Take The Initiative

On January 8th, the following open letter was sent to the Communications of the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), signed by 50 academics in computing and closely related areas.

Now, we ask those who support the principles stated in our letter to add their names here. This change.org petition is not limited to academics or computer scientists; it is open to anyone wants to stand up for the core principles of scientific inquiry. The full text of the open letter appears below.

Dear CACM Editor,

We are a group of researchers, industry experts, academics, and educators, writing with sadness and alarm about the increasing use of repressive actions aimed at limiting the free and unfettered conduct of scientific research and debate. Such actions have included calls for academic boycotts, attempts to get people fired, inviting mob attacks against ‘offending’ individuals, and the like. We support discussion of policies aimed at a more diverse and inclusive society; a range of opinions is natural. We condemn all attempts to coerce scientific activities into supporting or opposing specific social-political beliefs, values, and attitudes, including attempts at preventing researchers from exploring questions of their choice, or at restricting the free discussion and debate of issues related to scientific research.

Such actions are antithetical to the very nature of scientific inquiry, which often advances most through the pursuit of that which others believe to be implausible, banal, or wrong-headed. Debate must be free of prior restraint, and the use of public shaming or similar tactics to restrict the scope of scientific research and discussion is regressive and contrary to the values expressed in the ACM Code of Ethics. Such actions are particularly odious when directed toward junior colleagues and students, who are especially vulnerable.

We urge the community to reaffirm their core principles that:

- Scientific work should be judged on the basis of scientific merit, independent of the researcher's identity or personal views,
- Discussion and debate in the scientific community must be free of prior restraint as to topic or viewpoint, and
- No individual should suffer harassment or attack based on their personal or political views, religion, nationality, race, gender, or sexual orientation.

Scientific discourse should be based on mutual respect, use of civil language, and professional conduct. Indeed, all disagreements in the scientific community, however heated or fraught, should be addressed through argument and persuasion and not through personal attacks or by coercively shutting down those with dissenting points of view.

In short, challenging and debating ideas is always acceptable and ought to be encouraged. Marginalizing, intimidating, or attacking the holders of those ideas is not.

Signed,

Scott Aaronson, David J. Bruton Centennial Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin

Russ Abbott, Professor, Department of Computer Science, California State University, Los Angeles

Ezio Biglieri, Honorary Professor, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Diane Bischak, Professor Emerita, Department of Operations and Supply Chain Management, University of Calgary

Alex Bronstein, Professor, Department of Computer Science, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Edith Cohen, Visiting Full Professor, School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University and Research Scientist, Google

Pamela Cosman, Distinguished Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego

Harry Crane, Associate Professor, Department of Statistics, Rutgers University and Co-Founder, Researchers.One

Cassio de Campos, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Eindhoven University of Technology

Pedro Domingos, Professor Emeritus, Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington

Shlomo Dubnov, Professor, Department of Music and of Computer Science and Engineering (Affiliate), University of California, San Diego

Anthony Ephremides, Distinguished University Professor and Cynthia Kim Eminent Professorship Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland College Park

Matthias Felleisen, Trustee Professor, College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University

Yuval Filmus, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Eugene Fiume, Professor and Dean of Applied Sciences, Department of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University

Georgios B. Giannakis, Professor and Endowed Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota

Joe Guinness, Associate Professor, Department of Statistics and Data Science, Cornell University

Thore Husfeldt, Professor, Department of Computer Science, Lund University and IT University of Copenhagen

Joaquim Jorge, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Lisbon

Reuben Kirkham, Lecturer (Assistant Professor Equivalent), Department of Human Centred Computing, Monash University

Bjørn Kjos-Hanssen, Professor, Department of Mathematics, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Sergiu Klainerman, Eugene Higgins Professor, Department of Mathematics and Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics, Princeton University

Aryeh Kontorovich, Professor, Department of Computer Science, Ben-Gurion University

Daniel Lemire, Professor, Department of Science and Technology, University of Quebec (TÉLUQ)

Marius Leordeanu, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, Polytechnic University of Bucharest

Jeffrey Lipton, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and of Computer Science and Engineering (Affiliate), University of Washington

Shachar Lovett, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego

Jerzy Marcinkowski, Professor, Institute of Informatics, University of Wrocław

Ryan Martin, Professor, Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University and Co-Founder, Researchers.One

Norman Matloff, Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis

Timothy McGuire, Instructional Professor, Computer Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University

James E. Moore, II, Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Southern California

Richard Moot, Research Scientist, Laboratory of Computer Science, Robotics and Microelectronics of Montpellier, French National Centre for Scientific Research

Alex Olshevsky, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University

Klaus Ostermann, Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Tübingen

Periklis A. Papakonstantinou, Associate Professor, Department of Management Science and Information Systems, Rutgers University

Judea Pearl, Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus, Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles

Bernhard Pfahringer, Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Waikato

Keshav Pingali, Professor and W.A. “Tex” Moncrief Chair of Computing, Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin

Lev Reyzin, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago

Ilya Safro, Associate Professor, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Delaware

Niculae Sebe, Professor, Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science, University of Trento

Chunhua Shen, Professor, School of Computer Science, University of Adelaide

Alex Simonelis, Research Scholar in Residence, Department of Computer Science, Dawson College

Jan Šnajder, Associate Professor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb

Ari Trachtenberg, Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University

Pavan Turaga, Associate Professor, School of Arts, Media and Engineering, Arizona State University

Etienne Vouga, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin

Michael Vyalyi, Professor, Faculty of Computer Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics

Asher Yahalom, Professor and Vice Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Ariel University

Hello! My name is Barry Jones, I am a senior English major at Hampton University. I have taken it upon myself to approach the Town council of Cheswold, Delaware to construct a community garden due to a disturbing rise in the local poverty rate as well the dramatic increase in the construction of fast food restaurants in the neighboring towns and cities. The Town of Cheswold has accepted my proposal. In January, a waterline project was initiated, which will extend a viable waterline to the location of the garden.

As the project continues, Town council members have asked me to garner support for the garden. Once the garden is completed, I will begin looking for volunteers, donors, and more. Signing this petition simply is a sign of support for our goal and mission. Please read some excerpts from my proposal below for more information!

Inherency: The town of Cheswold makes for the perfect location for a community-based garden. As the town is situated directly off Rt. 13, citizens are surrounded by a plethora of easily accessible unhealthy eating options. With the rapid growth of local population over the last eight years, the need for a sustainable and affordable source of healthy and organic dietary options became clear. According to the most recent census, the Town of Cheswold has a poverty rate of 24.52%; more than double the national average. All of the aforementioned factors culminate to set the stage for a need based garden that offers an opportunity for the citizens of Cheswold and surrounding areas to receive much needed relief in the form of ethically and organically sourced produce. The particular model of a community oriented garden that is being proposed is rooted in duality. This community garden not only serves as a place of accessibility to free and organic produce but it also serves as a place of dietary, agricultural, and anthropological education.

Benefits: Implementing such a space in the center of Cheswold reinvigorates a sense of purpose, town pride, and town accountability. As a town that is ravaged by poverty, a need-based community garden provides lower-income residents an opportunity to receive organically grown and harvested produce. Thus combatting the notion of cheap, easily attainable unhealthy eating options that are proximate to the town.

How it will work: Once complete, the Sanctuary Community Garden will open to the public every other weekend during the growing season, allowing citizens to harvest their own produce. In addition to opening every other weekend, the Sanctuary Garden will be maintained and kept by town volunteers.

Thank you for taking the time to read more about this project. Your support brings us one step closer to making the Sanctuary Community Garden in Cheswold, Delaware a reality!

The Headquarters Road Bridge, which crosses the Tinicum Creek in Tinicum Township, Bucks County, PA, has been closed since 2011. The closure is a serious issue for those living near it, resulting in countless hours of additional driving, wear and tear on vehicles, increased emergency response times, and declining home values. The neighbors are forced to use one-lane dirt roads that damage our cars and the environment.

PennDOT, responsible for the bridge's maintenance, has determined it cannot be saved and has designed a replacement very similar in appearance to the existing bridge.

https://www.penndot.gov/RegionalOffices/district-6/Pages/Headquarters-Road-Bridge-Renderings.aspx

Unfortunately, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network has spent the past ten years obstructing the bridge's replacement, with funding from a few wealthy supporters.

While they feign concern for the Tinicum Creek, they haven't shown any concern about the ford that crosses the creek less than a mile away, where cars and trucks drive through--and sometimes get stuck in--that same creek.

We, the neighbors of the Headquarters Road Bridge, need this nightmare to end and the bridge to be completed. Our lives are being jeopardized by those who put bridge design ahead of our welfare.

RE: Visual, Environmental and Economic Impact on Tinicum Township Resulting from the New Jersey Department of Transportation RT. 29 Rockfall Mitigation Project in Kingwood Township.

We, the undersigned, respectfully request the Tinicum Township Board of Supervisors:

· Adopt a resolution expressing concern over potential damage to the Tinicum Township visual and natural environment and other economic interests (home values, tourism revenues), and to request that Tinicum be kept informed by the NJDOT about project plans, progress, any public information meetings and to share the resolution with NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority Chair Kathryn DeFillippo, Congressman Tom Malinowski, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, Governor Tom Wolf, Governor Phil Murphy, the Bucks County Commissioners and the National Park Service.

· Also, as a municipal member of the Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic River Management Council, we request the resolution include strong language that NJDOT complete an “Environmental Impact Statement,” before moving ahead and have the findings addressed in any future project plans:



Additional Background:
New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is planning a mitigation project along sections of Route 29 in Kingwood Township, New Jersey beginning in Byram and proceeding north through the Devil’s Tea Table area. While this project is designed to improve public safety by remediating the rockface and installing rockfall control measures, this area is within the Lower Delaware Wild & Scenic River corridor and provides “remarkable scenic values.” The area also parallels the Delaware River Scenic Byway, a designation by the USDOT, endorsed by the NJDOT. The area also has unique local, historical and geological significance, and is believed to hold religious significance to Native American peoples. The area to be impacted contains at least three tributaries to the Delaware River and a number of endangered species inhabit the impacted area.
The area is widely regarded as one of the most scenic areas in the country and attracts thousands of tourists to our river corridor.

The project is a massive undertaking and will dramatically affect the “remarkable scenic values” we all enjoy. It will include:
· Widespread removal of trees and vegetation,
· Blasting on much of the rockface, rock removal, scaling and reinforcement,
· Installing metal mesh or “draping” materials to the rockface, the creation of a new barrier or a “catchment ditch,” and,
· Applying concrete(shotcrete) to the smoothed rockface around and including the Devil’s Tea Table geologic structure.
· Disrupting the flow of three stream tributaries to the Delaware River
When and if complete, the mitigation as planned will radically change the visual nature of the river valley in the area, forever.

Residents living in Kingwood Township, NJ and Tinicum Township, PA, anyone driving, hiking, or biking on either side of the river and the adjacent trails and anyone boating, fishing, tubing, swimming in the river will see a very different, industrial-looking rockface after the mitigation project is complete.

The project will negatively impact wildlife including a number of endangered species of plants, animals and fish living in the area, and could damage wells, septic systems and homes of residents in the area.

The project will negatively impact tourism businesses in the area and could negatively affect property values in Tinicum Township.

The pending closures and delays along RT 29 will cause traffic to divert along RT 32 for several months. This will increase traffic on our already beleaguered roads and bridges - especially at the Golden Pheasant bridge.

NJDOT contends they do not need public hearings or any environmental impact studies to move ahead with the project as it is a public safety issue, yet an OPRA request revealed NJDOT has no records of accident or injuries from rockfall incidents in the area, and NJDOT presents minimal and questionable rockfall data to justify this dramatic project, now priced at $33 million federal dollars and will commence in 2023 or sooner.

Since March 2021:

Kingwood Township passed a resolution opposing the project based on failure by NJDOT to answer pressing questions raised by Twp. stakeholders, and NJDOT’s desire to have the project excluded from environmental assessment.

The Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic Partnership-of which Tinicum is a founding member – sent a request to Hunterdon County raising many serious concerns about the project and urging the county to get involved.

On April 20 Hunterdon County Commission voted unanimously to enact a resolution requesting NJDOT halt the Rt. 29 rockfall mitigation project until it is further reviewed by the community, its agencies and elected public officials, and appropriate environmental assessments are conducted.

On May 5th, at the urging of the Frenchtown Environmental Commission, that borough passed a resolution supporting Kingwood and Hunterdon and echoing their concerns and requests.

Also, extensive reporting by USA Today reporters over the last year has revealed serious questions about how the NJDOT has developed several rockfall projects including the Rt. 29 project. All are using federal funds and all similarly avoid consultation with local officials, resist environmental impact reviews, are based on very questionable rockfall data, are not based on a cost benefit analyses, start small and grow exponentially in price and scope, and benefit the same group of contracting firms.

Link to further information on the issue: https://www.lowerdelawarewildandscenic.org/index.php/devil-s-tt-full-article

Bruh it’s not a state it’s a city if we’re being real

Have you ever been on a walk with your dog(s) and had them taken from you by someone? Have you ever left your dog tied up outside of a restaurant while you go purchase something only to come out and find your dog gone? For many years, dog theft has been increasing in the United States, and it’s becoming an issue we cannot keep avoiding or sweeping under the rug.


Every year in the U.S., an estimated 2 million domestic animals are victims of dog theft with only up to 10% those dogs being recovered by their owners. Most state laws in the U.S. don’t agree with the concept of considering dog members as a part of one’s family while 92% of pet parents do view their dogs as being members of their family.


Why does the U.S. law not see kidnapping a dog as a severe criminal offense when kidnapping a person is seen as one? Most of the state laws in the U.S. do not even have specific laws for stolen pets. Dogs are rather viewed as personal property. This would explain why the issue of dog theft will normally fall under larceny laws and a state’s general theft law due to dog theft being viewed as similar to theft of items such as a television, jewelry, clothing, etc.


There are just 15 states in the U.S. that have addressed dog theft in their criminal codes, and these states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Virginia, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.


Each state in the U.S. differ in their criminal charges and penalties regarding the specific criminal codes for dog theft. Dog theft is usually considered to be a misdemeanor in most states, and the consequences will typically include pretty small fines with not much jail time (or no jail time at all).


Please sign your name on this petition, and spread it on social media platforms, to demand that dog theft be recognized as a criminal offense in every state in the United States of America. There must be punishment for people who steal them as they are not property but part of many people’s families. Thank you!

DAC has been running public art events in Sussex County since 2015, and this year we have a brand new location in West Rehoboth right near our main facilities! Fully supported by The Delaware Department of Public Health, this weekly outdoor arts market will feature local handmade goods, live entertainment, beer from Revelation Brewery and local food trucks!

We have been approved for the initial events, starting on May 24, but are striving to obtain a conditional permit to keep this event going without a hitch for months and years to come in its current location. We need your help showing Sussex County that this is a public amenity that our community wants. The more support we can get from you, our wonderful community members, the better!

DAC is dedicated to advancing the careers of local artists, but also dedicated to building a grassroots art community in Sussex County for years to come. If you're passionate about supporting this amazing public event, please sign our petition. Every signature gained shows that we have the backing of our community to continue accomplishing our missions as a local arts non-profit. Thank you, and see you at Creative Market! More information about DAC can be found on our website.

Early on the evening of May 31, the peace of an Oak Orchard, Delaware community was shattered by an ear-piercing gunshot. Herbert L. Manley, a Dover resident who supposedly was there regarding a property he was interested in purchasing, decided to walk a block from his car toward the water - a beach, by the way, that is closed to the public. He walked back and forth three times, each time passing a chocolate lab romping in the open lot next to his home. He then returned to his car, got something out of it, returned to the open lot and shot the dog named Tank in the face. He called 911 to report the shooting. Seconds later, after only briefly leaving their home and believing the gate to Tank’s yard was latched, Jim and Karen Sekcienski arrived on the horrifying scene. Tank was at the front door, and when Karen called to him, he turned to reveal the unthinkable - his head and face bloodied. Manley, still holding his weapon, admitted what he’d done to Jim, who was now toe-to-toe with the him, saying Tank tried to bite him. He gave the same specious excuse to the State Troopers who were called to the scene. It was at this point that truth and justice took a rapid descent. He flashed a badge at the officers, saying he was retired from the force. That apparently was enough for them to excuse themselves from any further investigation or action. They called DAS (Delaware Animal Services) in to “handle” things. And after those officers took a brief report of the incident, Herbert Manley was free to get into his car, ostensibly STILL IN POSSESSION OF HIS FIREARM and leave the scene! Their report would later read “no firearm” and “dog running at large”, thoroughly misleading and incomplete. While Tank WAS outside his fence, he was on the open lot adjacent to his home, waiting for Jim and Karen to return, an area he had played in every day. The Sekcienskis rushed Tank to the nearest emergency vet hospital, a harrowing 45 minute drive, but his condition was too critical to save him. What appeared as just a small entry wound had caused massive damage inside his mouth and head… could Manley have been armed with Devastator bullets?
The neighborhood’s gentle giant was gone, leaving Jim without his emotional support, leaving Karen without “her baby”, leaving them as a scant year old pup robbed of so many years he could have shared their lives.
It would take 10 days for DAS to finally arrest Manley - motivated by further investigation??? He was arraigned on one felony count of cruelty and once again released. A preliminary hearing by Zoom was scheduled. And in all this time, the family never received a single call from the Attorney General’s office; not from the prosecutor to corroborate the details of the case or from a victim’s advocate, as is standard procedure. They were left to mourn in the dark, unsure whether the case would even be taken seriously enough to be prosecuted as a felony, or dropped to a misdemeanor when no one was looking. They were finally contacted after publication of this petition.

It is our contention, based on eye -witness accounts of the moments leading up to the shooting, the shooting itself and an intimate knowledge of Tank’s friendly personality and total lack of aggression, that this crime was carried out for no justifiable reason other than the defendant’s willful desire to use a beloved family pet as target practice. He had several opportunities to leave the neighborhood without any threat to his person or committing this felonious act of cruelty.
Going forward, we, the undersigned, ask that no plea deal be considered in this case, that the felony charge be upheld and that prosecution would be serious, thorough and given the same merit as any incident where excessive force resulting in death is used.

During the May 18th, 2021 Primary Election in several precincts in Upper Darby, Springfield, Radnor, Media, Concord, Bethel, Haverford, and elsewhere ran out of Republican Primary ballots. This created long lines for Republican voters in the Municipal Primary Election that included four ballot questions that were being voted on statewide. Several Republicans were fed up after these long lines and wait times to use the scanning machines (which operate as a voting booth if necessary, however it can only handle on ballot at a time). Meanwhile, Democratic and unaffiliated voters were able to vote without lines and cast their votes. Some precincts received extra Republican Primary ballots AFTER the polls closed!

This needs to be investigated and we need to send a message to the Delaware County Election Board that we want our elections to be run smoothly and fairly. Republican voters all over Delaware County were treated unfairly in the May 18th, 2021 Republican Primary and we want answers as to how the Delaware County Election Board will be working to rectify this issue.



Please submit comment to the Delaware County Election Board at [email protected] and let to Election Board know your thoughts on how the County Election Board handled the May 18th Republican Primary. *If you are emailing the Election Board, please include your name and address!

We respectfully request your support in our petition to open 3rd Street again by rebuilding the dam/bridge that connects the communities of Media Borough and Upper Providence Township together again. "Healing the division in our country, cities and towns starts by looking for the common ground we share as people.” (Standtogether.org). People on both sides of the bridge love our hometown of Media. We support our local businesses, restaurants, churches, chapels & synagogues. We love Glen Providence Park and all the beauty, recreation and solace it provides. But those of us on the Upper Providence side of the bridge miss the access we once had to the town we love so dearly.

In 1996 the bridge/dam was closed due to safety reasons. After its closing there have been decades of disorder and disdain between the borough, the county and the private pool/club that shares its border with the bridge. After 20 years of political power plays, litigation and millions of wasted dollars, the courts determined the bridge to be reconstructed for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The bridge was breached in spring of 2017 with reconstruction to occur 18 months post breach, funded 80% by PennDOT and 20% by the Borough of Media. In order to move forward with the court-ordered reconstruction, the engineers of the project have been requesting information from Delaware County Council back to March 2019 with no response to this day. Every quarter the borough posts “updates” on its website by the engineers noting the zero progress on obtaining the requested info. 2+ years of these engineers asking for unanswered information is more wasted taxpayer money and bureaucratic nonsense. We want to put people before politics and move forward with making the bridge the beautiful connective asset it will be to our community. We want to restore beauty to an area that has been blighted with road closed signs and barricades for decades. We want to walk to the shops, restaurants, library, church, pool, elementary school and neighbors’ homes as we once were able to do. We want to restore safety to those that continue to traverse the breached bridge despite these signs and barricades. People want to cross the bridge and will do so open or closed so please let common sense prevail and begin construction on a bridge that will bring communities together once again.

Please consider signing our petition to let Brian Zidek and his fellow Delaware County councilwomen and councilmen know we are aware of the politics and stall tactics that are preventing us from moving forward on an endeavor that allows for community sharing, safety and the cooperative spirit that should be synonymous with living in Media, Pennsylvania. When people look past their differences to find common ground, we can make progress together. We all love the many assets our hometown has to offer so let’s tear down the blockades and barricades and build up our community and neighbors.

Saint Mark's was voted the #1 Best Private School in Delaware in 2020. Since their award winning, they have posted large billboards in front of other schools in Delaware. There are billboards in front of Salesianum, Charter School of Wilmington, and down the street from Padua Academy. Their students are snobby and rude and are terrible sports. It would be beneficial for them to realize that they aren't the center of the universe.

We understand that they are advertising their school and are proud that they won. We would be fine with that but the fact is that putting up literal billboards in front of other high schools crushes the self esteem of the students and doesn't encourage them to to try to make their high school better.

We've been told as teenagers to speak up and to take a stand for what will make us better, and this is how we choose to empower our own schools and take away the power of the mighty. Saint Mark's may have a better rank compared to others schools, but that doesn't mean that they should advertise it so ridiculously and bring down other high schools.

This petition is to create solidarity between the other private schools in Delaware and bring to the attention of Delaware's Reader's Choice Awards that there are other schools that truly deserve this title.

On January 5, 2021 teachers were notified that all our CSD schools will reopen in the Hybrid format on January 11, 2021. This notification came from superintendent, Dr. Dan Shelton, based on the recommendation of Governor John Carney.

We demand that all schools within the Christina School District remain in the Remote Instruction model until the daily new cases within New Castle County trend below 100 for a 2 week average.

Based on the current data, Delaware had 1,241 new positive cases on January 6, 2021. Percent of people testing positive stood at 28% and percent of tests positivity presented at 9.9%. There are currently 453 hospitalizations, 57 critical. In addition to these numbers, the State of Delaware dismantled the School Safety Dashboard which cited the parameters used for community safety. Prior to its deletion, the criteria stated that once the state reached a rolling average of 8% test positivity, schools would implement remote learning only to limit community spread. Upon Governor Carney’s announcement on January 5th, the dashboard ceased to exist and a new dashboard named In-Person Contagious School Cases took its place. There are no longer any state mandated criteria to guide the safety of community spread within schools.

DPH does not offer “schools” as a venue where infection could have occurred for contact tracing purposes. Therefore, there is no valid data proving that schools are not an environment where COVID-19 is spread. In addition, in New Castle County, the number of cases per 10,000 people for ages 5-17 is 452.5. This data proves that children do indeed get the virus and are able to spread. Since our students are maskless for both breakfast and lunch, it is impossible to guarantee safety to those around them.

Maintaining remote instruction not only provides a consistent schedule for our youth, but also limits exposures within the community. It allows for a 5 day a week equitable education and ensures not one staff member or student is exposed inside a Christina School District building to a potentially fatal virus. We will never know if we did too much, but we will certainly know if we did too little!

In 2012, Senator Wyden Ron sponsored a bill with an intent to Prohibit an ISP from imposing a data cap on consumers unless the ISP is certified by the FCC.

During the pandemic, Americans have been stuck at home and internet has become a basic need as we work, go to to school and keep in touch with our loved ones virtually.

The sudden surge of internet demand has Comcast (Xfinity) come up with predatory ways to price gouge their customers by introducing data caps effective March 2021. A number of Comcast customers have already received notice that they are close to their allotted data limit and will incur extra charges beginning March of 2021 with overage fees to the upwards of $100 above the monthly bill.

Affected states include Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, as well as parts of North Carolina and Ohio.

Because of the monopolistic nature of the industry, most consumers have no option but to pay the higher fees and that is why we seek the intervention of our lawmakers to put a stop to this predatory practice by reviving and supporting the Data Cap Integrity Act of 2012 .

In the meantime, an injunction prohibiting ISP from introducing data caps during the pandemic would really help.

Urge Massachusetts State Leaders to Launch a Litter Prevention & Cleanup Task Force

From Cape Cod to Boston to the Berkshires and everywhere in between, litter is visible along virtually every Massachusetts highway, sidewalk, public park, hiking trail, and beach.

Every year, local and state government spends millions of dollars cleaning up this mess. Thousands of volunteers from Keep Massachusetts Beautiful and other volunteer groups donate countless hours battling the ever-growing piles of litter.

Yet virtually no money or effort is dedicated to LITTER PREVENTION in Massachusetts.

With this petition, we are urging our Governor, state and local legislators, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to clean up the mess in Massachusetts by launching a statewide Litter Prevention & Cleanup Task Force. A key component of this Task Force would be to launch an Anti-Litter Public Awareness Campaign that would include:

A consistent, memorable, Massachusetts-themed anti-littering slogan
Messaging could be displayed on electronic message boards along our highways, as well as on MassDOT-managed and donated billboards
Public Service Announcements could be broadcast on TV and radio, local cable access channels, social media, and be integrated with Registry of Motor Vehicles communications to drivers
A dedicated page on the Keep Massachusetts Beautiful website could include additional anti-litter resources and education
We also urge our state leaders to step up enforcement of existing anti-litter laws. The existing signs along Massachusetts highways that warn of fines of up to $15,000 are an empty threat without any actual enforcement. Trucks with improperly covered loads also contribute to the problem. The State should provide MassDOT with the additional resources necessary to keep our major highways litter-free all year long, and demand greater accountability for achieving litter reduction goals.

Other states across the U.S. have similar campaigns that have raised awareness about litter prevention and educated people of all ages to dispose of their trash properly. This includes:

Don’t Mess With Texas www.dontmesswithtexas.org
Nobody Trashes Tennessee www.nobodytrashestennessee.com
Keep Delaware Litter Free www.governor.delaware.gov/litter-free
Virginia is For Lovers, Not Litter www.loversnotlitter.org
Please contact the Governor, your state representative, state senator, and the head of MassDOT and let them know it’s past time to get serious about making Massachusetts litter-free. You can download a letter template at www.KeepMassBeautiful.org/GMC and scroll down to download the “Litter Free Mass Letter.”

Here is how you can contact state leaders:

The Governor: Visit https://www.mass.gov/forms/email-the-governors-office to send an email, call (617) 725-4005, or mail a letter to the Governor’s attention at Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St., Office of the Governor, Room 280, Boston, MA 02133.
The Director of MassDOT: email [email protected], call 617-973-7000, or mail a letter to his attention at Ten Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116.
Find your State Representative or State Senator at https://malegislature.gov/legislators and contact them via phone, email, or mail.
Thank you for your support. Together, we can keep Massachusetts Beautiful and litter-free!

Over 20 of the US States have taken steps to support out Nonbinary people with recognition as Gender X markers on State IDs, Drivers Licenses, and/or Birth Certificates. Here in Delaware we are surrounded by support in MD, PA, and NJ, yet in one of the most progressive and LGBT-friendly legislatures, no visible steps have been taken to help and support us.

Right now the US at the state level is facing unprecedented attacks on Trans and Nonbinary people to exist in public. Getting basic recognition and support for our identities, names, and pronouns are critical to overcoming these systemic biases. Supporting out Nonbinary people in Delaware with recognition of our Gender Identity with our public documents is critical to our visibility and to allow us to thrive in the future.

Please, DE State Legislature, follow the best practices of the states that have gone before us, and take active steps to support us. Let's put DE on this map. https://www.lambdalegal.org/map/x-markers

My philosophy is that state testing should no longer be a requirement among DE schools due to the unnecessary stress it provides to teachers and students as well as the inaccuracy of the assessment itself.

One of the main reasons I believe that standardized testing should no longer be mandatory for Delaware School Districts is because of the unnecessary stress it put’s on the teachers. Being an educator is a job that I admire. It involves much more time and effort than we students can imagine and seems to require a lot of dedication. When there is so much pressure resting on teachers shoulders already, it almost feels like a nuisance to be adding the extra anxiety that the test brings. When testing time comes around near the end of the year, teachers can potentially panic and feel the need to “teach the test”. This phrase regards when educators skim over the depth of a concept in the hopes of potentially acknowledging the bare minimum of everything that could be on the test. Given the time that this test is taken, teacher’s may try to teach things faster than students' brains can retain, trying desperately to fit everything in before the clock runs out. I can only imagine how frustrating this is on teacher’s who are just doing what they feel has to be done in order for their students to pass the test. However, if the standardized tests were removed, people could see a positive boost given to any school environment. Instead of creating havoc and increasing the tempo of class, teacher’s could relax and thoroughly enjoy helping their students gain a deeper knowledge of the things they are passionate about. School is all about understanding and obtaining that depth in intelligence, not just simply covering information for a test that carries almost no meaning. Furthermore, when the tempo of class increases it can also lead to something called “binge studying”. This term is used to define studying loads of new information at a speed faster than your brain can understand. Despite having “studying” in the title, this method does nearly nothing for students. It makes it more difficult to retain information and can add to the struggle of kids who may have already not been able to keep up. I’m positive students would avoid this if they could, but since most information is typically swiftly packed in just before Smarter Balanced testing, it’s hard attempting to learn in a different way. This issue is not to blame on teachers, for they're trying their best to teach their students adequately in a timely manner. However, with the added pressure of standardized testing, learning shifts its focus from how much do you fully understand the concept, to how fast you can simply grasp the main idea. This would thoroughly decrease one's score on the standardized test, making it harder to judge a students potential or intelligence.


Additionally, the overall presence of state testing thoroughly stresses out the students as well. Even hearing the name “standardized tests” can fill some students with extreme anxiety and cause unnecessary panic. Ever since these tests became mandatory, they took on a major role in how a student views their own intelligence. Using just this 4 point scale quiz, some students try to evaluate their whole self worth, and likelihood of being successful. This leads to constant over thinking/ studying and sleep deprivation as the test comes closer and closer. When students are hyper fixated on scoring well on this quiz they often entrench themselves in work and stay up later attempting to retain the basic information. I can say from my own personal experience, I have definitely overworked myself to the point of restless nights studying for the state test. The meer shadow of the state test was enough to scare me into panic mode causing me to let go of everything else and study for countless hours. I felt very overwhelmed and stressed, under the impression that this test was meant to deem my self worth. With all this pent up anxiety I found it really hard to focus in class because I was so sleep deprived and overwhelmed. Many students are feeling this same continued pressure and it is leading to a steady decline of one's mental health in the months prior to testing. Personally, I think mental health rules above all else because what is the point of anything if you can’t feel happiness doing it. The whole purpose of school is to get children prepared for college and a positive future, but is a future even possible if students are constantly kept in a bad mental state? With the absence of standardized testing, students would get less pressure induced anxiety and gain more time to learn in depth instead of reviewing. This benefits the students emotional health, how much information they can retain in the year, and even their sleep schedules. State testing is the wall keeping students from maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle, and I think it is time that we knock the wall down.


Even though the standardized testing heavily impacts the mental health of teachers and students, it lacks impact in the real world. As a student, this test means everything. It is meant to show us how well we are keeping up with others and the state requirements, and provide us a good idea on where we stand and our “value”. However in the bigger picture, it’s almost like this test means nothing. It has no effect on whether or not a student will be successful and even if they will make it to college. There are plenty of influential people in today's society that have openly admitted to not doing well on the state test, and that doesn’t make them any less intelligent. Michelle Obama once stated, "If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn't be here. I can guarantee that.”. Michelle is one of the most successful people I know with extreme knowledge and charisma. This inaccuracy proves that even if you don’t do well on the test it has little effect on your true capabilities and how successful you will be. With that in mind we must question why the test is here in the first place. Some people use this as a measure of the teachers, seeing what they are able to teach their students in terms of standards. Yet again, the test itself comes into play. Like mentioned previously, the state test stresses out the teacher’s too and can cause them to go way faster than normally in the hopes of teaching more information. If the test was non-existent, teachers could spend more time bringing out the knowledge of a student rather than trying to viciously push the basic knowledge of a certain area in students' heads in time of the test. Too many factors contribute to the standardized tests that make them less and less accurate in the terms of figuring out the success of a student or teacher, meaning it would be wise to take them away or replace them.

That is why we need your help. By signing this petition, you could be one of the determining factors in putting an end to this test, and start something new that takes into consideration the health concerns of students. All signatures are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Delaware has been in dire need of a professional sports team for years. With the urban sprawl occurring within this state, many civilians need a source of entertainment to accommodate the lack of things to do in Delaware. This source of entertainment begins with an NFL expansion team, named the "Delaware Clams."

The Clams are going to be a hit amongst Delawareans, especially since the nearest football team, the Philadelphia Eagles, have been quite depressing to watch over the countless years of their existence. Instead, fans can improve their mental health by watching an established team, such as the Clams, win consistently and bring about joy to its football community. Why waste gas to drive up to Philadelphia to watch their favorite team lose, when Delawareans can stay in their home state to cheer on the Clams to victory!

The Clams' presence within Delaware will also improve upon the economy within the state. The team will bring in plentiful amounts of revenue from fans, through tickets, to merchandising, and from other neighboring states who look towards visiting Delaware and seeing the Clams play. The team will attract tourism as well, thus bringing more money to the state and its people! The Clams' will also bring in a plethora of jobs to Delaware, from construction to grounds keeping, and more! It would also be a great opportunity for local individuals inspiring to have a chance at a career within the sports industry to dip their toes in the water, and get to experience a higher level of athletic opportunity within their home state.

Therefore, with your help and praise, we can establish a remarkable community here in Delaware, bringing life to the state, with the remarkable NFL expansion team: the Clams! Be a member of the Clam Fam today, and chant 1 2 3 Clam Up!

The Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commission is targeting a 60 year old cat colony located on the Delaware River at the end of Linden Ave. (near Maggie's Riverfront Cafe) for demolition.

This petition is asking for as many signatures as possible to stop this senseless destruction of a well maintained, fully TNR'd colony that is home to non-aggressive cats who live in peace with the community.

This particular colony was actually started by the city when it released cats to this location to control rodent infestation along the river. For many, many years now the cat colony has been effectively doing just that. But now Parks & Recreation wants to eliminate this longtime cat habitat with complete disregard to the emotional and physical effects to the many cats who find companionship and shelter there.

NOTE: Councilman Bobby Henon has had a Zoom conference with the caretakers and has agreed to mediate our concerns with Parks & Rec. Thank you Mr. Henon.

Please sign this petition if you are interested in saving the lives of the cats who reside in this colony as the destruction of it is effectively a traumatic and possibly life-threatening experience. Help save the cats and their home by signing. Thank you.

Those who often could benefit the most from clean, reliable, and affordable solar energy are often the ones who are least likely to have access to solar programs.


70% of the residential market is completely unable to access the energy savings that solar can provide because they either don’t own their home, have a shared or inadequate roof, or they don’t have the money that is needed upfront to install rooftop solar.


Over the past year and a half, Senator Hansen and other elected officials have been working together with the Sierra Club, Delaware Utilities, the Public Advocate, the Public Service Commission, DNREC, and the solar industry to draft [[[[BILL NUMBER]]], finally establishing a Community Solar For All program in Delaware.


Twenty other states have strong and inclusive Community Solar Programs. Community Solar allows those who cannot install rooftop solar to purchase a custom amount of energy from a larger project located elsewhere in the state.


Those who sign up for a community solar project under this legislation will be able to start seeing real savings on their electric bills on a monthly basis right away. The bill also requires that at least 15% of every project goes to help low-income families share in the benefits of Community Solar


If we can pass this legislation, everyone within the Delmarva service territory will have access to Community Solar and can save money on their electric bills.

Delaware is so tiny and stupid, it's just Maryland pretending to be its own state. If we just deleted Delaware no one would even shed a tear, it sucks so bad. How can we call ourselves the United States with Delaware roaming around??