made $18 BILLION in revenue. Yet journalists, investigators, and Boeing employees have said that Boeing has cut corners and prioritized cost-cutting over safety and employee concerns. The dangerous trend of Boeing aircraft accidents is alarming. The Federal Aviation Administration is already investigating whistleblower claims that Boeing knew of flaws and defects and covered them up to speed up production. And now, the Department of Justice can and must investigate the deaths of whistleblowers John Barnett and Joshua Dean. Will you take action now and add your name to the petition?

Noem thought her disclosure about shooting and killing her family puppy and goat would impress her far-right base—but most people have responded with shock and disgust regarding her cruel and heartless behavior. While the statute of limitations for crimes like animal cruelty has likely expired since the incident, that doesn’t mean Noem’s actions should go without consequences. Noem was first elected as governor in 2018 and has had multiple controversies—from intervening in her daughter’s real estate appraiser license to potential misuse of her state airplane. And the MAGA politician's lack of compassion and poor judgment extends into the policies and laws she backs, with Noem reporting a 100% anti-abortion voting record, including supporting an abortion law that doesn’t allow exceptions for incest or rape and advocating for cruel anti-immigration policies. This most recent stunt confirms what we already know—Noem isn’t fit to be in office. There is no excuse for what Noem did to Cricket. She may not think her tough-on-crime approach should apply to her own misconduct, but, together, we can hold her responsible. Sign the petition to call on her to step down IMMEDIATELY.

The Mayor has changed the locks, and only gave a 2 hour notice of the city's intent to ban the Club from use of this building. Also it has been hinted that the Garden Club pay a use fee for this building. Monies generated from Garden Club events always go towards improving the appearance of the City of Springfield, such as planting trees, cleaning up and planting in city garden. It is important to take pride in our town. We are growing in population, and a few of the abandoned store fronts are being renovated and filled by new businesses. The Garden Club wants to help this growth with our spirit, energy, pride, and esthetic improvements.

Chicago has a proud immigrant and refugee history and strong immigrant roots that persist today. We have been a welcoming and supportive city for immigrants long before we officially became an officially welcoming city in 1985. And since then, we have worked collaboratively to ensure that our immigrant neighbors, family members, loved ones, and coworkers can access critical services without fear of being deported or arrested simply because of their immigration status. But a few opportunistic politicians are trying to stoke hate and fear in our communities in order to divide us. From overwhelming our social services with inhumane stunts, like Texas Governor Greg Abbott's unethically busing and flying migrants to Chicago with no city, state, or federal coordination, to opportunistic politicians threatening our welcoming city status, anti-immigrant politicians are trying to make our city less welcoming, less vibrant, and less safe. And it’s only going to get worse as the election year progresses. We won’t let it. These efforts are part of a larger, nationwide attack on immigrant communities, and they have no place in Chicago. It’s not who we are as a city—and we urge our neighbors, local leaders, and elected officials to stand strongly against anti-immigrant efforts and protect Chicago's status and reputation as a welcoming city. Immigrants make up nearly 20% of the population of Chicago, and 1 in 3 children in the city have at least one immigrant parent. From Mexico to India, Poland, the Philippines, and China, we are a multicultural city. And our immigrant neighbors not only deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but also to have their contributions to creating a bright, vibrant, and thriving city supported, celebrated, and honored. Chicago welcomes our immigrant and refugee neighbors, and we refuse to be divided.

While sports betting should be for those 21 and up, big gambling companies have flashy advertisements, celebrity endorsements, and mobile gaming formats that inadvertently target children. Big gambling companies even offer hundreds of dollars in "free" or "bonus" bets in their advertising that have one goal: hook a new generation of consumers on their product for LIFE. And these tactics aren't new—Big Tobacco and Big Alcohol have used the same harmful marketing tactics for decades to appeal to young audiences. But unlike those industries, the gambling industry goes largely unchecked, and it's getting out of control, but there is a solution: The SAFE Bet Act, introduced by Congressman Paul Tonko would put limits on the types of advertising sports betting companies could run, reducing exposure of children and teens to these ads, and stopping gambling addiction before it even starts. Demand the billion-dollar sports betting industry be held accountable to protect kids from predatory advertising and severe gambling addiction. Sign the petition and urge Congress to pass the SAFE Bet Act NOW.

University administrators must take steps to protect students exercising their right to peacefully protest. Calling the police or the National Guard to attack them is unacceptable. Leaders across the nation should be working to de-escalate tensions and engage with student demands in good faith, rather than attempting to shut them down with violence. Antisemitic, anti-Palestinian, or Islamophobic language and actions have no place at these protests or anywhere else on campuses or in society. And we condemn them in the strongest terms possible. All people deserve to feel safe in their communities, and police shooting rubber bullets and arresting students and faculty while targeting peaceful protesters with riot gear isn’t a safe environment for anyone and harkens back to some of the darkest parts of our history. We all have a constitutional right to peacefully protest and organize without fear of retribution or violence.

We think it's important for parents to buy into Jonathan Haidt's new screen time norms when their children are young. I work in elementary schools and can tell you that many 3rd, 4th and 5th graders have smart phones. My husband works with middle schoolers and states that the majority of student social conflicts stem from social media. You can learn more about my passion project related to social media and teen mental health here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13qyKoxWw0DfO1HU8ajUhqt0_ZWD3Yaw93UHxx1-JqSE/edit?usp=sharing

If California doubles it’s PD rate we will be roughly half as bad as Texas. California business interests can congratulate themselves on successfully lobbying for a workers’ compensation system that provides among the worst PD rates in the country. It is now time to take care of our working class and provide them with the benefits that they deserve. Message your local representative and demand a change for all injured workers in California!

Though accusations had been made against Harvey Weinstein long before, they came to a head in 2017 when The New York Times and New Yorker released in-depth stories with accounts of Weinstein’s abuse. Still, it wasn’t until 2020, three years later, that Weinstein was convicted of rape and sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York. He was also convicted of rape in California in 2022, a 16-year sentence that still stands. The New York Court of Appeals shamefully overturned his 2020 conviction, claiming that allowing other women to share testimony of their experiences of sexual harassment and abuse to demonstrate a pattern of behavior should not have been permitted. According to Judge Madeline Singas, this is part of a "disturbing trend" of sexual assault cases being overturned. It also comes just a few years after Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Every 68 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted in the U.S. Only a fraction of perpetrators of sexual assault and violence are held accountable. It is heartbreaking and infuriating that the New York Court of Appeals has twisted the law to let Weinstein, a convicted rapist, walk out of the New York prison. We owe it to the nearly 100 women who risked their livelihoods and careers to come forward— and the countless others who could not come forward—to make sure the charges against Weinstein hold. Ashley Judd, one of the early actresses to bravely share publicly her accusations against Weinstein, said that the Court of Appeals decision was "unfair to survivors," and that "(w)e still live in our truth. And we know what happened." We believe the nearly 100 women who came forward against Weinstein. And together, we can ensure that their efforts to hold Weinstein accountable are upheld by the New York legal system.

We are trying to stop and/or reverse district’s decision to transfer two of our amazing 3rd grade teachers out of Forest Hill. Removing these two educators whom are pivotal to the success of the 3rd Grade cohort, and overall school/community culture, will create an unstable environment which affects our students and is not healthy for fostering education.