As an all-too-real threat approached New Orleans and a convention was covered by the media as if it were a soap opera or football game in St. Paul, Sen. Bernie Sanders toured Vermont to raise awareness of the role juvenile delinquency prevention programs play in our communities; he shone a light on real life slavery taking place on farms in Florida; and he continued the push for desperately-needed home energy assistance. Congress returns from August recess next week. All this while the economy continues to go in the wrong direction.

Youth Programs Sen. Bernie Sanders has secured money for the tutoring program at Bennington's Mount Anthony Union High School. Sanders, an independent, will be at the high school library today to make a formal announcement with Principal Sue Maguire and tutors and students from the program. "I am proud to support a program that gives at-risk kids the extra help they need to be successful students," Sanders said according to the Bennington Banner. Sanders will also announce federal funding to support juvenile delinquency prevention programs in Vermont during a news conference on in Montpelier, according to The Burlington Free Press online and The Associated Press Daybook.

Heating-Oil Editorial "The high price of heating oil threatens to create a financial crisis for many households in the Upper Valley and across New England. And a heating-oil crisis, though less dramatic than a hurricane or a flood or a wildfire, carries with it the same potential for disastrous consequences," editorialized the Valley News. "To their great credit, a coalition of 20 nonprofit agencies in the Upper Valley has recognized the severity of the situation and is taking steps to contain it... In New England, warmth is every bit as essential as food and shelter, and individual generosity is one way to take the chill out of winter.

Vt. Guard on Hurricane Duty Thirty-one members of the Vermont Air National Guard left the state Wednesday morning to help people on the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Gustav. At the same time, 120 members of the Army Guard have been called up to prepare for two other hurricanes that are approaching the U.S. Captain Kate Irish says the members of the Air Guard landed yesterday afternoon in Alexandria, Louisiana, according to Vermont Public Radio.

Sen. Bernie Sanders toured Vermont to announce federal funding secured to support juvenile delinquency prevention programs throughout the state. "These different programs will impact young people from Bennington to Highgate," Sanders said. These monies will bolster after-school, tutoring and recreation programs in Barre City, Brattleboro and Bennington, as well as on-going statewide efforts by the Vermont Coalition of Teen Centers. "Most parents know that these are tough times in which to raise kids. We worry about drugs, we worry about kids dropping out of school or doing poorly, we worry about kids getting involved in criminal activities."

Youth Programs Sen. Bernie Sanders has secured money for the tutoring program at Bennington's Mount Anthony Union High School. Sanders, an independent, will be at the high school library today to make a formal announcement with Principal Sue Maguire and tutors and students from the program. "I am proud to support a program that gives at-risk kids the extra help they need to be successful students," Sanders said according to the Bennington Banner. Sanders will also announce federal funding to support juvenile delinquency prevention programs in Vermont during a news conference on in Montpelier, according to The Burlington Free Press online and The Associated Press Daybook.

Heating-Oil Editorial "The high price of heating oil threatens to create a financial crisis for many households in the Upper Valley and across New England. And a heating-oil crisis, though less dramatic than a hurricane or a flood or a wildfire, carries with it the same potential for disastrous consequences," editorialized the Valley News. "To their great credit, a coalition of 20 nonprofit agencies in the Upper Valley has recognized the severity of the situation and is taking steps to contain it... In New England, warmth is every bit as essential as food and shelter, and individual generosity is one way to take the chill out of winter.

Vt. Guard on Hurricane Duty Thirty-one members of the Vermont Air National Guard left the state Wednesday morning to help people on the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Gustav. At the same time, 120 members of the Army Guard have been called up to prepare for two other hurricanes that are approaching the U.S. Captain Kate Irish says the members of the Air Guard landed yesterday afternoon in Alexandria, Louisiana, according to Vermont Public Radio.

Vt. Guard to the Gulf Coast A contingent of about 30 member of the Vermont Air National Guard is expected to leave this morning for hurricane relief duty in Louisiana. Capt. Kate Irish says transportation and logistics were being made in anticipation of Hanna, Ike and other storms that could hit the region, according to The Associated Press.

"I think most Americans would find it hard to believe that people in our country are pleading guilty to slavery charges in the year 2008, but that is what is going on in the tomato fields of Florida," said Sen. Bernie Sanders. Tuesday, five residents of Immokalee, Florida pled guilty to what Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Molloy called "slavery, plain and simple." Sanders visited Immokalee earlier this year and chaired a hearing of the Senate labor committee to discuss the situation there. He said, "While slavery is, of course, the most extreme situation in the tomato fields, the truth is that the average worker there is being ruthlessly exploited. Tomato pickers perform backbreaking work, make very low wages, have no benefits and virtually no labor protections."

Vt. Guard to the Gulf Coast A contingent of about 30 member of the Vermont Air National Guard is expected to leave this morning for hurricane relief duty in Louisiana. Capt. Kate Irish says transportation and logistics were being made in anticipation of Hanna, Ike and other storms that could hit the region, according to The Associated Press.