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Volume XI, Issue 8
Ready for Flu Season
Prosecutors clear Fort Lauderdale police of anti-homeless allegations
By Rafael A. Olmeda and Brittany Wallman South Florida Sun Sentinel
Broward prosecutors have dismissed a claim that Fort Lauderdale police officers unfairly targeted homeless people to win days off or gift cards to a movie theater. The complaints were brought last year by veteran officer Michael Hennessy, who said senior officers developed incentives that resulted in the unfair treatment of homeless people in Fort Lauderdale. The police department never disputed the existence of the incentives over a brief period in 2008, but has consistently denied that they were unfair in concept or in practice. The police department’s Internal Affairs department ruled in a June report that various incentives did not result in any illegal activity, though they have since been ended. The investigation was then turned over to the Broward State Attorney’s Office for an independent review. The office’s closeout memo, dated Sept. 10, was obtained Friday by the Sun Sentinel. Its investigation like(Continued on pg 5)
* Little Ryan * Earnest Bowens & Family * Ed & Ruth * Rudy * Lisa * John McLean * Darren * Jan Cerrito * Rev. Patrick O’Shen * Angela Forrest & Family * Angelo * Maria Dragon * Blanch Lake * Dave Nerau * Megan * Theresa * Allen Rosenthal * Gloria Parker * Carlos * Adeel Jamal
Sean Cononie’s not taking any chances of getting the Swine flu
“Ready for Flu Season” on page 4
Halloween
How Technology is helping with Overdoses and the Homeless
History.com
Cathy’s Prayer List To add a name please call 954-410-6275, no menetary donations needed
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these (Continued on pg 5)
By Sean Cononie “what do I do? Should I leave someOver the years we have had our share of one who has a chance to be a canoverdoses mostly because of what I call cer survivor that became homeless “Pill Partying Physicians” and “Drug Dealbecause they can’t work possibly ing Doctors.” OK, Sean, what are these two on the streets in pain?” Most likely new terms you coined? These are the so if they over medicate at home they called “Pain Clinics.” Don’t get me wrong I will also over medicate on the streets am not saying they all are bad providers bewhere no one around may be able to cause some of them do a great job of keephelp them so it is far better for them ing those in pain, pain free but A very high percentage of to live somewhere then again there are those who where someone can people who just prescribe way too much offer help with drug accidently overdose, and when this happens the addiction and overfrantic call over our PA Sysdose prevention. A want to live. tem sounds “We have A Code very high percentBlue, Code Three in room number ……” It age of people who accidently overrepeats and the voice of the person making dose, want to live. the announcement suddenly changes, the tone When we see people a little over and words are more (come quick) words by medicated we usually try to get the saying, “Sean go to room …… bring your person to the hospital. In some cases med bag code three, he’s not breathing.” I they won’t want to so we call 911 and have heard these words way too many times in other cases they do go and the ER over the years. doc sends them right back to us then Some say Sean why do you take people who later on they have to go right back. are on heavy medication such as pain killI have had plenty of arguments with ers? My reply is sarcastic but well deserved, ER docs, on this topic, I have told
Our Purpose: To Help the Homeless Learn How to Help Themselves
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