serving our community since 1997
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COSAC Foundation | PO Box 292-577 Davie, FL 33329 | 954-924-3571
A Time to React
Homeless Voice Staff Writers and Interns area of the USA As we have all heard this month of the cannibal attack in Miami where Rudy Eugenemakes laws that a man who was not homeless- attack and eat the flesh off of Mr. Ronald Poppo’s face target the homewho was homeless, we can only ask ourselves what in the hell made this man commit a less? South hate crime like this and was it the drugs that did it? Most of you know that the HomeFlorida is known less Voice is the leading local agency that studies attacks on the homeless nationwide for this, the local as well as trying to teach the young about the homeless to prevent future attacks. For cities make laws the last 12 years the Homeless Voice was going after pain clinics and was also the first that do not allow agency to go to the Attorney Generals office and also was the first to form a task force a person to feed trying to get control over the over prescribing of powerful narcotics by pain clinics that a homeless perwere causing overdoses in so many kids. Then several months ago Sean Cononie our son. They make it founder started to lobby local cities to make new city code that prevented the sale of against the law for “Fake Pot” which also causes bizarre and violent behavior. In fact, Cononie made sure a a homeless person few months back that the Homeless Voice devoted a whole paper on “Fake Pot” so parto sleep in pubents could understand what it is and what it looks like in case they found this so called lic but you and I household nice smelling product. It can have the same side effects as “Bath Salts” in can fall asleep on which Police believe “The Causeway Cannibal,” Rudy Eugene ingested prior to trying a bus bench and to eat Mr. Poppo’s face off. never get arrested for it. Kids hear these laws and it programs them to once again start Attacks on the homeless are nothing new to South Florida, from the most famous to dehumanize the homeless person. case where three attacks on the homeless were committed in a four hour period leaving Then we have “The Teaching of our Young.” This is when a soup kitchen tries to serve Mr. Norris Gaynor dead on a park bench in Fort Lauderdale. One of the beatings was food to the homeless or a shelter tries to open up a shelter and then it is now in front captured on video and that video became the poster child if you will for all homeless of city commission for approval or denial for them to operate. They will have public attacks. It was so bad it went worldwide in a matter of mincomments at the city meeting where good parents who are utes. Cononie was interviewed by all major press outlets as scared say comments like “we don’t want the homeless shelwell as being featured on the Dr. Phil show where Cononie ter here because they will molest my kids.” “We don’t want What else can a child have in and Gaynor’s sister as well as Dr. Phil went after the creators the shelter here because they are bad for business and propof the “Bum Fights” videos. Experts believe that these videos erty values.” Or comments heard on the streets, “don’t feed the back of their minds but these inspire teens to attacks and sometimes kill the homeless all them that will be like feeding birds and more will come to same comments because they are be fed,” “If they want to eat let them go to a dumpster.” The for fun. To the teens it becomes a sport. When mixed with drugs and alcohol these attacks can easily happen when the now learning from the leaders of worst one ever said was, “let’s poison the dumpsters so when kids have it in the back of their minds that the homeless are they eat from the dumpster they will get sick or even die.” our community and their very own What happens next is even sadder; they bring their kids who no good and they dehumanize the homeless where it becomes ok in their heads to just beat them to death. Some experts also hear their own parents say these comments. Then our elected parents? believe that if the drugs and other substances were not being officials who want to make the voters vote for them will say used the degree of the attacks may not always cause severe the same comments. Then the commissioners and mayors injuries and sometimes death. will then deny the provider the right to serve the homeless. The next reason for these attacks to occur is twofold. According to research collected What else can a child have in the back of their minds but these same comments because by the National Coalition for the Homeless, it seems that when cities pass laws that they are now learning from the leaders of our community and their very own parents? target the homeless, attacks in those same geographic locations seem to increase. What Little Bobby now at 8 years of age has it in the back of his head that the homeless are (Continued on pg 4)
HOMELESS VOICE LAUNCHES NEW PROGRAM The Homeless Voice launches Food Stamps and More to Go only in the city of Hollywood with the help of the local police, adult protective services, fire rescue, EMS and child protective services. Any of the above agencies can refer seniors who are home bound, poor without a car, persons with disabilities home bound and for families without a car/transportation with an open case with Children And Families Services of neglect or neglect prevention. All agencies can contact 954-92-HELP1, fax to 954-926-2022 or email emergency@ homelessvoice.org. The person from that agency will send the contact info via one of the above ways and the Homeless Voice will respond to that person. If the person has no food in their house and is home bound the Homeless Voice will respond with food in less than six hours with food for a period of three days. This must be called in to 954-92-HELP-1 and ask for the Homeless Emergency Management Team. With normal referrals a Vista representative will be sent to the scene with a laptop and will apply for all benefit assistance on their behalf within 3 days of receiving the call. They will be able to apply for Medicaid, Food Stamps, Cash Assistance, and Waiver of Medicare Premium and assistance from The Homeless Voice and National Coalition for the Homeless. The Vista Volunteer will also be able to assist the person in getting Meals on Wheels or set up medical appointments for chronic conditions. According to Sean Cononie founder of the Homeless Voice, “since there have been major cutbacks in state agencies and with the lack of beds for the homeless, agencies must now think outside of the box and prevent new cases of homelessness.” This is a joint project with the National Coalition for the Homeless, Americorps Vista Volunteers and The Homeless Voice. The long term goal would be to get a church in each zip code and have volunteers from that church do outreach in their zip code.
Kids Sickened after Eating Tide Pods Nina Mandell
They may be more convenient for laundry-doers, but experts warn that single-dose laundry packs are sweet, toxic temptation for kids. Concentrated laundry packs like Tide Pods, the brightly colored, onetime use clothing cleaner is being blamed for sickening children all over the U.S. The ‘pods’, which can resemble candy, have been responsible for hundreds of calls to Poison Control Centers, the organization said this week. “The children who are getting into these little pods are developing many more symptoms than we would have expected,” Bruce Ruck, director of drug information and professional education at New Jersey Poison Center, told “Good Morning America.” “The rapid onset of significant symptoms is pretty scary,” said Dr. Michael Beuhler, medical director of the Carolinas Poison Center in a press release. “Other laundry detergents cause only mild stomach upset or even no symptoms at all. Although we aren’t certain what in the product is making the children sick, we urge all parents and caregivers to make sure laundry detergent packs are not accessible to young kids.” Parents have also complained that their children have suffered breathing problems after eating the detergent packets. The Poison Control center reported that in one case, a 15-month-old who bit into a packet and breathed the contents began vomiting and had to be put on a ventilator. A spokesperson from Tide detergent maker Dropps is defending their product but plans to introduce a more child-proof design this summer. “We encourage consumers to keep the products out of the reach of children as with any household chemical,” Dropps said in a statement. The single dose laundry detergent was introduced in the U.S. in February
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About the COSAC Foundation The COSAC Foundation was originally established in May 1997 to partner with other social service agencies, in the area, that provided help to the homeless population. COSAC also independently feeds the homeless. We have grown into a multifaceted agency that feeds, shelters, and arranges for each homeless person to receive the necessary access to social and noncompulsory religious services to enable a return to a self-reliant lifestyle. And for the small percentage of people incapable of living independent lives, we provide a caring and supportive environment for their long-term residency. Our Philosophy COSAC believes that to remain effective we must strive to remain flexible, and be ready to evolve to meet the needs of the homeless with equivalent services. Our Mission Statement To provide the homeless population access to shelter, food, employment opportunities or referrals, as well as access to social services all toward the aim of enabling their return, if possible, to self-reliance. To accomplish this COSAC is the hub organization. We developed the Homeless Voice newspaper, a COSAC funding tool, which has been responsible for employing homeless people and therefore giving them income to survive on the streets. Also, the “The Homeless Voice” is the means by which we advocate on behalf of the homeless population and to educate the public as to the true nature of homelessness and ways we can all work to eliminate the bias against this sector of our population and to help empower those affected by homelessness to regain or maintain their self-esteem and sense of self-worth during their transition through difficult times. The Homeless Voice became the official name of our homeless division, which operates four facilities in Broward County. We created the COSAC Quarters Hotel for the poor, a hotel with 21 rooms that serve the indigent or people with limited income. The clients receive three meals a day at Arnolds Café, named after the great homeless advocate Arnold Abbott. Another agency is the Day Labor Company, employees of which match an outside company labor request with a suitable shelter resident. Lastly, COSAC Foundation decided to become the South Florida County Food pantry. This service helps us provide food for those “nearly homeless” families. Our Vision To end discrimination against the homeless population and to develop such an effective network of services that we greatly reduce the time a person or family emerges out of homelessness back into self-reliance.
Homeless Voice Newspaper Staff Publisher Sean Cononie Editor in Chief Mark Targett Executive Editor Sara Targett Contributing Editor Lois Cross Photos Cynthia Waters www.HomelessVoice.org/contact
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The Homeless Voice June 2012
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The Homeless Voice June 2012
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Memorial Day Picnic Brings Together a Community
Memorial Day at the shelter this year was a time for both residents and guests to gather around and remember our fallen soldiers. Over 300 people (some from the streets) came to enjoy an old fashioned barbeque and friendly company. Thank you to everyone who helped out~
Rain Emergency! Dear Supporters, As you may know I have been out of work as the Director because I was injured in a fire and an electrical incident here at the shelter. The building filled with smoke and we had to evacuate by stairs. I got hurt carrying some of our people to safety who were affected by the smoke and unable to walk for themselves. I carried some down three flights of stairs so they would not die of smoke. I need about five surgeries from the damage done to my body that day. I have been out of work since and it has hurt our budget tremendously. We were barely making it but now the rain has put us in an emergency phase. We are hurting really, really bad and I must stress this is a REAL EMERGENCY and we need your help. We are asking our supporters to assist in helping us raise emergency funds. We are asking you all to dig deep in your couches, your chairs, your ashtrays and yes your piggy banks and add that money up and send in a check to our rain fund. It is a matter of EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. We are about $45,000 in debt for this month alone. Please go to your churches and your friends and duplicate this request. If all our supporters who buy this paper would just send us a check for $5.00 we would make it with no problem- we need your help so bad right now. Please reach out and tell your friends we are the only shelter that takes the ones who are not allowed to go to county shelters because of their disabilities and mental issues. THEY need your help- thank you! Love, Sean COSAC RAIN FUND P.O. Box 292-577 Davie, Florida 33329 Or visit us at www.HomelessVoice.org for more information and secure online donating!
A Time to React (Continued from pg 1)
so bad we should not even feed them. When little Bobby grows up he will hear the same comments and to him the homeless are not even human and it is ok to pick on them because they are not even human. Then when Bobby decides to now explore the world of alcohol and drugs and then stumbles on a homeless person there is a good chance for sure he will mess with them and because of the substance the degree will be very violent and at the same time the teen will laugh as he beats a homeless person to death. After it is all over, the teens cannot believe what they have done and the parents who would have never thought their child was capable of doing a crime like this asks what went wrong. This is a warning to parents and leaders, be careful of who you label and be careful of hate speech because your nice loving family may be torn apart just like the homeless persons family when they are killed. According to Cononie, the poor box at the church was a place he saw his parents put money in it every week at mass. Cononie added, “Parents either need to grow up or shut up and keep their hate speech to themselves. If they can’t stand the homeless so be it, that is their given right, notice how I did not say God Given Right.” He then went on to say “Parents, adults, and our leaders need to at least ‘FAKE IT’ before they teach it to their loved ones.” When it comes to “The Causeway Cannibal,” Eugene’s life changed because out of nowhere he became a cannibal and his behavior suggests that he was on “Bath Salts.” The question remains if he was so messed up and deranged how did he know it was better to attack a homeless person? Was it in the back of his sub conscious, that the homeless were nothing and to eat Poppo was not such a big deal? After all there were many other people he could have attacked but chose not to. Cononie claimed there are no alarms on cardboard boxes which already make the homeless an easy target so more beds are needed as a way to reduce the attacks. The Homeless Voice in the year 1999 was the first agency to call local pharmacies, police, federal agencies, the manufacture of the powerful drug OxyContin made by Purdue Pharma and other players such as members of Congress in a task force titled “Substance Abuse Committee” of Broward County. Cononie took the name of a Student club he formed in the 80’s while attending college to combat the use of drugs in colleges. His work and the work of his committee received a Congressional Record stating that this type of program needed to be duplicated throughout our country having a snowball effect. The mission of this new committee was to go after pain clinics and the maker of the drug OxyContin due to the way the pill was designed. Cononie, a pain sufferer himself, insisted that treating pain was needed but to place ads in alternative news magazines seeking new customers for narcotics was just a way for a doctor to become a Pill Mill. In fact he coined these drug pushing clinics two new terms, “Pill Partying Physicians”
and “Drug Dealing Doctors.” His research included that these doctors prescribed the cocktail of death. They prescribed 80 mg of OxyContin, 2 mg of Xanix, and Percocet for the so called breakthrough pain. Then for the added kick if that cocktail was not good enough for the high a little soma was added for muscle relaxation. Cononie stated, “One problem …the heart is a muscle and when we relax it too much it shuts down.” He found these doctors did not prescribe any type of Physical Therapy and their pen is what caused the overdoses. He also found out these pain clinics only took cash. According to Cononie the kids and addicts would take the OxyContin which was a time released medication and crush it therefore getting 80 mg of Heroin at once, the end result when mixed with the others is a moment of death. Cononie told Purdue to make a smart pill where if crushed it would deactivate the narcotic but it took them almost ten years to put a new pill that was sort of tamper resistance. He flew to Tallahassee to meet with the Attorney General’s office and pleaded with them to join other states and do a class action suit against Purdue. Purdue claimed that OxyContin was not addictive because it was time released and they knew it could easily be misused. If this was not too much he later found out that a kid could order these drugs online without even seeing a doctor. All it took was a credit card and an address and a few questions to get your own dope. It did not matter if you had pain. All you needed was to say “Yes” and in a few days right to their door step came powerful narcotics. He then met with Congressman Peter Deutch in Washington DC to show him how easy it was to buy narcotics online. Then came the first local online Doctor/Pharmacy bust in Broward County. Cononie stated, “all it took was letters to leaders putting them on notice to a potential problem and no politician wants to be put on notice that kids are dying and fail to do something about it.” He added that Deutsch was not your normal politician, no studies, no reports, nothing but to show some ads of pain clinics and to be shown that you can buy drugs without seeing a doctor was all that was needed for Deutsch to push the mighty pen and to advice agency heads that we had a problem. He then put them on notice saying this needs to be looked at. Cononie offered several suggestions to policy makers on how to deal with addiction and the misuse of these powerful drugs. He offered ways to stop patients from going from doctor to doctor and getting many different prescriptions and then selling them to being able to afford their own drugs. He called for a database to keep count of how many pills a person would get at all pharmacies. This was known as “Doctor Shopping.” For those who had real addiction issues but did not abuse the drug or who had potential to become addicted he suggested that the doctors should write a 7 day supply of the meds therefore helping the dependent person control his dependency but to also prevent the large sale of meds all at one time. It would be harder for the person to sell
The question remains if he was so messed up and deranged how did he know it was better to attack a homeless person?
(Continued on pg 6)
Homeless Female Vets at Risk
5 The Homeless Voice June 2012
Tom Philpott
The Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program (GPDP), a key tool for achieving VA’s goal of ending veterans’ homelessness by 2015, has suffered lax oversight and administrative failings, the VA inspector general found in a recent audit. The audit was released a few weeks after VA announced that veteran homelessness fell by 12 percent last year, and that it sought a 33-percent increase, to $1.35 billion, in funding to sustain that momentum. The American Legion has been an advocate for more GPDP funding, recognizing the program’s positive effect on decreasing the number of homeless veterans by providing transitional housing supportive services. VA already had more than doubled, to $224 million a year, funding for GPDP in the past four years. But the IG results remind VA leaders and Congress that funding hikes alone, without proper controls and standards, can cause waste and even put at risk the safety and security of veterans in need, particularly homeless women. Under the VA program, providers of support housing or homeless centers receive grants that cover up to 65 percent of the cost of acquiring, renovating, or constructing facilities. Separate per diem agreements help community-based organizations that support homeless veterans with operating expenses. Other grants cover special-needs categories of homeless veterans, including women, the terminally ill or the chronically mentally ill. VA officials, in evaluating grant applications, have been lax in identifying or analyzing risks, the OIG found, and have failed to set standards to ensure security and privacy. Women have been living in mixed-gender facilities without adequate locks on bedrooms and bathrooms or adequate lighting in halls and stairways. In some facilities, men and women were assigned to the same floors with no restriction set on access. More than a quarter failed to ensure safe storage of vets’ prescribed medications, including narcotics. Problems in the program, which VA medical facilities administer locally, spurred the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to conduct a hearing to review the progress in ending homelessness and the challenges uncovered in delivering rehabilitative services and housing assistance. One challenge in many local areas is a lack of reliable information on the extent of the problem, Linda Halliday, VA’s deputy assistant inspector general for audits and evaluations, told the committee. “You have to have a needs assessment so you know where to deliver the services and what’s really needed,” she said. “And we didn’t see the program information in place to make those good decisions.” Sandra Strickland, and Army veteran made homeless after fleeing the threat of domestic violence and finding herself unemployed, said she turned to VA for help but received only a list of local shelters. Sen. Patty Murray, chairman of the committee, expressed disappointment that VA didn’t do more for Strickland, such as assigning a case manager to at least help with employment or training services. Sen. Richard Burr, the committee’s ranking Republican, urged VA to form closer partnerships with faith-based and other community organizations to help local homeless vets get shelter, care, training and jobs to become productive again. He praised the way that the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) and the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville, N.C., work together. The Rev. Scott Rogers, the ministry’s executive director, testified that with VA’s help and strong support from The American Legion, ABCCM served 437 homeless veterans last year, ended homelessness for 302 through a jobs program, and placed 87 disabled veterans in permanent supportive housing.
In some facilities, men and women were assigned to the same floors with no restriction set on access. More than a quarter failed to ensure safe storage of vets’ prescribed medications, including narcotics.
On Spirituality Deacon Bob
Homily from Feast of Corpus Christi You are what you eat. We have often heard this statement, and many of us wince as we think of the junk food and fat that we put into our bodies. It is difficult to remember a time in history where more concern was put on diet. Just look at the number of diets and promised quick weight loss gimmicks that are around today, especially here in America where we have been blessed with so much. There is a common theme that runs through all of these plans though and that is to make smart choices. Once we have been educated with the best science can give us today, it is then up to us as individuals to decide what we should eat and what to avoid, and if we do this most of the time we will enjoy good health. This sounds simple, yet we know from experience just how difficult that can be. My problem is I know what to eat and I eat the right foods- I just have too much of it. Have you ever eaten a half cup of anything? Serving size are my two least favorite words in the world. There are other problems with being disciplined in a diet as well. Family and friends. When we get together we eat. We talk about food, where we are going to buy it, how we will cook it, will we eat inside or out, and really, are you going to stay on our diet when we are celebrating life? A birthday, a baptism, a graduation. In light of all of this I have
Work From Home developed my own diet. It begins on Tuesday and ends on Thursday. Today we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, the body and blood of Christ. The most important meal any of us will ever eat. The bread of life, the cup of salvation, and we do this as a family. We come to the table of the feast, the table where the greatest gift of God has been given to us. The gift of Gods own self to nourish us, to strengthen us, to give us Gods character that we can be like God in compassion, like God in forgiveness, like God in love. That you and I are what we eat takes n a whole new meaning in light of the Eucharist. In the sharing of this meal we share in Christ. The sacrifices that we make as parents and grandparents are united to the cross of Christ. The love that we pour out as caretakers for the elders and sick in our life is mixed with his blood. Our very lives become entwined, yours and mine and ours and Jesus’. We share a meal today that unites us in a very special way, we are truly brothers and sisters, we are truly sons and daughters of the most high God. We are nourished by a loving parent with strength for the journey. And all we have to do is say Amen.
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large quantities of this drug if 7 day scripts were written. Cononie also took concern that the law makers and people he met with were not concerned with people who were in real pain. A system needed to be developed but how would it affect people who were in real pain was Cononie’s main concern, would new laws limit meds to patients? It took Florida almost 12 years to make the policy and the policy they now made is done wrong. Cononie now says people who are in real pain are not getting the meds they need. The state needed to come up with better plans and to offer ways for patients to be detoxed. Cononie claims now we will have more robberies of pharmacies where harm will come to those who serve medication. He also said that street heroin will now be present where kids will share dirty needles to stay high therefore causing more cases of AIDS and Hepatitis. He also suggested that we should not be surprised if we see patients at cancer treatment centers being followed from their center to their pharmacy and when the patient exits the store for them to be robbed or killed just to get their meds. Cononie stated he is hoping that the state reacts faster with “Fake Pot and Bath Salts” than they did on pain clinics. Many deaths occurred because the state dragged their feet in making laws to protect our children, our families and friends. How many overdoses does it take to get leaders to react fast? The answer is a whole graduating class at high school in any given year. Cononie also said he is so pleased that local politicians are now making their own policy when it becomes a threat to public safety. By cities making laws that ban the sale of these dangerous products such as Bath Salts and Fake Pot we can now start to control what is taking place a lot faster than waiting for the state or the federal government to come up with laws. If these products would have been illegal to sell or have in their possession then just maybe Mr. Poppo would not have been attacked where he now has no face. Sure maybe Rudy Eugene may still be addicted to drugs if this was the case, but the drugs would not be Bath Salts and Fake Pot where we are now seeing several of these incidents taking place more and more. People are being eaten alive, dads have eaten their son’s eyes and famous rappers have also eaten people all because they have turned a household product into a dangerous drug if used incorrectly. If this is the case where a product can become so dangerous it causes a person to strip down and eat their loved ones or in this case a homeless man minding his own business what do we do? Cononie insists that as adults and even in our younger population when we see things going south we just cannot shake our heads and say, “that is a shame.” Cononie goes on to say, “if we see a problem we need to react fast and put a halt in a system until it can be researched in a timely manner. Emergency room doctors, mental health providers, police officers, EMT’s and providers such as myself have all known that this fake pot exists and it causes severe issues and violent behavior and when we see that happening we need to write letters and let our leaders know of this. If the leaders can take a break and make a short term city code or state law stopping this type of product from being sold, it may make a difference.” Cononie added, “Better yet when we know there is an issue we need to educate people and let them know of the side effects in some people. We need to teach them today, not the day after they die or kill a person.” Cononie goes on to say, “This is our world, our community and when we know there are issues that need to be addressed do not give up but become strong in numbers and form task forces and write letters and put the people we pay on notice and make them accountable, most politicians believe or not do care but they do get sidetracked. They will respond in time especially when you send them an email and cc a copy to the local press.” He then ends with, “The press and words from your pen become as mighty as the pens the doctors from pain clinics use to over prescribe powerful meds that are killing our loved ones….. It really does work…”
What is it? A synthetic, stimulant powder product that contains amphetaminelike chemicals, including mephedrone, which may have a high risk for overdose. Because the drug is new and some of the contents unknown, using it in any way is highly dangerous. Right now, bath salts are illegal in a growing number of U.S. states, as well as foreign countries like Canada, Australia and Great Britain. The Risks Between January and February 2011, there were over 250 calls to U.S. poison centers related to bath salts. This is well over the 236 calls received for all of 2010. Bath salts are a dangerous drug whose full risks and effects are still unknown. What doctors at poison centers have reported is that bath salts can cause rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, chest pains, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia and delusions.
In January HV ran an entire paper devoted to the sale of these products above. “Synthetic Pot” and “Bath Salts” are attracting kids and teens with their easy availability and colorful packaging- and sending them to the hospital.
Long-Term Effects Bath salts are a relatively new drug, so it’s hard to know the full long-term effects, but they seem to have many similarities to methamphetamine (meth). Taking a lot of it for a long time can lead to emotional and physical “crash-like” feelings of depression, anxiety and intense cravings for more of the drug. The Bottom Line Since it contains amphetamine-like chemicals, bath salts will always carry the risk of stroke, heart attack and sudden death. It may be legal in some states, but so is rat poison, and you probably wouldn’t want to ingest that either. Abovetheinfluence.com
Sunrise Becomes First in Broward to Ban Synthetic Pot of the other cities are going to ban it. I don’t want them selling it in Davie when the other Sunrise has become the first city in Broward — and the second in the state — to ban the cities aren’t allowing it.” herbal incense meant to give those who smoke it a high. Until the state steps in, the cities have no choice but to take action, Tamarac Mayor Synthetic marijuana, known on the street as “Spice,” “Mr. Nice Guy” and other colorful Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco said. “We have to do something because it’s the right thing names, is sending some people who smoke it to the hospital — or the morgue, experts say. Side to do.” effects include rapid heart rate, anxiety, nausea, seizures, hallucinations, renal failure and, in At least nine states, including Florida, have tried to outlaw the chemicals used to make extreme cases, death. synthetic marijuana. Florida law bans herbal incense, but only if it is for human conSunrise commissioners gave unanimous approval to the ban Tuesday night. sumption. Others may be close behind, including Broward and Miami-Dade counties, Coral Springs, Manufacturers have skirted state and federal laws banning the chemicals by changing Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Lauderhill, Margate, Pembroke the compounds and labeling the packets as herbal incense “not for human consumpPines, Pompano Beach and Tamarac. tion.” Sweetwater says it became the first city in the nation to outlaw synthetic marijuana Deerfield Beach is expected to give final approval to a ban June 19. Pompano Beach officials gave initial approval to a ban on Tuesday; Davie and Tamarac when it banned the sale of loose leaf or granular inofficials plan to vote on a similar ban in July. cense on May 21. Synthetic marijuana also has caught the attention of city ofAnyone caught selling loose leaf or granular incense ficials in Palm Beach County, but so far there is no plan to in Sweetwater will be fined $500 per day and/or face ban the product city by city, said Richard Radcliffe, executive “It’s another dangerous cocktail of chemicals. up to 60 days in jail. director of the Palm Beach County League of Cities. In Sunrise, violators would be issued a code violaThey’re going to keep changing it and we’re tion “We’re all monitoring it,” Radcliffe said. “It’s on the radar. and have to appear before a special magistrate. Rather than doing legislation every three weeks, we’re look- going to keep up with them. We’re not giving up Sunrise also plans to make it illegal to manufacture ing to see what Tallahassee and the feds are doing. The burner pot and to sell bath salts — the synthetic drug no matter how often they change the names or fake is getting turned up on this. But it’s important to do something police officials suspect that Rudy Eugene, the man comprehensive that you don’t have to change.” dubbed the Causeway Cannibal, may have taken bethe chemicals.” Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan spoke of the need for federal and fore attacking a homeless man in Miami. state legislation to tackle the issue. In Sunrise, the same gas stations and convenience “We can’t do this by municipality alone,” he said. “In years stores selling fake pot are selling so-called bath salts, past we had children who sniffed glue or sniffed paint. But Ryan said. we’ve never faced something as dangerous as this, where an entire industry is marketing this as The Sunrise ban would not outlaw the sale of legitimate bath salts, but would target the safe and benign. This is called synthetic pot by the people marketing it because no one would chemical concoction of bath salts meant to get people high, Ryan said. Those bath salts buy it if it was called synthetic meth or synthetic cocaine or synthetic poison.” are sold in small quantities for up to $35 a packet. Gas stations and convenience stores started pulling packets from shelves two weeks ago when “They call them bath salts, but they are not used in baths,” Ryan said. “It’s another Sunrise commissioners gave initial approval to a ban on all incense that’s not on a stick, in an dangerous cocktail of chemicals. They’re going to keep changing it and we’re going to effort to outlaw fake weed. keep up with them. We’re not giving up no matter how often they change the names or In May, Sweetwater became the first city in Florida to pass a similar ban on synthetic marithe chemicals.” juana. “I know of one kid that has gone to the hospital,” Davie Councilman Marlon Luis said. “Some Susannah Bryan
HV Director Sean Cononie fields questions from local reporters (Above) Mark Powers weighs in on the Causeway Cannibal and homeless hate crimes (Inset)
The Homeless Voice June 2012
The Homeless Voice June 2012
6
What is it? A synthetic, stimulant powder product that contains amphetaminelike chemicals, including mephedrone, which may have a high risk for overdose. Because the drug is new and some of the contents unknown, using it in any way is highly dangerous. Right now, bath salts are illegal in a growing number of U.S. states, as well as foreign countries like Canada, Australia and Great Britain. The Risks Between January and February 2011, there were over 250 calls to U.S. poison centers related to bath salts. This is well over the 236 calls received for all of 2010. Bath salts are a dangerous drug whose full risks and effects are still unknown. What doctors at poison centers have reported is that bath salts can cause rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, chest pains, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia and delusions.
e paper devoted to the sale of these ove. “Synthetic Pot” and “Bath acting kids and teens with their ty and colorful packaging- and ng them to the hospital.
Long-Term Effects Bath salts are a relatively new drug, so it’s hard to know the full long-term effects, but they seem to have many similarities to methamphetamine (meth). Taking a lot of it for a long time can lead to emotional and physical “crash-like” feelings of depression, anxiety and intense cravings for more of the drug. The Bottom Line Since it contains amphetamine-like chemicals, bath salts will always carry the risk of stroke, heart attack and sudden death. It may be legal in some states, but so is rat poison, and you probably wouldn’t want to ingest that either. Abovetheinfluence.com
Sunrise Becomes First in Broward to Ban Synthetic Pot of the other cities are going to ban it. I don’t want them selling it in Davie when the other Sunrise has become the first city in Broward — and the second in the state — to ban the cities aren’t allowing it.” herbal incense meant to give those who smoke it a high. Until the state steps in, the cities have no choice but to take action, Tamarac Mayor Synthetic marijuana, known on the street as “Spice,” “Mr. Nice Guy” and other colorful Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco said. “We have to do something because it’s the right thing names, is sending some people who smoke it to the hospital — or the morgue, experts say. Side to do.” effects include rapid heart rate, anxiety, nausea, seizures, hallucinations, renal failure and, in At least nine states, including Florida, have tried to outlaw the chemicals used to make extreme cases, death. synthetic marijuana. Florida law bans herbal incense, but only if it is for human conSunrise commissioners gave unanimous approval to the ban Tuesday night. sumption. Others may be close behind, including Broward and Miami-Dade counties, Coral Springs, Manufacturers have skirted state and federal laws banning the chemicals by changing Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Lauderhill, Margate, Pembroke the compounds and labeling the packets as herbal incense “not for human consumpPines, Pompano Beach and Tamarac. tion.” Sweetwater says it became the first city in the nation to outlaw synthetic marijuana Deerfield Beach is expected to give final approval to a ban June 19. Pompano Beach officials gave initial approval to a ban on Tuesday; Davie and Tamarac when it banned the sale of loose leaf or granular inofficials plan to vote on a similar ban in July. cense on May 21. Synthetic marijuana also has caught the attention of city ofAnyone caught selling loose leaf or granular incense ficials in Palm Beach County, but so far there is no plan to in Sweetwater will be fined $500 per day and/or face ban the product city by city, said Richard Radcliffe, executive “It’s another dangerous cocktail of chemicals. up to 60 days in jail. director of the Palm Beach County League of Cities. In Sunrise, violators would be issued a code violaThey’re going to keep changing it and we’re tion “We’re all monitoring it,” Radcliffe said. “It’s on the radar. and have to appear before a special magistrate. Rather than doing legislation every three weeks, we’re look- going to keep up with them. We’re not giving up Sunrise also plans to make it illegal to manufacture ing to see what Tallahassee and the feds are doing. The burner pot and to sell bath salts — the synthetic drug no matter how often they change the names or fake is getting turned up on this. But it’s important to do something police officials suspect that Rudy Eugene, the man comprehensive that you don’t have to change.” dubbed the Causeway Cannibal, may have taken bethe chemicals.” Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan spoke of the need for federal and fore attacking a homeless man in Miami. state legislation to tackle the issue. In Sunrise, the same gas stations and convenience “We can’t do this by municipality alone,” he said. “In years stores selling fake pot are selling so-called bath salts, past we had children who sniffed glue or sniffed paint. But Ryan said. we’ve never faced something as dangerous as this, where an entire industry is marketing this as The Sunrise ban would not outlaw the sale of legitimate bath salts, but would target the safe and benign. This is called synthetic pot by the people marketing it because no one would chemical concoction of bath salts meant to get people high, Ryan said. Those bath salts buy it if it was called synthetic meth or synthetic cocaine or synthetic poison.” are sold in small quantities for up to $35 a packet. Gas stations and convenience stores started pulling packets from shelves two weeks ago when “They call them bath salts, but they are not used in baths,” Ryan said. “It’s another Sunrise commissioners gave initial approval to a ban on all incense that’s not on a stick, in an dangerous cocktail of chemicals. They’re going to keep changing it and we’re going to effort to outlaw fake weed. keep up with them. We’re not giving up no matter how often they change the names or In May, Sweetwater became the first city in Florida to pass a similar ban on synthetic marithe chemicals.” juana. “I know of one kid that has gone to the hospital,” Davie Councilman Marlon Luis said. “Some Susannah Bryan
The Homeless Voice June 2012
BATH SALTS-The FACTS Brand names include Blizzard, Blue Silk, Charge+, Ivory Snow, Ivory Wave, Ocean Burst, Pure Ivory, Purple Wave, Snow 7 Leopard, Stardust, Vanilla Sky, White Dove, White Knight and White Lightning
The Homeless Voice June 2012
8
Financial Advice for Teens, From Teens
Prayer for Religious Liberty
Amanda Buchanan
Talk about teen angst. Just in case you thought worries about money were solely the domain of adults, you can go ahead and put that assumption to rest. Most teens are still entering life after high school without the knowledge necessary to properly manage their finances. It’s no wonder: In 2011, only 20 states required that personal finance be taught to students in some form -- and not even necessarily through a dedicated personal finance class. The results of the most recent National Financial Capability Challenge aren’t any more encouraging. The Challenge tests teens’ financial knowledge about everything from earning and saving money to taxes and insurance. The national average for 2012 was only 69% -- barely passing on most grading scales. We caught up with three students who did exceptionally well on the Challenge and asked them where they got their money smarts. These three students all had important resources to thank for their financial know-how: parents who taught them the importance of money management at a young age and continued through their lives, and the opportunity to take a personal finance class at their high school in Mansfield, Mass. Max Kinney, 17, and Chris Nugent, 18, both received perfect scores on the National Financial Capability Challenge, and Carlos Gomez, 18, was awarded a scholarship for also being a top scorer. We asked them to share their top money management tips for fellow teens, and here’s the advice they gave: 1. Find a way to save, no matter how small. Max says he first started saving when he was 7 because he wanted a video game console. The savings habit stuck, and he’s continued saving since then, dedicating the past few years to saving for college. “Teenagers may not have a regular paycheck,” he says, “but they do receive money from gifts and odd jobs. They need to always save some of that money every time they get some.” No surprise, all three of the financial teen gurus cited savings as something that should be a top priority for their peers. Whether it’s a little or a lot, putting money in a fee-free savings account that offers interest is a smart way to grow your money. 2. Stay away from credit cards. Carlos wants to give his peers a heads-up about the dark side of using credit cards: “Be careful of credit cards, because they are a good thing if you know how to use them wisely, but they can lead you into a spending spree, and into debt.” The danger of debt is something that Chris learned about at an early age: “In middle school I read an article which stated that if a young couple spent $5,000 on a credit card and if that couple only paid the minimum payment each month, it would take over 30 years and over $30,000 to pay off that balance.” 3. Budget. Chris advises his fellow teens to become more aware of how much they spend and on what: “Only through tracking expenses and budgeting will you fully be able to understand where your money is going,” he says. The only way to figure out how to save more is to see exactly where your money goes, he says.
O GOD OUR CREATOR, from your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ. Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society. We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty. Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith. Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters gathered in your Church in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome — for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us — this great land will always be “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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9 The Homeless Voice June 2012
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Absoloot & ShoMi Bubble Drive
The Homeless Voice June 2012
ShoMi Entertainment and Absoloot partner to create the EP entitled “Our Voice” to support the work of South Florida nonprofit, The Homeless Voice. Within just over 2 weeks “Our Voice” has risen to the number 1 political hip hop album on cdbaby.com. Absoloot’s music is powerful, relevant and current, and often features emotional outpourings and pleas for social change. The new hit featured on “Our Voice,” “99%,” demonstrates his support and shows solidarity for the majority of people, who are cornered by lack, corruption and misuse of power by politicians, leaving them, the 99 percent of the population, to struggle. In the anthem “American Soldier” Absoloot describes his support for America’s freedom fighting heroes, whom he has great respect for and honors with his music. “Our Voice” was created to help those less fortunate and anyone in the process of rebuilding their life. If you would like to support a great cause “Our Voice” can be purchased at www.cdbaby.com/cd/absoloot17 and asiamrecords.com. “’Our Voice’ continues the musical journey I began at the beginning of my career, and it’s my hope that music once again can galvanize people and benefit causes,” said Absoloot. “Through this album, I stay true to myself, my music and my fans. I hope they recognize themselves in some of my work, and realize that by standing together, social change is possible, and dreams can be accomplished.” ShoMi Entertainment has also partnered with local churches to collect items that are donated the least. ShoMi entertainment calls this the “Bubble Drive” and has already collected thousands of items for the homeless. ShoMi Entertainment would like to give a special thanks to Weekes and Callaway, and everyone who’s given thus far. If you would like to participate in the “Bubble Drive” please contact ShoMi at 305-330-0224 or ShoMiLoveFL@gmail.com.
Well who isn’t stressing over fears of recession Got close to the great depression Really hope you learned a lesson Always expect the unexpected When these thieves talk investing I can’t even trust the news There’s too many different views Too easy to get confused Then these commentators Claim they got the latest If we listen they can save us Even though some still blame us Some claim they got the facts Make up poll numbers just to show you they have stats So if these politicians paying then their rising in the polls Hope you buying what their saying cause their selling their soul It won’t take a change of weather just to know that their cold It looks green on their side as I look over the fence I got my back against the wall I’m on the 99% 99% I’m the 99% Got my back against the wall I’m the 99%
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The Homeless Voice June 2012
Photo by Cynthia Waters