To whom it may concern: Unfortunate events have come to my attention with Southern Vermont College in Bennington's closure set for this coming spring. It is to much dismay that I heard that after the New England Commission of Higher Educations (NECHE) hearing last week, that the best way to proceed is to close the school altogether. Being an alumni 11' I have experienced all Southern Vermont College truly has to offer upon transferring there in 2009. Though I was never an above average student in high school, I was able to succeed at a very high academic level once I arrived in Bennington. The warm welcomes from faculty and staff treated us as one of their own children. At SVC one was not merely a number, as is the situation at many other colleges and universities, we were a family. Additionally, with the faculty that strives for each and every single student's well being, this never went unnoticed to myself or many of the others with whom I've attended, and past alumni as well. As I stated, SVC's sprawling 371-acre campus allowed so many to evolve and come into their own from a personal and academic sense. Without SVC I'm unsure where life would have brought me or if I'd still be here today. This vision echos with all my former classmates and alumni as well. This small close-knit school in Bennington, Vermont brought us all together as a family, from strong academics and professors to the Division III programs it offered. I even followed my former assistant coach for baseball there. While here, possibilities were endless for all. I'm so saddened by the fact not only will newer students not be able to fulfill their dreams of becoming a Southern Vermont alum but additionally, all the faculty and staff will need to find new employment. For some this may be all they know and others may welcome the opportunity. However, in December of 2010 events changed my life as a whole; I was diagnosed with cancer. During these trying times of my life, my family and friends wanted me to undergo treatments back home in CT. However, I opted to stay in Bennington with my family from Southern Vermont college. My lifelong friends, my mentors, my teachers, and my president at the time, Karen Gross, I knew were all there for me. Over the next six months of treatment every day with chemotherapy, I still attended classes. My teachers offered any additional assistance, as did my President, with whom at the time I was in a class. With them by my side and Southwest Vermont Medical Center, which is a world class hospital, I knew I could accomplish everything and still walk at graduation, which I did that May. Aside from this, it is not about me, it is about all who ever graced the presence of 982 Mansion Drive. It brought together younger as well as older students from diverse backgrounds, demographically as well as culturally. It brought together lifelong bonds and friendships through athletics, with friendships that will last a lifetime. Additionally, some of the best mentors and teachers I've ever encountered came from SVC and I owe everything I have thus far, as well as my second chance to each and everyone I've come in contact with at the school. I've seen breakups and makeups there as well as now husbands and wives. Former students to teachers and lawyers alike. Athletes that took it to the next level after playing collegiality. Whether you were from the country, the suburbs or inner city, we were all equal and could not have done it without Southern Vermont. Furthermore, I know many other factors come into play, finances being one of them as they play a part in every aspect of life as well. I understand the struggles financially SVC was incurring over the past several years, though I do not have an accurate number. I still feel it's probably in the millions. However, Bruce Laumeister had donated the Bennington Center of the Arts to Southern Vermont in 2017. During this transfer, Mr. Laumeister stated, "It's been a great ride" "But the BCA is only ending physically, not mentally. We'll be around." He further indicated he wanted it to stay in the community and Southern Vermont can be a better source, which is all the programs and classroom space it provides, which gives a real history to not only Bennington but Vermont as a whole, and it was a strong move in the correct direction for the Arts in the surrounding area. Now what happens with that as well? Not only will teachers be displaced, so will faculty, so will coaches, so will shuttle drivers. The list is immense; now this trickles to the Laumeister Center as those individuals will be affected as well. This is going to be a very sad chain of events and a community that was becoming more vibrant and artsy and opportunistic once again will now see decreased jobs, lack of those close to gaining an education. This will then result in the population being uneducated to a higher level degree. Furthermore, from here the area will go back to a former industrial city with not much job opportunity and not much growth to be had. This will then lead to increased crime rates and drug usage and a lower employment level to boot. Doesn't one see the chain of events that is going to take effect? SVC has so much potential and it shows in the alumni and community. What I'm asking is how can we save it? Yes, financially was the reason why they will be closing - how can that be fixed? SVC was a private school so it receives less state funding. What are the options, donors board of trustees? But they clearly don't have faith anymore as they gave the go-ahead to close the doors. However, if SVC drops from a private school to a public university in Vermont, won't that open more opportunities for grants? Keeping enrollment up for those wanting to stay local? Keeping higher education a priority as well as financially beneficial for the state? What can be done? I know there are many more specifics, however, with every a...

This bill would discourage healthy habits, discourage commuting alternatives, and put a burden on the underserved populations. In addition, the money collected would not be used for biking infrastructure to offer safe dedicated bike lanes.

A height limit would be bad for the league

This lawsuit is to seek compensation for tenant who rent with Franklin Park Apartments who have been negatively effected by their illegal and unethical practices from poor property maintenance, poor customer service, poor air quality resulting in sinus and respiratory infections, insane fees and false advertising for one month free rent to retaining tenant deposits.

Workers at Stone Creek Coffee have met for the past several months to discuss their issues at work, and are organizing to form a Union to meet with management as equals! Show your solidarity as they work with Teamsters Local 344 to build that vision. Lend your voice in support of the following issues: 1. We're proud to be Stone Creek employees. Stone Creek Coffee is a Milwaukee company, and we support local, quality made products. Our union will give a voice to the workers as equals, where we can have a contract to fix scheduling, hours of work, and other issues permanently. An open-door policy is fine, but we want a union contract! 2. Stone Creek workers deserve a raise. We are the faces and the muscle of the company, and wages of 8-10 dollars force us to rely on tips to survive. We deserve a fair days work for a fair days pay. 3. Stone Creek Coffee management should recognize our union, or at least remain neutral as we organize and find our voice. Milwaukee is a union town that respects working families – not union-busters.

Whales are intelligent, gentle giants that have been on this planet for millions of years - they absolutely must be protected! The Human Race CANNOT continue its reckless onslaught against marine wildlife. Our oceans are polluted as is our air, our Earth been ravaged by resource extraction and due to climate change our very future is at stake. NOW is the time to call on Japan to STOP this INHUMANE and UNNECESSARY decision to return to senseless hunting and killing of our WHALES!! PLEASE TAKE ACTION in the House and the Senate to let Japan know THEY CANNOT GET AWAY WITH THIS!! Tell President Trump to give Japan an Ultimatum - THEY MUST NOT RESUME COMMERCIAL WHALING or they will suffer devastating economic consequences courtesy of the United States of America, protector of Whales worldwide!!

The Attorney General of the United States is the highest legal official in our land. To have a person occupying that office who does not support one of the core principles of the 1st amendment goes against the very nature of American justice and democracy and thus should not be allowed to serve in such a capacity.

Boycotting the MyPillow company

Change the licensing fees structure so that they are more affordable to those communities that were hurt most by the draconian drug sentencing of the 1980s and 90s. The program in Oakland is a good start but it is not working per this article: https://reason.com/archives/2018/07/19/oaklands-weed-equity-program-not-helping In the 1920s & 30s my grandfather, along with many black sharecroppers in the Dallas, TX area, were forced to risk their lives by growing marijuana to supplement his meager sharecropping income, due to Jim Crow laws, and were prosecuted for such offenses. Fast forward to the 1980s and 90s, this country passed a number of laws that increased drug sentencing in black and brown communities that resulted in disparate jail times for non-violent drug offenders based amount and form of the drugs possessed by offenders. Today many are affected negatively by such laws and are being barred from participating in the new legal marijuana industry because they have drug convictions under the aforementioned unfair laws that were levied against them. In effect, they are being penalized twice by the very laws that we know were unfair at inception. Black and brown communities were decimated by the incarceration under laws we know now to be both racist and immoral. Therefore, California should continue to be a leader in such reforms by changing the laws in light of past atrocities, and thus allowing these communities, to be able to operate on an equal and level playing field and use the funds from marijuana sales to rebuild their lives and their communities. Additional articles that support my position: https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-african-americans-marijuana-industry-20170605-story.html http://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/race-and-drug-war https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/opinion/boehner-marijuana-blacks-prison.html

As people of conscience residing in Kansas Congressional District 03, we respectfully request that Representative Davids rejects the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)-sponsored trip to Israel and instead accompany Representative Rashida Tlaib on her alternative trip to the West Bank. Israel denies Palestinians their basic human rights. They imprison children in a military court system, demolish Palestinian homes, subject Palestinians to checkpoints, have created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and ban millions of refugees from returning to their homes and lands. A March, 2019 U.N. report found Israel intentionally targeted unarmed children and journalists during the peaceful protests in Gaza. Anyone who travels with AIPAC to Israel will not see the reality of Israel’s military occupation. Instead, they will see only and exactly what Israel wants them to see. The purpose of AIPAC-sponsored trips is to cover up Israel’s human rights violations and continue unchecked U.S. financial and diplomatic support for Israel- all at the expense of Palestinians. Two members of Congress, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have already announced they will be skipping the AIPAC trip. Please do the right thing and join them. Stand up for justice and against apartheid. Skip AIPAC’s trip to Israel and travel to the West Bank with Rep Tlaib.

As an American watching this country's acts of imperialism for so many decades, I am outraged at what I'm now seeing in Venezuela, a blatant usurpation of a sovereign country, a democratic people, a duly elected President. who we would attempt to replace with a US sycophant. We have no right to override the will of the Venezuelan people to satisfy our own greed and desire for riches and power. It is time to speak out! We can not be silent participants. We must be better than this!

Concerned about the environmental and impacts of the Simpson Oaks development project in Columbia, MD