When entering into a

It’s Longo Time

States of America’s Navy at war time. Alex our prayers go out to you all and we hope there is a time we see no more pictures on TV of our soldiers who have lost their life bringing peace and democracy in the world. -Sean Cononie (Continued from page 1)

Eddies Silverware Campaign

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.

Homeless advocates challenge presidential candidate Hilton to outline homelessness stance

WASHINGTON, D.C. —In the latest bout of media warfare between presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, McCain released a television ad comparing the celebrity status of Obama to that of pop culture icons Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Responding to the McCain ad with a short video of her own, Hilton thanked the “wrinkly, white-haired guy” for his “endorsement” for President, saying that she is, “like, totally ready to lead.” In her video, Hilton outlined her energy plan. She advocated for both limited offshore drilling and tax incentives to Detroit automakers to produce hybrid and electric cars. On Thursday, August 7, the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) sent a letter to Hilton challenging her to expand her platform and outline her stance on the issue of homelessness in America. “We’re hopeful that Hilton will use her candidacy to make ending homelessness a national priority,” said Michael Stoops, Acting Executive Director of NCH. “Any candidate for public office, particularly for the presidency of the United States, should have an informed, detailed plan for addressing this national embarrassment.” Though both McCain and Obama have records of supporting welfare programs and government-funded housing projects, neither has made poverty a central issue to his campaign. Conversations about the economy, the health care industry, alternative energy sources and the housing crisis have focused more heavily on their impacts on middle-class Ameri

Life expectancy of homeless is thirty years less than that of the general public

cans. In any given year, an estimated 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness. 1.35 million of these individuals are children, and as many as 200,000 homeless persons are veterans. The life expectancy of homeless Americans is thirty years less than that of the general public, in part because persons who are homeless are less likely than others to receive health and mental health care. Recently-released data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shows that the number of “chronically homeless per- (Continued on page 7)

History of Labor Day

Labor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general "last fling of summer" festival. It grew out of a celebration and parade in honor of the working class by the Knights of Labor in 1882 in New York. In 1884, the Knights held a large parade in New York City celebrating the working class. The parade was held on the first Monday in September. The Knights passed a resolution to hold all future parades on the same day, designated by them as Labor Day. The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May 1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by Socialists and Communists in commemoration of the working man. In the U.S., the first Monday in September was selected to reject any identification with Communism. In the late 1880's, labor organizations began to lobby various state legislatures for recognition of Labor Day as an official state holiday. The first states to declare it a state holiday in, 1887, were Oregon, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Then in 1894, Congress passed a law recognizing Labor Day as an official national holiday. Today, Labor Day is observed not only in the U.S. but also in Canada, and in other industrialized nations. While it is a general holiday in the United States, its roots in the working class remain clearer in European countries. It has come to be recognized in the U.S. not only as a celebration of the working class, but even more so as the unofficial end of the summer season. In the northern half of the U.S. at least, the summer vacation season begins with Memorial Day and ends with Labor Day. Many colleges and some secondary and elementary schools begin classes immediately after Labor Day. State parks, swimming pools, and campgrounds are all quite busy on Labor Day, as vacationers take one last advantage of the waning hot season. September is the month that marks the beginning of autumn. And, because of that, the average daytime maximum temperatures take a plunge during the month in most of the U.S. -homelessnewswire Labor Day is observed not only in Labor Day is observed not only in Labor Day is observed not only in the U.S. but also in Canada, and in the U.S. but also in Canada, and in the U.S. but also in Canada, and in other industrialized nations other industrialized nations