Mark Longo, a resident of rural Pine City, New York, is pleading for the return of his pet squirrel, Peanut, who was seized by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The DEC officers raided his home following complaints that he was keeping wildlife as pets, which is against state laws. Peanut had gained hundreds of thousands of followers on social media with his playful and amusing antics documented by Longo. A raccoon named Fred was also taken during the raid. Longo fears that Peanut, who he had kept for seven years, may have been euthanized.
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It’s been seven weeks since the bridge collapse in Baltimore, and the crew aboard the ship involved in the incident are still on board, unable to disembark due to visa restrictions, lack of required shore passes, and ongoing investigations by the NTSB and FBI. The term “trapped” might give the wrong impression. The crew is not physically unable to leave the ship but is bound by bureaucracy. The ship needs to be staffed and operational, and the crew members are essential for maintaining it.
When considering the situation, it becomes clear that the crew members are not seen as people by their employers.… Continue reading
Growing up in the United States, surrounded by American flags and a strong sense of patriotism, I never once questioned my citizenship status. My father, an American born and raised in New York, moved our family to the U.S. when I was just two years old. With a dad who was a U.S. citizen, I naturally assumed that I, too, was a citizen. Little did I know that a paperwork error would come back to haunt me more than 60 years later.
After living my entire life in the U.S., working, paying taxes, and even raising a family of my own, the news that I was not here legally came as a shock.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker