Tuesday, August 08, 2006

FLORIDA DIGEST August 8, 2006



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Dolphin Democratic Club
2006 Primary Candidates Night
August 9, 2006
7:30 p.m.
South Florida GLCC
1717 N. Andrews Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Come meet and listen to Democratic candidates in the upcoming September 5 primary as well as Judicial and School Board candidates in non-partisan races.

This is one of our biggest meetings of the year.
Don't Miss It

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A FUN EVENING AT THE MOULIN ROUGE STOP HATE NOW BENFIT

Stop Hate Now Fund Raiser
When: Sunday, September 17, 2006
Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Where: Church of Religious Science 1550 NE 26th Ave, Wilton Manors

Donation: $15
Purchase tickets at:
Sunshine Cathedral 954-462-2004 ext 200
Contact: LeAnna Bradley
1480 SW 9th Ave
Fort Lauderdale Fl 33315

GLCC Fort Lauderdale 954-463-9005
Contact: Any Staff Person
1717 N Andrews
Fort Lauderdale FL 33311

Church of Religious Science 954-566-2868
Contact: Kathy Peterson
Wilton Manors FL 33305

Hate crimes are skyrocketing world wide .

Your local transgender community has organized to raise public awareness The Transgender Day of Remembrance and STOP HATE NOW programs. Proceeds will fund training for transgender and friends to deal with hate crimes, the affect on the GLBT community, educate healthcare professionals, politicians, law enforcement and local communities.

Contact Leanna Bradley Producer
954-462-2004 Ext. 200
Cell: 954-297-3638
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Statement from Randy A. Fleischer, nonpartisan candidate for Broward County
Court Judge, Group 32

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Over the last fifteen years I have provided legal counsel to thousands of people in South Florida who have had employment problems.

If you are one of them, you should recall that I told you that the Courts were not friendly to discrimination claims and that settlment was better than litigation.

Two weeks ago I qualified to run for Broward County Court Judge in Group 32.I hope that you will support me in my effort to get elected to the bench.

My new campaign website is at www.randy4judge.com

The website highlights my experience, contains my biography, a list of dozens of people on my campaign committee, including Janet Reno, Nan Rich, Ken Gottlieb, Hazelle Rogers, Michael Albetta and many others. I was endorsed this weekend by the AFL-CIO.
Please contact us at rays.list@comcast.net if you would like the full statement.
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From Nadine Smith - Equality Florida
If you are a donor who gives to candidates in Florida and if you areinterested in helping pave the way for Florida to elect its first openlyLGBT candidate for state office, please let me know.

A group of donors in Florida have begun strategizing ways to ensure all ofour contributions to individual candidates help build power for ourcommunity. Find out more about this effort and key races in Florida in 2006in which our community can mean the difference between victory and defeatfor our strongest allies and our worst political foes.

We've also agreed to prioritize recruiting and supporting viable openly gaycandidates as term limit open races in LGBT strongholds in the next twoyears.

You can reach me via email at nadine@eqfl.org or by telephone 813-817-6093.I hope you will be part of this effort.

Best,
Nadine Smith
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http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20060806&Category=COLUMNIST13&ArtNo=608060815&SectionCat=OPINION01&Template=printart


Guest columnist
A separate reality
What FCAT scores really tell us

Despite the positive spin that Gov. Jeb Bush and state and local educationofficials have given the results of this past year's Florida ComprehensiveAssessment Test, the slight increase in test scores is hardly encouragingfor the coming school year.

Yes, more students statewide have improved their scores in reading and math.And, yes, many students in Sarasota can take pride in scoring above the state average in each category.

But test scores tell only part of the story of what's really happening in schools today.

They don't reveal the growing gap between rich and poor, the widening differences in social and cultural backgrounds that children bring to the tests, or the inability of schools under the test-happy "No Child Left Behind" mandate to instill a love of learning in our children.
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/columnists/orl-maxwell0806aug08,0,4035961.column?coll=orl-news-col-opinion


Gay rights and arena fights -- behind the scenes in O-town politics

Vote for rights rubbed some wrong
Scott Maxwell
TAKING NAMES

August 8, 2006


Rich Crotty has found himself in an unlikely place -- taking heat for supporting gay rights.

The hubbub started when a member of his re-election team resigned lastmonth -- saying Crotty's vote in favor of a non-discriminatory housingordinance suggested the county mayor had "seemingly zero Christian biblical principals [sic] on the issues regarding the alternative gay lifestyle."

The memo, distributed to a couple dozen plugged-in politicos, set off an intense, if whispered, firestorm through Central Florida's boardrooms.

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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbcsouth/content/local_news/epaper/2006/08/08/a7a_clinton_0808.html


Klein looks to ex-President Clinton to boost campaign
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 08, 2006


Former President Bill Clinton will visit Palm Beach County Oct. 20 to raisemoney for Democratic congressional hopeful Ron Klein, Klein's campaign saidMonday.

Klein, a state senator from Boca Raton, is challenging veteran RepublicanU.S. Rep. Clay Shaw of Fort Lauderdale in a race national observers see as akey to determining which party controls the House.

Klein's campaign recently began asking supporters to set aside the eveningof Oct. 20 for a reception with Clinton. The location has not been set, butit will be somewhere in Palm Beach County, Klein campaign manager BrianSmoot said.
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http://cgi.jacksonville.com/cgi-bin/printit.cgi?story=ZZNOSTORYZZ


STATE RANKINGS: Higher education goes begging

A new ranking of the 50 states shows where Florida places its priorities.

The state ranks near the top in spending on police protection, but dead lastin higher education spending. Florida also ranks 40th in spending per pupilfor kindergarten through 12th grade.

There are similarities in the rankings of Florida and Georgia.

Health: Florida ranks third in percentage of population that is uninsured;Georgia is No. 8.

Police protection: Florida spends much more on police protection per capita(No. 5) than Georgia (No. 32). There is a similar ranking for fireprotection.

Federal aid received: Both states rank near the bottom. Florida is No. 47; Georgia is No. 48.

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Herald Tribune - Southwest Florida
Condo conversions turn to reversions, tapping demand from renters

BY VINNEE TONG

AP BUSINESS WRITER

NEW YORK -- Even when it was clear in December that the condo market was slowing, Ted Charron went ahead and bought a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in Tampa, Fla., where some industry experts say the froth is especially frothy.

He did not buy the condo to turn it for a quick profit, however, but to the tap growing demand for rentals, a by-product of the condo conversions that have swept through metropolitan areas nationwide.

"It wasn't a flip, more of a long-term investment," said Charron, an information technology director who works in nearby St. Petersburg. "Because there are so many of these conversions, there's just not a lot of places to rent, so I think the demand for rentals is actually going to go up."

Growing demand for rentals stems from many factors. Buyers are finding the market less affordable, leading to fewer sales and a greater pool of renters. And conversion of condos took rental inventory off the market. Now that demand for condos has cooled, conversions are slowing and in some instances, condos revert back to rentals.
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http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060807/APF/608070914
Herald Tribune - Southwest Florida

Philip Morris USA asks Fla. Supreme Court to clarify July verdict

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Philip Morris USA and other major tobacco companies asked the Florida Supreme Court on Monday to reconsider and clarify parts of its decision last month to dismiss a $145 billion punitive damage award for injuring smokers.

The court upheld a trial jury's finding that the companies negligently misled the public about cigarettes' dangerous and addictive nature for use in future individual lawsuits - which Philip Morris claims conflicts with state and federal law, according to the motion filed by Miami attorney Norman Coll on behalf of the defendants.

The July 6 verdict also approved an appellate court ruling that it had been a mistake to certify the lawsuit as a class-action representing an estimated 300,000 to 700,000 Floridians made ill by smoking. Those plaintiffs who were part of the class action lawsuit would have one year to sue as individuals.
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/08/news_pf/State/Democratic_gubernator.shtml


Democratic gubernatorial contest gets testy

U.S. Rep. Jim Davis blasts his rival's environmental record, while he is
criticized for missing votes in Congress.

ADAM C. SMITH and ALEX LEARY
Published August 8, 2006


TAMARAC - The heat is rising in the low-key race for the Democraticgubernatorial nomination.

While U.S. Rep. Jim Davis criticized rival state Sen. Rod Smith'senvironmental record among Democratic activists in South Florida on Monday,an independent group backing Smith sent a mailer targeting Jewish votersbashing Davis for missing a congressional vote condemning Hezbollah attacks on Israel.

"Even though Jim Davis was elected to represent our values and interests in congress, he did not even bother to show up," said the mailer sent by a group called Florida's Working Families Inc.
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Please show your support for Jennifer Gottlieb for Broward County School Board !!!!! Reception at Storks on Las Olas - This Sunday - August 13. Contact us at rays.list@comcast.net for details!



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