Gas Saving Tips To Help Stop Global Warming
Orlando's Homeless-Feeding Trial
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ith gas prices rising, gassaving advice abounds: drive more gently, don't carry extra stuff in your trunk, combine your shopping trips. This is all sound advice but there's one driving tip that will probably save you more gas than all the others, especially if you spend a lot of time on the highway: slow down! In a typical family sedan, every 10 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like the price of gasoline going up about 54 cents a gallon. That figure will be even higher for less fuel-efficient vehi-
GoodShop to Help the Homeless
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s you all know we are trying to pay off our current mort-
gage, raise money for our monthly expenses, as well as expanding. With these plans it always becomes more difficult each and every year mostly because of the economy. So each and every day we plan and
(Continued on page 9)
Fort Lauderdale officer not at
(Continued on page 11)
fault for running over homeless man
Cathy’s Prayer List •
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Brian Frannie • Carlos Alberto • Dominique Francis Family Sara • Sara--Lee Raul • Rudy • Lisa • John McLean • Darren • Jan Cerrito • Rev. Patrick O’Shea • Shiqi Gui • Angelo • Maria Dragon • Blanch Lake • • Dave Nerau Megan • Theresa • Allan Rosenthal • His Prison Ministry Gloria Parker • Donald Collins • Eva Sofo • Michael Manning • To add a name to the list call 954 410--6275 954--410 No monetary donations needed
How’s My Vending? Call (954)
925-6466 X101
W
hen Orlando's controversial rules on feeding the homeless go on trial in federal court this week, Mayor Buddy Dyer likely will have to answer some tough questions. The advocates for the homeless who sued for the right to feed the hungry plan to call Dyer to the witness stand. "He was the guy in charge when this ordinance was proposed and written and enacted," said Jacqueline Dowd, one of the attorneys for the feeding groups. "He's been somewhat vocal about the issue of homelessness in Orlando, and I think some of his public statements are going to be at issue." Dyer is the most high-profile person on a list of possible witnesses that includes Orlando's police chief, city clerk and economic-development director, (Continued on page 11)
A Fort Lauderdale police officer who struck and killed a homeless man on Sistrunk Boulevard while speeding in an unmarked car to a reported crime will face neither criminal charges nor traffic citations, according to a memo from the Broward State Attorney's Office. Prosecutors officially closed their investigation Tuesday into Officer Christopher Young-Tem, 31.
Homeless Voice
The impact of the March 29, 2007, collision severed Donald Henson
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n the month of June you saw a lot of our collector’s cards that we put out on and off. It is summer for us and some of our staff took some time off that was very much needed... Not only has the economy hit most people but it also hit us, and when we printed those cards up it actually saved us over $5,000 in printing costs. We usually spend close to $7,000 a month and the cards cost us only $2,000. So it actually helped us meet our budget goals and it happened all by accident. July we are giving you a paper and some of the days will also be cards to help keep our costs down. We got a lot of emails from people saying they loved the cards and we hope that you personally loved them as well. We hope the economy is not hitting you as hard as it is hitting some people. We hope that things will get better so the poor do not suffer as
Perry's leg. (Continued on page 10)
Fresno Homeless Win Multi-Million Dollar Settlement Fresno police were wrong in seizing personal belongings from homeless encampments and tossing them out.
Our Homeless Voice Collector Cards much as they have been suffering over the last few months. We have been hit real hard the last few months and we are losing money mostly because of the high price of gas. As one could imagine our costs went way up due to the cost of fuel. We all have seen increases in our electric bills because to bring electric to your home FPL has to use fuel. Our gas bill for the agency went up to over $7,000.00 a month. With all these increases our donations are way down and we really need your help more than ever before. A lot of people don’t realize a lot of our supporters give us a few dollars a week and now with the cost of gas (Continued on page 9)
Lawyers for the homeless have announced a $2.35 million dollar settlement, say cities across the country should learn from Fresno's mistake. "This legal precedent will be a sign to cities across the country that they can't violate the constitutional rights of homeless people in public spaces," said Attorney Elisa Della-Piana with the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights. Police tossed away items including essential medications and documents, a wheelchair, and even old photos. The city must now pay the 225 class action members $1.5 million, with those payments ranging from $500 to more than $10,000 per person.
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 2
HOMELESS VOICE Mail check to:
For just $15.00 a month you can keep a homeless family off the streets for a day.
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The Targett Family Patrick Helings John Bendor In Loving Memory of Uncle Joe & Nana Shannon Brooks Lisa Cebrat Pakita Price The Watsons Sally Lister Judith Kelly Martha Roman The Baptista Family John Criasia Daniel Harrison The Martinez Family Amanda Reynolds Dolores R. Cerra Bob Hall Tressie W. Osborne Clark Rogers The Savir Family Corinne James Chris Sanchez Hugo DeCarpintini Mario Yuio Richard Friedman Diane Friedman Uylna Quadrino Arnold Reemer In Loving Memory of Peter Sullivan Maryann Springer Elaine Snaith Marshal Bugin Keith Yude Bruce Wethersoon Isabelle J. Henry Raul Cardenas M.D. Wendy Bryan Jacqueline McCarty Albert J Taragowski Darla King Paula King Richard Gomez Anthony Ralph Jennifer Hicky Timothy Lukehard Thomas Rua Justin Rowan Mary Green Morris Grazi Marvin Shatze Ronald Shafer Vance Gunn Adam Staler Allen Yancy Jimmy Daniels Mel Blount Carol Lockette Anna Marye Levier Magan Narduzzi Andre Johnson Antione Collins Eric Harrison
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Jessica Padilla Sheldon Jones Carlo Harrison Jason Emrik Dan Gilcert Amber Rowan Jackie Johnson Ricky Cambell Todd Palgon The Morabito Family Todd Palgon Holly J. Andrus Dorr’e Terry Samual Manery Marilyn Vokish Jenny Curic Amy Curic Lisa Jackson Jim Johnson Bobby Neal Erica Fulton Darren Nolf Erica Sanclair Steve Dillan Dallan Michele King Bobby Ore Casandra Thomas Tara Hunter Mark Faber Nichole Faber Kevin Britt The Cable Family The Maione Family Barbara Strong Grace Marth Regla J Ferrer The Baldwin Family C.R. Gallagher Jonathan Burger Russell J. Ferguson Marjorie G. Rhines Jamie F. Flores In Loving Memory Of Thomas Gasbarro Cathy and Kids The Davis Family Graham R. Mitchell Essential Oil Healthline Amparo L. Korey John’s Plumbing Service Thank You Winn Dixie Ms. Marilyn Smith Albert J. Taragowski Ruth C Grey Mike Cross Tamara Southard Raul Cardenas MD PA Al and Annie Hurricane Prevention Inc Adriana Fernandez Andrea Brown The Kunicki Family Danny and George OTD Messenger, Inc M. Smith
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Yorick and Bonita Parrica Lee Russ & Delores B Mordon Robert Jesus Llanes Comet Couriev Proietto Family In Memory of Billy Corwin Josh Searles Patricia Lee Russ Delores B Mordon Everglades Moon, Covenant of Goddess, Elibet Hanson Judy B. Pascarella John Gaeta Michael R. Prokop, Jr. Surfin’ Seniors Inc Jackie M. McCarty In Memory of Charles Horton In Memory of William F. Judge In Loving Memory of Florence & Nat Popkin Tailored Advertising, Inc Claudia K. Tapolow
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Margie Jones
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In memory of Wesley H. Woodall Maria M. Riveiro
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Gottlieb & Blair Family Pioneer Middle School Youth Crime Watch Rhenals-Mei Family The Strikowski family Margie Jones & Friends Ronald Prescia In Memory of Brian Groleau Laura Flash Jacqueline M. McCarty The Herrmann Family
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The Monserrate Family Madeline Butera Jennifer S. Nickel Marilyn R. Smith David Thawley On Behalf of Matthew Lambert Mustafa Mehmet Gokoglu In Memory of Scott Paul Cooper Robert and Ruth Baal In Memory of Melba DeSanto In Memory of My Mother Pearl McCann, Love Teresa Barbara Desanto Leah and Ray Michael & Michale Rhett Marie Sutera Floyd and Luana Coats Doug Boucher Family Kevin Jones Dorothy Griffith Family In Loving Memory of Kris Soltan Kevin “KJ” Jones Douglas Boucher The Swartout's Ivonne Fernandez The Verny & Stewart Families In Loving Memory of Frances Klein The Herrmann Family
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In Memory of C.T.R. Thank you so much, Sean & Lois, for all your help. –Joan Futscher & Kids McAvoy Family The Geise Family Mrs. Jenkins Richard & Margaret Martin Kenny Angela Adriana N. Quila Elizabeth P. Sublett Barbara N Robinson Mark E. Johnson Adrienne and Mike Julio A. Izquierdo Ann M. Hamilton Nicole Lee Nelson Anthony Rhodes Susan P Brady Christine M Wilson K.J. Williams Renato and Malika Vasconez Christine McAuliffe In Memory of Chief George J. Hodges Real Breakthrough Solutions Hartford Property Connection, Inc. In Loving Memory of Rex Lichtenberger In Loving Memory of Jose A. Estruch, Jr. Ronald & Cathy Walker Ms. Evelyn Salerno Nicole Lee Nelson Al & Barbara Liebmann In Loving Memory of Isabel Grimany Dr Mary Michaela Farren In Memory of My Good Friend Pat Gibson Fred T Verny JR Nicole Lee Nelson In Memory of Dan Holland Sheila Holder Merav & Ezra Alexander In Memory of Maxima Oakland Park Elks Lodge # 2407 J. Coffee In Memory of Stanley Smolen In Memory of Martin Grey God Bless Florence Menard Sebastian Parks Kellie Jones Jesus Diaz Virginia H. Bailey Naomi Ross Deborah H Green In Loving Memory of Giankarlo Squicemari In Loving Memory of My Daughter Melissa Lurz In Loving Memory of Charles J. Youngman In Loving Memory of Martin E. Grey Sabrina Thorton, Former Ms. Ft. Lauderdale
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Beth Farans, Saks Jewelry Designer Margaret D. Neverdousky Sandra L. Wilhelm The Schneider Family John Dinielli Dorothy Kay Garbutt In Memory of Bill Sledge The Ramos Family In Memory of Gertrude Chong In Memmory of Steven Maderman Roy T. Bruno, Jr. In Memory of George Ericson Albert J. Hamilton Ph D Laura & Bill Fash David V Torlone Rainer Hansen Juan Galindo John Evans & Family Constance Lessoff Maria Nieto Margaret Melendez Raymund Joseph YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE
YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE
YOUR NAME HERE YOUR NAME HERE
YOUR NAME HERE
YOUR NAME HERE
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In Loving Memory of Shirley Coulson
John C. Burt Albert Taragowski Renato & Malika Vasconez
In Loving Memory of Donald Fraser
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Volume X, Issue 6
HOMELESS VOICE LE TT ER S TO TH E E DITO R SEN D T O:
P.O. BOX 29 2-577
H
appy Fourth of July! We at the Homeless Voice hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday! During the summer months the ER sees many children coming in with burns associated with sparklers and fireworks. It’s important to always put safety first. Remember, children should never be near fireworks, and adults should leave the big ones for the professionals. Over the next few months the layout will be taken over by Sara Cunningham. I will continue to assist, but this will free me up to help in other ways and I will still provide the services that I have offered in the past. Thank– you! -Mark Targett
Business Directory
Your AD Here Call 954-920-1277
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The Voice of the Homeless
Page 4
HOMELESS VOICE
ADVANTAGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. • • •
ACI supports the Homeless Voice and the Cosac Foundation in raising awareness and providing solutions to homelessness in our neighborhoods. ACI knows that lending aid to human beings in need is good for our souls, our communities and is simply the right thing to do. ACI would like to thank all people who are actively engaged in helping humanity here on the blue planet. God bless the Cosac Foundation Commercial, Industrial, & Government 2-way Radio www.advantage-com.com
Mark Lavallee, President 954-961-2642
Shopping Smart with Donna WAYS WE CAN HELP YOU Fried Pork Chops
10-12 Chops Thin cut pork chops either assorted or Center Cut 1 cups Flour 1 teaspoon Salt 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder or Garlic Salt (If you use Garlic Salt delete salt) 1 teaspoon Onion Powder ½ teaspoon Pepper ½ cup Milk and water 3-4 cups of Oil (Canola, Corn or Vegetables) Make seasoned flour by combining flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl to flour meat.
In a separate bowl pour ½ cup of milk and ½ water. Heat oil between medium and high heat to prevent burning oil. Coat meat with flour, then milk & water mixture and then back into flour to double coat and seal the flavor. Place in hot oil and cook until dark golden brown and stack on paper towels standing side by side to drain off all the oil and allow to dry and get crispy.
Excellence in Radio
Staying Financially Afloat
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uring hard economic times it is important to know how to prevent your financial situation from going array. More than ever in recent history, it has become important to incorporate financial strategies. People of many backgrounds find their wallets becoming empty faster due to higher costs for food, gas, housing, etc. Homeless and people of all economic backgrounds should take certain steps into consideration. Prevention, maintaining, and security measures will protect families from enduring hard times in uncertain economic circumstances. Knowing your credit score is a great first step to making sure your future is secure. If the score is below 500, you may be heading for trouble. Also, review the score status during several months to see if it improves. Today, there are programs through banks or online sites that offer credit score information for low fees. Next, be sure to keep a bank account open by making small deposits as often as possible. Third, try to keep a credit card account open for emergency use or small purchases that can be paid off
quickly. Fourth, keep all identification records in a lockbox or safe deposit. This will ensure that information that is needed will be available and safe. Keep in mind, that some homeless have the issue of being unable to locate pertinent identification due to losing their homes. These measures will prevent this long before anything drastic occurs. In summation, even profes-
sionals must take into account that they could be a paycheck away from being homeless. Therefore, with uncertain times ahead, it is best to take the appropriate steps to maintain a standard of living. For more information on tips and financial information, check out www.money.cnn.com. By Jamie M. Kisner
First 'Green' Homeless Shelter Opens In Oakland TIPS: Best served with Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Gravy Fast Gravy: Open a can of Cream of Mushroom soup and add only a ¼ of a can of water. OR Open a can of Cream of Chicken with a dash of soy sauce or Kitchen mate. OR You can always use a powered gravy mix. Note: This is my son’s favorite dish and whenever I make this meal I always make extra because they are delicious cold and everyone clearly enjoys them. It is one of those meals that my son’s will always remember me for. It is clearly my signature dish! Try to not spend more than $1.99 to $2.39 a pound for assorted and $2.99 for Center Cut. Buy the family packs because they are always a little cheaper and you can always mix and match. If you save on the assorted family pack you can buy a package of Center Cut.
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fter eight years of fundraising, pleading, planning and building, Alameda County's largest homeless shelter opened in January in a newly built ecologically "green" shelter on International Boulevard. With solar panels supplying electricity and water-based hydronic heaters warming rooms in the 125-bed shelter, the Crossroads building of the East Oakland Community Project is said to be the first "green" homeless shelter in the nation. It replaces a cold, damp and leaky building up the road on International that has been housing homeless for the past 17 years.
"You'll wake up here and feel good because it's an environment that is healthy. We are asking our people to deal with some heavy issues, so it is best that we support their health," said Wendy Jackson, executive director of the East Oakland Community Project. "Many of the clients are ill, about 60 percent are ill, often with chronic diseases of asthma, diabetes, so we wanted to do whatever we can to make this as healthy an environment as possible," she said. The building, with high windows for natural light and walls painted with a green paint that does not emit
toxins, has an airy, good feel to it. Over at EOCP's 17-year-old shelter at 5725 International Blvd., resident Bobby Ross said he's excited about moving to the new place. "It's going to be beautiful there, and we need to get out of here. It's freezing in here and the roof leaks," he said. Chester Featherson is one client who is sick with the flu and a chronic cough. He carries a briefcase full of cold medicines, tissues and hand cleaners which he said he gives to others at the shelter who are sick, too. Bundled up in a jacket, sweatshirt and
shirt, he said "I'll be glad to not wear so many layers," at the new building which should be warmer. The new Crossroads shelter has other firsts besides being the nation's first green shelter. It'll be the first in Alameda County with a respite wing for people who have been released from the hospital but with nowhere to go. Now, homeless people who are hospitalized and return back to the streets have a good chance of succumbing to further illness. It also has a family wing with bathtubs in each of five units. "Our little guys (Continued on page 10)
Advantage Communications, Inc. is a proud supporter of The Cosac Foundation "Excellence in Radio"
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Volume X, Issue 6
HOMELESS VOICE Jesus & NIMBY NIMBY was not a word in Jesus’ vocabulary!
NIMBY – Acronym for “Not in my back yard”
Consider this passage from James 2:1-9 My brothers and sisters, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person with shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you dishonored the poor. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you? However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
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ords like gold rings and assembly may be a little out of step in this day and age but not so hard to equate with, as I have used the expression before, the have’s (as opposed to the have not’s) and their neighborhoods. While we welcome our equal or better into our neighborhoods we tell the poor and the less fortunate, the homeless, to move there, not close to me. NOT IN MY BACKYARD, YOU DON’T! In this year of our Lord, 2008, and for so many years past and will continue for many years to come, the lower class are oppressed by those more fortunate. We do judge! Of course there are exceptions to every rule and every law and statistic and so there is with this also...there are so many middle class, many well to do, wealthy who go out of their way to help those less fortunate...and not just for tax purposes either. They genuinely care for their fellow hu-
man being, they want to help them and help them achieve a better life. BUT just look around your own neighborhood and listen. What are subjects of neighborhood meetings? Look at the laws that are enacted...don’t feed the homeless...etc...etc.., don’t, don’t, don’t!....they didn’t just spring up out of thin air. Please, I am not intentionally criticizing or condemning anyone who has money, nor am I defending a homeless or less fortunate person because there are a lot of mitigating circumstances in the lives of both sides. I am a firm believer that children learn what they live. Remember that poem? We teach them from a tender age all the social do’s and don’ts, values and the necessities of life. And we teach them by our behavior and attitudes. How many times has a mother told her
Future not looking good for homeless RV park
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RV- Park 150 chronically homeless move by Austin City Council people would have called home. creates a potential road block Many concerned neighbors for a proposed RV park for Austin's expressed relief at the motion. homeless. "Right now we have a year The day after tempers flared of safety for the at a public meeting children in our comabout a park that munity and the would house 150 homeowners and our chronically homeproperty," neighborless people near an hood resident ColEast Austin leen Smith said. "I'm neighborhood, Ausreally happy about tin City Council that." member Mike MarMany neighbors felt tinez asked city Harold Court, the site they were left out of council to hold off the decision-making on lease negotiations where the homeless RV process and had and site preparations park was to take root. concerns about secufor a year. rity and who would "We had an live at the park. explosion an emotional explosion," Martinez said, while he's said Richard Troxell with House the not giving up, finding a new site will Homeless. not be any easier. It was an explosion that "You're talking about lifting may end plans for a homeless RV up folks that in large part, society is park in East Austin. not ready to accept as part of the "I will be officially asking mainstream," Martinez said. my colleagues to suspend any work "Everybody wants you to on the Mobile Loaves and Fishes RV do something about the homeless but project," said Austin City Council nobody wants you to do it in their member, Mike Martinez. community." The City was in the process www.news8austin.com of leasing the 11 acres of land off By: Reagan Hackleman Harold Court. Mobile Loaves and Fishes was set to build and run the
daughter (or son) who has just become a new parent, not to make faces when feeding the baby something that you yourself don't particularly like? The baby will pick up on the expression and learn to dislike it also. Why do we read and sing and talk to the baby in the womb? A very long time ago, society became very selfish and the morals and ways of the present world are the result. Homelessness, morals, peer pressure and the list goes on needs to be addressed on many levels and schools are already addressing it in the lower grades. This is a great start...but it needs to be reinforced at home. On this particular subject, we need Homeless 101 taught from an early age at home, in school and in church. Church is a
very important channel, one which needs to step up a little closer to the plate. Churches need to help in teaching and in deed. On all levels, no matter who or what, it cannot be a case of this is how it should be, now go and do as I say, not as I do. That mentality is everyone’s problem; everyone does this all the time. Before we start Homeless 101 we need to find out what it really is, how it started and what are the problems it faces. What’s the expression? You can take the boy out of the country but not take the country out of the boy. Right here at the shelter there are at least a dozen or more residents who, if showered and shaved and put into a suit would pass for a successful businessman. Yes, and complete with manners. (Continued on page 10)
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 6
HOMELESS VOICE Homeless Health Care
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f I go to the hospital and have an address and don’t appear to be homeless I am going to be seen by the Emergency Room and it does not matter if I have insurance or not. In theory the same should go for the poor or homeless and in most cases it does go exactly the way the system was designed. However, there are many cases in which the tired overstressed ER doctor or nurse who has seen the same homeless person over and over in the ER does everything possible to convince the homeless person to leave AMA. Against Medical Attention. Please if you are a provider in the emergency room please don’t say it does not happen that way for we have seen it over and over. We even went one step further….we dressed up as a homeless person and said we were homeless and went in to the ER to see how we would be treated. We went in for chest pains that truly existed. This time we were treated horrible. The nurse said to me, how about we get you a dinner and then you can go back to the alley where you live. She did everything but to hold my hand and walk me out the door. Many, many times the Emergency Rooms give out adequate care and in most cases they were polite and did everything possible to help the homeless person and even went as far as giving out free medication. What the burnt out health care worker must understand is that when they do not treat the poor or homeless person good and don’t give them good medical care there is a chance that person will be coming back and when faced with a severe medical issue it is going to end up costing the hospital a lot more money. What could have been prevented with a $40 script now has turned into a $100,000 hospital bill for Vancomycin IV Therapy for 30 days and a surgery to get the infected abscess out of the persons’ body and if that person becomes septic you are talking about a lot more money then of course another two months of home health care for the wound. Yes a nurse or Emergency Room Doctor that does not treat a patient good will end up costing tax payers an arm and a leg. In this case a young man has a horrible growth on his left groin and has been to the Emergency Room time after time. He even went as far as going to the free county medical services from one of the hospitals in the Tri County area. And as always they claim it is cosmetic and therefore
Needed!
The homeless Shelter is in desperate need of utensils, glass wear and most importantly plastic cups. These items can be dropped off anytime or sent to 1203 North Federal Highway. For more information call 954-924-3571.
What could have been prevented with a $40 script now has turned into a $100,000 hospital bill
they refuse to do anything to it. Now I have had the littlest things removed off my body when they bled over and over with insurance. This thing bleeds and bleeds and it is always open therefore the chance for infection is there. For any doctor to say this is cosmetic is a lack of caring for the patient. It is not cosmetic when it bleeds. The only reason it isn’t removed is because he is poor. I am sure the hospital directors would say that this needs to be done. If this man’s growth gets infected and it travels in his body he may become septic and if in the streets, he may die from his massive infection. Each and every year up to about 100 homeless people die of septic infections. You would think that since every rule in the book says to keep open wounds covered that it would be important not to have something that is always open. With so much MRSA going around it would be wise not to have any open wounds on your body and a doctor that is licensed to give out good care should realize that a homeless person has a better chance of getting an infection on the street than a person living indoors. The next case is a 58 year old black male who we will call Mr. Bigg. This gentleman was placed in a cab and sent to our shelter with no call from the Emergency Room. He could not even walk and was still bleeding from the open skin infections on his leg.
As you can see by the pictures titled “Mr. Bigg” his legs were very swollen. The ER just put him in a cab and did not even dress his wounds with proper medical bandages. We can’t forget about Mr. Hernia, this is a man who the hospital discharged to our shelter and stated he was able to work with no restrictions and needed no emergency care. For those of us who have had hernias in the past I am sure 95 percent of us never had a bulge like this. At most maybe we would have a small bulge like the size of a plum. As you can see he had a basketball hernia. Let’s not forget about the broken collar bone he had as well. The sad part of this story is that the hospital that discharged him to us just did a small hernia surgery on another part of his body but failed to deflate the basketball as well. The very upsetting part of this story is that if this hernia he had got strangled by his stomach wall muscles it would have been an emergency surgery and the chance for a major infection as the tissue died. I am no doctor; however, I think if I would have been a candy striper I would have seen how necessary it was to take care of this man. Health care for the homeless has been an issue across the country. I am not saying that this happens all the time. But because of fast discharged procedures because of the filthy rich in(Continued on page 7)
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Volume X, Issue 6
HOMELESS VOICE Dedicated to Mary Locke, Our “Mother Mary”
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e loved you. Mary you are in Heaven now for you loved Jesus with all your heart. For years you and I had a lot in common mostly because of our past public safety work we did many years ago. Who was Mary Locke? She was a very beautiful person who loved everyone and would give her last cent to someone who needed it. Mary would buy presents for anyone who was depressed and she liked to make special little things for people. She loved giving out flowers to someone depressed and passing out cards to anyone who needed to have their sprits picked up for the day… Her middle name was “Hallmark.” But who was Mary Locke and what did Mary Locke do for society and how did Mary Locke help mankind? Mary…. is this…… Mary, “911 do you need police or fire rescue?” Mary was a dispatcher back in the days when it was extremely hard to be one. They did a lot by hand back then and she had to know where the police officer was when he did his traffic stop in case he yelled over the radio, “10-24” “officer needs assistance” and also send an ambulance to a drowning all at the same time. When Mary met a life challenge she became homeless and got on her well deserved disability. She would come back to Mary was a dispatcher back in the day…. the shelter every so often, I think because she missed her friends not because she was homeless. Mary also liked to help out as much as possible. When our disaster division worked a disaster giving out assistance Mary would volunteer to be the dispatcher. When one of our mental health friends was missing and we went out searching for them, Mary would run the show setting up search patterns over the two-way radio. I ask the question again, who was Mary Locke? She was my friend that’s who she was. Love Sean
Homeless Health Care (Continued from page 6)
surance companies wanting people out of the hospitals fast and because social workers don’t even see the actual patients and because of the budget cuts for nurses etc many mistakes happen and when it comes to the homeless many are treated in the worst ways. On the other side there are many doctors and nurses who go out of their way to give the best treatment to every person in the same way no matter if they can pay or not pay. There are many more positives than negatives. In fact even down here in our neck of the woods some of the health plans for indigents beat our paid insurance plans that our jobs give us. To others who do treat every person the same way, it is important when we see our co-workers who may be burnt out and mistreat the homeless, that we say something to them and remind them that these people need our help even if they really don’t. They come to the Emergency Room because they are homeless and they just may be sick. You just can’t assume that they want a meal for the day. -Sean Cononie
By the anxieties and worries of this life Satan tries to dull man's heart and make it a dwelling for himself there. -- St Francis of Assisi For Our Homeless Voice News Coverage on Homeless Health Care go to www.HomelessVoice.tv
Homeless Shelter Wish List • Clothing • Coffee Cups • Canned Foods • Diapers & Wipes • Medical Supplies • Personal Hygiene Items
1203 N. US1 Hollywood, FL 33020 24/7
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The Voice of the Homeless
Page 8
HOMELESS VOICE
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Page 9
Volume X, Issue 6
HOMELESS VOICE
We Still Need Your Help!!! (Continued from page 1)
they can’t help us anymore because if they do they won’t have money to buy gas to get back and forth to work. I never thought I would hear that some people can’t even afford to drive to work. We had a lovely lady who use to give us a check in the amount of $25.00 per month for over seven years. She emailed me to tell me how embarrassed she was that she could not send any more checks to us until the price of gas went down. When I got the email I felt so bad for her but I also thought how lucky we were that this lady was really giving us $25.00 a month that probably was her leftover money in her personal budget. She said, “Sean if I give you this $25.00 like I have for all these years I won’t make it to work.” She added that her extra money now has to go into her gas tank. Boy, did that make me think real hard on just how many people are faced with the same decisions as us when gas is so high. I have to tell you that my day was very sad to think of how this lady has helped us over the years and now she is having a hard time just to make it to work. The very next day we looked deeper in to our donations that come in the mail and found out that a lot of people who normally send in their checks have stopped in the last three months. Then I went in to the daily figures of paper sales and then realized, we are down more than we have ever been.
So my friends I am here to first thank all of you who have given us money over the years and have stopped now because of the economy. I have to tell you that we really feel special that for some of you it is apparent that you did not have that much discretionary income but yet, you still gave us donations. Secondly I am going to ask those who can donate a little more to do so over the next 90 days. We are running our regular campaign to replenish the emergency funds we used to pay off the mortgage and we also are running a special “I Can Fill In. (for her)” campaign. This is where you send in your check to the Emergency Budget Account so we can use those funds to keep our own roof over our homeless people’s heads. You can make the checks payable to the Homeless Voice but memo the check with Emergency Budget Account, this way the funds go towards monthly budgets until the economy gets better. Also please search on the inter-
•
You can set up payroll deduction through your employer to support the COSAC Foundation’s Homeless Voice • Your company might even match your donation • See your human resource or department manager
net (see our ad below) so we can earn one cent for every search you do. For those who still want to help us out but have no funds this is a great way to donate to us. Look below and find out how to search and raise money for the homeless. For those of us who use the internet for shopping please follow the directions below and shop via us and when you plan your next business trip and have to stay at a hotel book via us and your hotel will be less expensive and also we will get a percentage of your booking. If you need flowers, airlines reservations or even shop at Sears the Homeless Voice will earn money and you get to keep your low cost prices by shopping on the internet. Friends we really do need you more than ever because of this horrible economy and I am sure you
know that with every bad economy we are over loaded with more clients than we have seen in a long time. Thanking You In Advance, Sean Anthony Cononie
GoodShop to Help the Homeless (Continued from page 1)
plan to figure out ways of first getting donations and secondly how can we produce income without costing the supporters one cent. First it was the Internet Search via Good Search where we make one penny every time someone searches on the Internet. We did not do as well as we thought on this venture but we will continue to ask our supporters to search on the internet by going to GoodSearch.com. If every supporter just searches on the Internet using the same web search engines such as Yahoo search we will make one penny for every search and that can really add up. We have also added the Homeless Voice Mall. This mall means you can go right from the World Wide Web and book your airline tickets via Delta. We will make $2.50 for every reservation. If you use Travelocity and Hotwire.com, we also make money for every reservation. The good thing about this is that your prices are still the same low price. If you need a hotel and use brands such as Wyndham, Sheraton, or Hotels.com we also get paid for every booking. Need a cruise? Go to Carnival.com How about flowers for the wife, Flowers.com Are you interested in buying something at BestBuy.com? Please help the Homeless Voice just from making your everyday purchases. Visit us and read below for directions. Thank-you! For
more info go to our website at
www.HomelessVoice.tv/GoodShop -Sean Cononie
COSAC
Custom Photo ID Cards Order at www.homelessvoice.org Get yours today!
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 10
HOMELESS VOICE Fort Lauderdale officer not at fault for running over homeless man charges of vehicular homicide," Newman
The department will now launch an
crash. Witnesses had estimated Young-
Perry's brother, Les Perry, who said he
wrote in a May 23 letter to Les Perry.
internal affairs investigation to determine
Tem's speed at about 70 mph. On
is disappointed with the investigation's
"While it can be argued that the officer
whether Young-Tem violated any policies.
Wednesday, Moore said he was puzzled
outcome, disputed prosecutors' findings in
endangered the life of the pedestrian, it
The outcome could range from no action
by the outcome.
an exchange of letters and e-mails.
can likewise be argued that your brother
to termination, Sousa
"Going 10 miles over the
created the zone of risk himself by step-
said.
speed limit does not tear
(Continued from page 1)
"Where we differ is fault," said Les Perry, a lieutenant with the Denver Police
ping off the curb into oncoming traffic."
Young-Tem's attorney,
Mike
Dutko,
Department. "I agree with them that it's
Les Perry said witness statements, scien-
not a criminal matter. I believe it was
tific evidence and the traffic-homicide
said the officer is
exactly an accident, but he has a level of
investigator's findings support his position.
relieved to put the
responsibility."
His family will pursue the matter in civil
stressful
court, he said.
behind
Responding to 8:30 p.m. reports of shots fired in Lincoln Park, Young-Tem
There were contradictory accounts of
drove 44 to 57 mph in a 35-mph zone
whether Young-Tem's flashing lights were
with flashing emergency lights but no
activated, but the prosecutors concluded
siren, according to memos written by
that they were on.
prosecutors Stefanie Newman and David Schulson.
Young-Tem's
car
was
not
equipped with a siren.
situation
"He's coped well, it's just not been easy," Dutko said
someone's leg from their body and leave it 15 feet down the road," he said. "I find that very hard to believe."
and
Moore said he would hope
thankful for an ob-
an officer would exercise
jective investigation.
extreme caution in such a
him
"He's coped well, it's just not been easy," Dutko said. "We're confident that
pedestrian-heavy
area,
whether
re-
sponding to an emergency or not.
Police never found the reported gun-
no department procedures were violated
"In pursuit of one to harm another is not
men in the park, nor anyone who'd been
and that this was just a tremendously
great policing," Moore said. Staff Writer
shot.
unfortunate accident."
Brittany Wallman contributed to this
Perry, 49, was intoxicated, dressed in
Young Tem joined the department in
Ten days after the fatal crash, Fort
report. Tonya Alanez can be reached at
dark clothing, seven feet from the curb, in
2002. He took a brief paid administra-
Lauderdale Commissioner Carlton Moore
tealanez@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-
the street and not in a crosswalk when he
tive leave before resuming his regular
called for a community meeting with the
4542.
was struck, the memos said.
duties in the tactical unit with driving
Police Department. More than 100 peo-
By Tonya Alanez
restrictions, said the department's spokes-
ple, including Les Perry, attended to
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
man, Sgt. Frank Sousa.
inquire about the circumstances of the
"I do not see any evidence of reckless disregard for human life to substantiate
First 'Green' Homeless Shelter Opens In Oakland
(Continued from page 4)
don't like to take showers," much less take showers with strange adults next to them, as they must do at the homeless shelter up the street. "The idea is to keep families intact, and let people preserve their dignity." On any given night, about 6,200 people go homeless in Alameda County -- and about 16,000 experience homelessness sometime in a year in the area. Families make up 43 percent of the county's homeless population and children about 28 percent, Jackson said. In some of those families the breadwinner lost his or her job and then fell behind on rent and was evicted. In other cases, families are
running from abusive situations at home. The new shelter cost $11 million to build and was funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program; the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency; the City of Oakland Community Development Block Grant program; the California Emergency Housing Assistance Program, and some private foundations, including StopWaste.org, the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund and Y & H Soda Foundation. Barbara Grady Homeless newswire
Jesus & NIMBY (Continued from page 5)
Homeless Shelter Wish List • Clothing • Coffee Cups • Canned Foods • Diapers & Wipes • Medical Supplies • Personal Hygiene Items 1203 N. US1 Hollywood, FL 33020 24/7
But inside that shell of the person are emotional and mental problems that keep that person from living a normal life, as we would picture it. So we need to, somehow, let down our defenses and step into their world and see what makes them tick. I know we at the shelter have asked so many times for people to stop by and check us out. Actually we had even asked local neighborhood associations to meet with us in order to plan what would be good for the neighborhood, but nobody accepted the offer or challenge if that’s how it was perceived. But see, that’s what I’m talking about...there has to be a working relationship between everyone from day
one. This applies to families, neighborhoods, cities, countries...the entire world. When Jesus was born, who came to visit Him? The Magi who were cultured and the shepherds who were so far the extreme. And when Jesus grew up, who did He spend His time with? The poor, the lowly, the needy. So maybe try to put yourself in another’s shoes and walk a bit and see if the shoes could be broken in to your feet so they might be a little more comfortable. Remember: THERE, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, GO I. God bless us all! -Lois
Advantage Communications, Inc. is a proud supporter of The Cosac Foundation "Excellence in Radio"
Page 11
Volume X, Issue 6
HOMELESS VOICE Gas Saving Tips To Help Stop Global Warming (Continued from page 1)
cles that go fewer miles on a gallon to start with. The reason is as clear as the air around you. When cruising on the highway, your car will be in its highest gear with the engine humming along at relatively low rpm's. All your car needs to do is maintain its speed by overcoming the combined friction of its own moving parts, the tires on the road surface and, most of all, the air flowing around, over and under it. Pushing air around actually takes up about 40% of a car's energy at highway speeds, according to Roger Clark, a fuel economy engineer for General Motors (GM, Fortune 500). Traveling faster makes the job even harder. More air builds up in front of the vehicle, and the low pressure "hole" trailing behind gets bigger, too. Together, these create an increasing suction that tends to pull back harder and harder the faster you drive. The increase is actually exponential, meaning wind resistance rises much more steeply between 70 and 80 mph than it does between 50 and 60. Every 10 mph faster reduces fuel economy by about 4 mpg, a figure that remains fairly constant regardless of vehicle size, Clark said. (It might seem that a larger vehicle, with more aerodynamic drag, would see more of an impact. But larger vehicles also tend to have larger, more powerful engines that can more easily cope with the added load.) That's where those 54 cents a gallon estimate comes from. If a car gets 28 mpg at 65 mph, driving it at 75 would drop that to 24 mpg. Fuel costs over 100 miles, for example - estimated at $3.25 a gallon would increase by $1.93, or the cost
of an additional 0.6 gallons of gas. That would be like paying 54 cents a gallon more for each of the 3.6 gallons used at 65 mph. That pergallon price difference remains constant over any distance. Engineers at Consumer Reports magazine tested this theory by driving a Toyota Camry sedan and a Mercury Mountaineer SUV at various set cruising speeds on a stretch of flat highway. Driving the Camry at 75 mph instead of 65 dropped fuel economy from 35 mpg to 30. For the Mountaineer, fuel economy dropped from 21 to 18. Over the course of a 400mile road trip, the Camry driver would spend about $6.19 more on gas at the higher speed and Mountaineer driver would spend an extra $10.32. Driving even slower, say 55 mph could save slightly more gas. In fact, the old national 55 mph speed limit, instituted in 1974, was a response to the period's energy crisis. It was about more than just high gas prices, though. The crisis of the time involved literal gasoline shortages due to an international
Things We Need....... • Toilet Paper We are in desperate need of toilet pa• Ketchup per. Sometimes people do not like to donate • Ham slices money and would rather donate products. We • Ground beef spend anywhere from $1500 to $2500 a month • Eggs on this product. It changes at different times of • Milk the year. We need this product donated as well • Juice as many other products. What some people have • Pancake syrup done was to set up food donation programs at • Sugar the office or where they live. One lady last year • Coffee made a little flyer and passed it out in her com• Spaghetti munity asking her neighbors to buy a little extra when they went to the store and then bring it to • Spaghetti sauce her house once a week. Her little flyer said, • Veggies “When you buy that TP buy some for • Fruit in cans the homeless and bring it to me.” It was so nice • Salt and pepper to see her show up weekly with a truck full of • Tuna fish supplies. She would bring her kids who were • Oatmeal young like maybe five years old weekly. She would tell her kids little things like, “You see this food it is going to kids who don't have any snacks or food.” Once in a while her kids would be eating their own snack and they would come up to us handing their little half eaten snack and say “here give to peeeeopple who hungy.....” She was grooming them for a life of giving to others. It was the cutest little thing. So today with no delay start a food drive at your church or office or even where you live, allow us to put your generous support in the form of smiles. If you are short on your time you can try to collect gift cards from Publix and send them to the: Put a Smile on A Face Campaign P.O. box 292-577 Davie Florida 33329
embargo. Gas stations were sometimes left with none to sell, and gas sales had to be rationed. The crisis passed, but the national 55 mph speed limit stayed on the books until the law was loosened in the 1980s. It was finally dropped altogether in 1995. (The law stuck around more because of an apparent safety benefit than for fuel saving.) Despite today's high gas prices, don't expect to see a return to the national 55 mph speed limit. The law was unpopular in its day, and higher speeds have become so insti-
tutionalized that even the Environmental Protection Agency's fuel economy test cycle now includes speeds of up to 80 mph. Driving 10 miles per hour faster, assuming you don't lose time getting pulled over for a speeding ticket, does have the advantage of getting you to your destination 50 minutes sooner on that 400 mile trip. Whether that time difference is worth the added cost and risk is, ultimately, up to you. Source CNN
"They don't have to worry about the damage to the property, they don't have to worry about families that are disrupted, they don't have to worry about the burden on our primary downtown park. They don't have any of those other things to worry about, and we do." Officials say Lake Eola Park, so important to Orlando's identity that it's on the city seal, must be protected. Advocates say they want the feedings in the park precisely because it is so prominent -- they want to bring attention to the issue of homelessness. Enforcement on hold One person -- 21-year-old
Eric Montanez -- has been arrested for violating the ordinance, but he was acquitted by a jury last fall. The city has stopped enforcing the rules, pending the outcome of next week's trial. Meanwhile, the weekly feedings by Food Not Bombs and First Vagabonds Church of God continue. "They have not missed a single feeding since the ordinance was passed," Dowd said. "They've been there, rain or shine." Mark Schlueb homelessnewswire
Orlando's Homeless-Feeding Trial (Continued from page 1)
homeless advocates, police officers, Lake Eola-area business owners and even a homeless man. The civil lawsuit, which is being watched by cities and homeless advocates across the country, pits the rights of the downtrodden against the government's right to regulate the use of public spaces. Even away from the courtroom, the issue will be hard to ignore. Orlando Food Not Bombs, one of two groups that sued the city over its 2-year-old feeding regulations, plans to feed the homeless outside the U.S. District Courthouse. There could be a crowd; the building is only two blocks from the
city's largest homeless shelter. Many free meals banned The city regulations restrict how many people can be fed in city parks, effectively banning any single group from holding large feedings more than twice a year. City leaders said they have to balance the rights of the downtrodden against the need to protect parks. That's the argument they'll bring to U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell's Courtroom 5A on Monday. "The plaintiffs only have to worry about espousing and demonstrating and projecting their political point," City Attorney Mayanne Downs said.
Old House Telephones? We Need Them! Send To: 1203 N. Federal highway Hollywood, Fl 33020