California is facing an unprecedented emergency of homelessness, with 135,000 of our community members unhoused, and 68% of them - almost 100,000 - living unsheltered. Our state has 12% of the nation's population, but 22% of the nation's homeless. The magnitude of this humanitarian emergency and the human suffering it represents cannot be met by cities and counties on their own. We are the fifth largest economy in the world, but without a safety net in place, the current wave of prosperity has harsh unintended consequences for California’s most vulnerable. As with other recent tragic disasters that displaced and harmed huge numbers of Californians, this statewide crisis clearly warrants an emergency response, and we are calling for the State’s help. Governor Brown has the power to call a State of Emergency when there exist “conditions of . . . extreme peril to the safety of persons and property … which, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single county, city, and county, or city. ” Clearly, homelessness is a state of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the State of California, and conditions have reached a magnitude that is beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of cities and counties alone. Governor Brown, we call on you to declare a Homelessness State of Emergency, to help California’s overwhelmed cities and counties provide emergency shelter, healthcare, and housing to those who have lost their homes.

The New York Times recently reported on audio they received of an October 2017 meeting between NFL owners and players in which player representatives said they believed Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who started the “take a knee” protests, was being blackballed by the league’s owners. There is some evidence to support that theory. This raises several issues. First of all, the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of political viewpoint. NFL rules (which are guidelines) also require players to stand at attention during the national anthem. They claim the right to do so as private-sector employers. However, several states (including some with NFL teams) have laws against blacklisting former employees. Colin Kaepernick is uniquely affected by blacklisting, because there is only one National Football League in the United States. Another issue is that the owners made clear in the Times report that they were not eager to attract further criticism from Donald Trump. But that brings us to 18 U.S. Code § 227, which states that no employee of the legislative or executive branch can wrongfully influence employment decisions. Kaepernick is currently involved in a civil suit accusing the NFL of collusion, but this is also a serious public matter that chilled freedom of speech. President Trump has no legal right to prevent Kaepernick from making a living in his specialized area. The NFL shouldn’t get to have it both ways by clamping down on political views as private employers while taking public funds for their stadiums. Sign the petition if you agree that the Attorneys General in the states that host an NFL franchise should investigate this case and protect players from viewpoint discrimination. You may also contact your Attorney General or State’s Attorney directly in the following states where NFL teams are located: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, TX, WA, and WI. The National Football League’s office is in New York. Inside the Confidential N.F.L. Meeting to Discuss National Anthem Protests, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/sports/nfl-owners-kaepernick.html NFL Anthem Protests: Protected Concerted Activity, https://onlabor.org/nfl-anthem-protests-protected-concerted-activity/ Colin Kaepernick can score big in NFL collusion case, Judge Nap explains, https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/colin-kaepernick-can-score-big-in-nfl-collusion-case-judge-nap-explains Can President Donald Trump Legally Command the NFL To Suspend, Fire Players? https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/09/24/donald-trump-nfl-comments-fire-players-protests Colin Kaepernick Sentenced to NFL Limbo for the Crime of Speaking His Mind, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2698098-colin-kaepernick-sentenced-to-nfl-limbo-for-the-crime-of-speaking-his-mind 18 U.S. Code § 227 - Wrongfully influencing a private entity’s employment decisions by a Member of Congress or an officer or employee of the legislative or executive branch, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/227

A new investigation by Friends of the Earth has revealed that a palm oil company in Liberia continues to drive deforestation, habitat destruction, and human rights violations in some of the most dense rainforests in West Africa. These findings show that Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) is actively destroying rainforests that are home to chimpanzees, hippos, and thousands of people who have lived and worked upon these lands for generations. BlackRock, the multi-trillion dollar Wall Street asset manager, is invested in the company that backs GVL. BlackRock has recently proclaimed itself a leader in responsible investing. We need to let them know that their support of this abuse and environmental destruction is unacceptable.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Northern Alaska provides important habitat for polar bears, caribou, and rare migratory birds. The area’s wildlife has supported the indigenous Gwich’in people for thousands of years. But the Trump administration is poised to open up this important ecosystem to oil and gas drilling. If this plan goes through, it would be catastrophic for the people and wildlife who call the Refuge home. We need your help to stop it!

Our state shrub should reflect our State, not a plant from the other side of the world.

Land is being deforested and animals are going extinct because of planting Palm Oil trees....This must stop, there are alternatives to Palm Oil.

Publix grocery stores have thrown massive support to Florida's biggest "NRA Sellout" Florida gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam. They've reportedly given him $670,000 in the last three years. Putnam's history not only includes attempts to loosen gun regulations in Florida, he's also dangerously anti-immigrant, anti-women's rights, and wants to make it harder for Floridians to vote. As a mom, I can't let the dollars I spend on our food get used to block sensible gun reform efforts. Please join us and #BoycottPublix and sign the petition to let them know you want them to stop giving money to politicians who push dangerous policies and block life-saving measures.

Following an investigation of a Smithfield farm and the rescue of an underweight piglet named Lily that garnered massive media attention, five activists with Direct Action Everywhere are facing felony charges of sixty years in prison. The FBI obtained cellphone records to gather evidence against the activists and even sent armed agents to local sanctuaries to search for the piglet. This tremendous effort to repress whistleblowers -at the cost of American tax dollars- shows how Big Ag and its government allies are terrified of the public seeing the truth. We are asking Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes to prosecute animal abuse on factory farms like Smithfield's instead of targeting the investigators who expose the truth. Whistleblowers who expose animal abuse should be protected, not prosecuted.

The NRA's financial hold on our Congress is overwhelming, and it is one of the primary reasons why, in the wake of national tragedies, we remain unable to pass common sense gun laws. Urge your senators to give back their contributions from the NRA and pass gun laws that will save lives.

"The proposed rule would allow hunters to lure brown and black bears with bait, hunt black bears and their cubs using artificial lights, shoot bear cubs and wolf and coyote pups in their dens, and use dogs to hunt black bears. It would also allow hunters to shoot swimming caribou from motorboats." A 60 day public commet period begins Tuesday. Let Washington know this new proposal to lift this ban is inhumane and just plain wrong

The 5 rules to a good flag are: it should be simple, it should use meaning symbolism, it should use 2-3 basic colours, should not contain and seals or lettering, and it should be distinctive. The Maine flag violates the majority of these rules. It is hard to distinguish it from the majority of state flags, it has a seal and lettering, it uses a plethora of colours, and air is definitely not simple. The old flag is much simpler and will make our flag distinct.

As we approach October's contract negotiations with Amazon, there should be new additions to any contract or agreement between Amazon and the United States postal service. #1. During Sunday, all large packages should be taken to each customer's door with the exception of small packages or envelopes, which can be delivered to mailboxes/parcel lockers if said package fits. #2. During holidays that are recognized as official holidays where the postal service is not officially operating but packages are being delivered from Amazon, any and all regulars, RCA's, and ARCS who are required to report for duty should receive holiday pay equal to 1 1/2 times the normal pay rate for the holiday. #3. Priority, First Class packages should be optional to be delivered on Sunday in cases where it does not get delivered on the day prior due to extreme weather conditions or hazards beyond the carrier or the postal service's control. Thank you in advance.