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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/letters/sfl-brmail747xsep24,0,148719.story
Tryst-filled park
Gina Pastina
Hollywood
September 24, 2006
I read the Sept. 13 article, "Manors out to dissuade sex in park," and washappy to hear that the Wilton Manors Police Department is going to conductsome undercover stings to try to get the park back to a family-friendly public place.
Sorry to hear that some men in the gay community have to have their trysts out in broad daylight like that.
And "Operation Get-A-Room" couldn't be more aptly named.
I had to laugh, albeit sadly, that one male resident was quoted as saying,"People are still going to go back in there, so why bother? If you're aparent and you're really concerned, don't let your kids go in there."
Hmm, I can guess which side of the fence he sits on. Children shouldn't beallowed to play in the park, but men engaging in sex outdoors as arecreational activity is OK? Well, I'm glad I don't live near him nor that park.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cp24gaysep24,0,5767447.story
Gay, lesbian center gets tentative OK
Rezoning likely on second vote Oct. 3
By Brittany Wallman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 24, 2006
Fort Lauderdale · A new Gay and Lesbian Community Center is planned on Andrews Avenue, and city commissioners tentatively approved a rezoning lastweek to pave the way for the project.
The new building, to replace the center on the west side of Andrews, wouldbe built across the street, at 1700 N. Andrews Ave., between Northeast 16th Place and 17th Court.
City commissioners on Tuesday gave the first of two approvals needed to rezone the 1.2-acre site to a "community facility" designation. The land issplit between two zoning categories and would need that change in order forstaff to sign off on the plans.
The rezoning was requested by Uptown Village Tarragon A, originally as partof a mixed-use village planned for the area. A final vote on the rezoning isexpected Oct. 3. City staff is expected to approve the site plan after the rezoning is final, according to City Planner James Cromar.
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Broward County puts income cap on federal HIV program
Local AIDS activist says change penalizes people with HIV who work
By PHIL LAPADULA
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Broward County has made it more difficult for HIV patients to qualify for free care and medications through the federal Ryan White program, and thathas at least one local activist concerned that some people with HIV will notbe able to afford health care.
The Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council recently voted torestrict access to the program based on a patient's income, the coordinatorof the planning council confirmed this week. The income cap affects patientsapplying for Ryan White Title 1 services, which include primary medical caresuch as doctor's visits, lab work, medications, dental care and substanceabuse treatment.
The new cap limits access to the program to individuals with an annualincome of $29,400 or less, which is 300 percent of the federal povertylevel, the official said. The cap will be $39,600 per year or less for afamily of two. The policy change goes into effect in March 2007.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-carrests24sep24,0,2611498.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
3 teens arrested in park stabbing of homeless man
By Tonya Alanez
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 24, 2006
Fort Lauderdale police arrested three 15-year-old boys Saturday night whoattacked a homeless man in Esplanade Park last week, authorities said.
Surveillance video showing four boys walking into a 7-Eleven store onBroward Boulevard about a quarter mile from the park just before 9 on thenight of the attack was instrumental in identifying them, said KatherineCollins, spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. "Friends andeven some family came forward claiming to know these people on the video,"Collins said.
William Teeters, 44, was beaten and slashed by four teens while he read abook on a bench in the park next to the Broward Center for the PerformingArts.
Teeters was treated at Broward General Medical Center, where cuts in hishead and back were stapled and stitched. He was later released.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-felxgovpoll24sep24,0,656969.story?coll=sfla-home-headlinesELECTION2006
Crist has slim edge over Davis in poll -
Tide could turn if Davis woos undecided voters
By Mark HollisTallahassee Bureau
September 24, 2006TALLAHASSEE ·
Republican Charlie Crist leads Democrat Jim Davis by 6 pointsin the latest South Florida Sun-Sentinel poll on the governor's race, but undecided voters who favor Davis on key issues could drive the contest evencloser.
With roughly six weeks remaining until the Nov. 7 election, only 7 percentof Florida's likely voters are undecided. Crist and running mate, JeffKottkamp, would get votes from 49 percent of those polled. Davis and hisrunning mate, Daryl Jones, are favored by 43 percent, while other candidatesin the race collectively get approval from 1 percent of those sampled.Davis, a Tampa congressman, could make up ground on Crist, the state'sattorney general, by stressing education themes to appeal to undecided"independents," blacks and women, the poll shows.
Many of those voters are leaning toward Davis' stance on public school policies.And many black voters, the poll reveals, are energized by Davis' selectionof a lieutenant governor running mate who is black."There's no question that this race can tighten, and it probably willtighten," said pollster Del Ali.
"The real silver lining for Davis" is thatvoters still don't know much about him. Davis' name recognition is low, with 59 percent of voters overall saying they don't even have an opinion abouthim.
"Davis has a lot more room to grow for people to view him favorably," Alisaid. "Once they view him favorably, they can turn into his votes."Those potential votes could come from people like poll respondent MarciaSuarez, 44, a Boca Raton Republican who is undecided. "I like Crist. I tend to vote Republican, because they are usually tougher. But I'd consider aDemocrat.
"The statewide telephone survey of 600 likely voters was conduct ed Sept.18-20 for the Sun-Sentinel and Florida Times Union by Maryland-basedResearch 2000.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cesplanade24sep24,0,4061323.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Peacefulness at Esplanade Park ends after the sun goes down
By Brian Haas
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 24, 2006
FORT LAUDERDALE · It's Saturday, just after 1 a.m. in Esplanade Park and aman riding a bicycle is trying to sell drugs.
"He asked me if I was straight, did I need anything," said Nancy RedBuffalo, who slept there that morning and often helps the homeless who staythere. She shooed the man away. "It's bad here at night. It's crackterritory."
An unexpected description, given the park's daytime face: a peaceful respitefrom the busy world a few blocks away, a place where residents of upscalecondos jog and walk their dogs. The native species garden provides a quietsite for reflection.
Police say the fact that two attacks on the homeless -- one fatal -- happened in the same park within nine months is a coincidence and the parkis not a magnet for trouble. But residents who live nearby say they've beenwarned to avoid it at night. Look in the bushes and you'll see a hint ofwhy: Natural Ice beer cans, condom wrappers, empty cigarette boxes. Fridayafternoon, two garbage bags full of someone's possessions were stowed undera patch of ferns.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cwmelex24sep24,0,4215343.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Manors to move elections from March to November
November balloting troubles opponents
By Elizabeth Baier
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 24, 2006
Wilton Manors · Hoping to increase voter turnout and save the city thousandsof dollars, commissioners voted recently to move Wilton Manors' electionsfrom March to November starting in 2008.
"I see all benefits from moving the election to November," said CommissionerTed Galatis, who supported the change. "You'll have a larger turnout inNovember."
No resident spoke in support or against the change at the commissionmeeting.
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/24/news_pf/Perspective/Charlie__Jim__Time_fo.shtml
St. Petersburg Times
Charlie, Jim: Time for answers
TIM NICKENS
Published September 24, 2006
This is one odd governor's race.
Floridians are angry about the homeowners insurance crisis and property taxes, but fewer than 2 in 10 voters were mad enough to bother to vote in the primary elections. And nearly three weeks have passed since Charlie Crist and Jim Davis won their primaries, yet the only signs of a general election campaign for governor around here are Charlie Crist television commercials, Charlie Crist billboards, Charlie Crist yard signs, Charlie Crist bumper stickers. ... You get the idea. Jim, where are you?
Maybe voters stayed home on primary election day because they were turned off by squabbling over gay marriage, the influence of sugar companies and a single committee vote Davis cast 16 years ago. And maybe Crist and Davis are busy refining their position papers and finding real solutions to the issues facing Florida. More likely, they're just raising money for more television ads that distort reality. Let's hope we don't have to wait another month for formal debates before they engage each other in a public discussion on some concrete issues.
When he's not in Tallahassee, Crist lives just down the street from the newspaper's St. Petersburg office. Davis lives just across the bridge in Tampa (and I live in his congressional district in St. Petersburg). If we were sitting around my dining room table discussing my issues as a taxpayer and a parent instead of sitting around the editorial board conference room debating broader policy issues, here's what I would want to know:
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/24/news_pf/State/Being_known_hasn_t_he.shtml
St. Petersburg Times
Being known hasn't helped
Despite 10 terms in Congress, Bill McCollum isn't gaining traction against a state senator in the attorney general race.
By AARON SHAROCKMA
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/24/news_pf/State/Being_known_hasn_t_he.shtml
Published September 24, 2006
In a little-watched statewide race, attorney general candidate Bill McCollum is in many ways running against himself. So far, voters are split.
With 44 days until Election Day, McCollum is in a virtual tie against a relatively obscure Democrat, state Sen. Walter "Skip" Campbell, according to early polls.
Perhaps it's a sign of a larger trend of Democrats gaining momentum nationally. Perhaps it's a reflection on McCollum, a 10-term congressman and two-time candidate for U.S. Senate. Perhaps it's because no one's yet paying attention.Or perhaps, as politics continues to devolve, being less known is becoming a good thing.
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/09/24/m1a_GOV_INSURE_0924.html
Candidates' promises to fix insurance mostly empty
By S.V. Date
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 24, 2006
ORLANDO - Voters are demanding it. Both Republican Charlie Crist and Democrat Jim Davis are promising to give it to them.But because the "it" this election season is lower property insurance premiums, voters almost certainly will not get what they want, regardless of whom they elect - at least not any time soon, observers and even campaign insiders on both sides concede.
Sam Miller, a lobbyist for the Florida Insurance Council, said both candidates have put out ideas, most of which will not have much real effect.
"A lot of these involve getting tough on insurance companies," Miller said. "That's not going to magically lead to lower rates."
The Davis campaign allows that there is no "silver bullet" to make things better quickly. And Crist campaign chief of staff George LeMieux agreed that it was "disingenuous" to suggest that rates could be dramatically lowered to where they were several years ago, but he said that a combination of various reforms could start moving things in that direction.
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