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http://www.southflorida.com/events/422944,0,1108745.event?coll=sfe-main-promo
Oktoberfest Celebration
Saturday, Sept. 30 -
Starts at noon
Free Admission
Downtown Oakland Park/Bavarian Village
SW Corner of Dixie Hgwy and NE 38th Street
Oakland Park, FL
Oakland Park's second annual Oktoberfest Celebration will feature beer,food, activities and more. Get to the Bavarian Village early for theofficial keg-tapping, which will commence the festivities.
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Angela Farinelli's "Expressions" Exhibit Opens Monday
ArtsUnited will feature paintings by local artist Angela Farinelli in a
solo exhibit entitled "Expressions" from October 2 through 31, 2006 at the
Stonewall Library and Archives, 1717 N. Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale.
The exhibit opens with a reception to meet the artist from 6:30 to 8:00 PMon Monday, October 2nd.
Born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Angela's family moved to Florida in1972 when she was 11 years old. Raised mainly in West Palm Beach, she nowcalls Oakland Park her home. Her interest in art started from an early age.As a young child, she painted animals, landscapes and cartoons. Her familyalways encouraged Angela to pursue her interest in art. Ms. Farinelliattended Palm Beach Community College and completed her Associate's Degreein Graphic Design.
The exhibit and reception are free andopen to the public. For more information, go online to www.artsunitedonline.org or call 954-530-2723.
For full article contact us at rays.list@comcast.net
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Meet the Candidate: Phyllis C. Hope for School Board District 6
Mark Your calendar!
Astis Restaurant and Lounge
10144 West Oakland Park Blvd. , Sunrise FL 33351
Sunday October 1, 2006
6-9pm
$10.00 Min. Donation suggested
Open Bar with Finger Foods
Go to www.Phyllishope.com for more information. Open Mike - Bring Family, Friends and your favorite poetry. Children poetry is welcome. No X- rated content please.
Phyllis C. Hope, throughout her life, has always worked to improve relationsamong all the diverse peoples that make up our community. She has worked tobreak down barriers among gender, culture, race, religion and sexual orientation. She has been supportive of increasing the understanding of thediversity in our school system. She is currently employed by the Broward County Schools as a Guidance Data Specialist and with this insight, will make a great School Board Member.
Her incumbent opponent in this race has a divisive record of appointingcontroversial people to key Committees. Such as his poor judgment ofselecting Steve Kane for the Diversity Committee, that led to the "We AreFamily" video controversy! The children of Broward County deserve betterthan this.
Her experience includes being a parent of 2 daughters that graduated fromBroward County Schools, former Chairperson of the Sunrise Education Boardand Vice President of the East Sunrise Resident Association, responsible for the Sunset Strip Beautification project. She is a former Board Member of the Caribbean American Democratic club where she worked on immigration issues,voter registration and voter turnout. She is also a member of the WorkforceOne Youth Council. If you would like to volunteer or contribute to her campaign please contact Phyllis C. Hope P.O. Box 130072 Sunrise, FL 33313 Phone 954-439-5813 E-mail hopeforchildren2006@yahoo.com .
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/09/27/c1a_BLACK_VOTE_0927.html
GOP sees opportunity to pick up black votes in race for governor
By Brian E. Crowley
Palm Beach Post Political Editor
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
FORT MYERS - On the way to the airport, media consultant Stuart Stevens has a bemused look on his face when a reporter points out that in his firstgeneral-election commercial for Republican Charlie Crist, five of 13 scenesfeature blacks.
He insists it was not intentional.
But nothing in a campaign commercial is ever coincidence. In the race forgovernor, black voters are an important key to victory for both Democratsand Republicans.
There are few black Republicans - less than 1 percent of all Florida voters,according to state election records. So by necessity, Crist must either peelblack Democrats away from Jim Davis, the Democratic nominee, or somehowpersuade them to stay home on Election Day.
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/09/26/s1b_glades_0926.html
National report raps delays in Everglades restoration
By Tim O'Meilia
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
The massive decadeslong Everglades restoration project got its first reportcard Monday and its marks are just what was expected:Good planning, solid potential but 16 incompletes. And the tuition is goingup.
None of the multibillion-dollar restoration plan's projects has beenfinished yet, concluded a National Research Council Report released Monday.It is the first of a series of biennial independent evaluations of therestoration's progress.
Six pilot projects have been delayed past 2004, some as long as eight years.And 10 major components of the plan scheduled to be completed by last year remain unfinished
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/27/news_pf/Citrus/Drug_testing_appears_.shtml
Drug testing appears likely for public school athletes
A majority at a School Board workshop seems to support random tests that could begin next year.
EDDY RAMIREZ
Published September 27, 2006
INVERNESS - As early as January, high school athletes in Citrus County could be required to submit to random drug testing as a condition to play sports.
The announcement came Tuesday during a School Board workshop.
The program, called "Taking a Proactive Stance," must still win approval bythe board, but a majority at the workshop seemed to embrace the idea.
Superintendent Sandra "Sam" Himmel has thrown her full support behind theprogram, saying it is a positive way to deter drug use among Citrusstudents.
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-deliver2706sep27,0,2142220.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-orange
Florida Hospital to ban photos during childbirth
Sandra Pedicini
Sentinel Staff Writer
September 27, 2006
One of the region's largest hospital groups will soon forbid photography or videotaping during childbirth, joining a national trend spurred by what somesay is concern over medical liability.
Beginning next month, Florida Hospital plans to bar cameras during labor anddelivery at its Orlando-area facilities with delivery rooms: the main campusnear downtown Orlando, and in Winter Park, Altamonte Springs andCelebration.
"You don't go into the operating room and take pictures of surgicalprocedures," said Pat DuRant, Florida Hospital's assistant vice president ofwomen's and medical-surgical services.
Florida Hospital had been allowing cameras, though with doctor approval and"as long as it does not interfere with the care of the patient," DuRantsaid. But under the new policy, parents will be able to film only afterbirth and once a doctor says mother and baby are fine.
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http://expressgaynews.com/2006/9-23/news/localnews/stpete.cfm
The Express Gay News
LOCAL NEWS
St. Pete visitor's bureau cautiously markets to gays
Expert questions if generic ads will be enough
By PHIL LAPADULA
Saturday, September 23, 2006
The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau plans to launch a marketing campaign targeting gay and lesbian tourists, but the promotional effort will not include gay-specific ads, the tourism agency's executive director confirmed this week.
The bureau, which serves as the tourism promotional agency for Pinellas County, Fla., will place generic ads in gay publications and set up booths at gay tourism trade shows, said Carol Ketterhagen, executive director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.Ketterhagen said the ad campaign will tout the St. Petersburg area's reputation for offering pristine beaches."
The appeal of our destination is our relaxing, natural environment," Ketterhagen said. She noted that St. Petersburg's Fort De Soto Beach was recently ranked the No. 1 beach in America by Stephen Leatherman, who is known in tourism circles as "Dr. Beach." Leatherman, who has been a guest on such programs as "The Today Show," does an annual ranking of the nation's top beaches.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/15616722.htm
Posted on Wed, Sep. 27, 2006
DEMOCRATS
Davis, Smith join forces in public show of unity
Three weeks after the primary election, two Democratic rivals for governor met in a show of unity.
BY PHIL LONG
plong@MiamiHerald.com
GAINESVILLE - It was three weeks to the day after their primary election, but gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis and Rod Smith, the man he defeated, finally got together Tuesday in a public show of unity.
The men traded praise for each other on the breezy, oak-shaded patio outside Gainesville City Hall, but the meeting took place against a backdrop of new poll numbers that put Davis 15 points behind his GOP rival, Charlie Crist, and after news that some key former supporters of Smith are setting up a group to raise money for Crist.
Crist and Tom Gallagher, the man Crist defeated in the GOP primary, made a statewide unity tour starting two days after the election.
Smith left for a vacation with his family, then had to return to his law practice, he said when asked about his absence from the campaign. Smith said he made it clear to Davis immediately after the election that he was supporting him.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15616720.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
The Miami Herald
Posted on Wed, Sep. 27, 2006
CAMPAIGN 2006 | GOVERNOR'S RACE
Crist for new tax break, Davis not
The contenders to replace Gov. Jeb Bush are sympathetic to the plight of homeowners frustrated by their tax bills.
BY MARY ELLEN KLAS AND BETH REINHARD
breinhard@MiamiHerald.com
Soaring property taxes are exasperating voters and it's no surprise that the leading governor candidates have taken a position on the issue: They want to cut them.
But in the rush to tell voters he will ease their pocketbook pain, Republican Charlie Crist has proposed a tax cut that faces strong opposition from his own party, is fraught with glitches, and could take years to achieve. And Democrat Jim Davis doesn't have a plan, except to oppose Crist's platform.
It is becoming a defining issue of the general election. The state party launched the second of two tax-oriented ads for Crist on Tuesday, and he began a statewide series of discussions with homeowners in West Palm Beach and Fort Myers.Crist advocates doubling the homestead exemption -- now $25,000 -- and allowing homeowners to carry the savings from the Save Our Homes tax cap with them when they move, a concept known as portability.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15616529.htm
Posted on Wed, Sep. 27, 2006
BROWARD COUNTY
Gov. Bush taps educator for School Board seat
Gov. Jeb Bush appointed a high school dean of students and former city commissioner to a short term on the Broward School Board.
BY HANNAH SAMPSON AND NIRVI SHAH
hsampson@MiamiHerald.com
A veteran educator with political credentials and local roots will fill the seat vacated by Carole Andrews, at least for a little while.Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday appointed Albert Jones, 60, of Dania Beach to fill the Southeast Broward seat.
''I'm elated,'' said Jones, dean of students at Everglades High School in Miramar. ``I'm a longtime educator for 39 years. I'm still out in the trenches.''
Jones is a former Dania Beach commissioner, one-time Miami Dolphins hopeful, a member of the South Broward Hospital District Board, and a Republican.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/letters/sfl-brmail744xsep27,0,6969064.story?coll=sfla-news-letters
FCAT doesn't count outside Florida
Teri Hyland
Hollywood
September 27, 2006
I think the public needs to know that our children are ranked 48th in thenation, according to the College Board's Scholastic Achievement Test. Ourstudents' scores on the SAT have dropped steadily since the FloridaComprehensive Assessment Test has been in place. The SAT score is used inthe awarding of many scholarships. It is also a criterion for admittanceinto many colleges. No one else ever looks at the FCAT score for anything.
Unfortunately, they do not know this because all we hear about is how wellour students are doing on the FCAT. This Bush propaganda has to stop. Ourchildren are being denied the education they deserve because of a bogus testthat has been held up as the answer to Florida's problems in education. Thistest is the reason our children cannot compete with the rest of the nation.
What is really frightening is that Charlie Crist is campaigning on Bush'sA-plus plan for education. He obviously has not read the research about howpoorly our students do on the test that could open doors and opportunitiesto them. As a parent, I would be much more interested in my child being ableto receive some of the scholarship money that is offered with a high SATscore.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-927orioles,0,4878855.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Broward pledges $800,000 a year to overhaul spring training stadium for Orioles
By Sarah Talalay
South Florida Sun-SentinelSeptember 27, 2006, 5:25 AM EDT
FORT LAUDERDALE - After a lengthy debate that stretched into the wee hoursof Wednesday morning, Broward County commissioners agreed to pledge at least $800,000 a year for 30 years toward the Baltimore Orioles' $38 million planto overhaul Fort Lauderdale Stadium and create a community park.
The Orioles, who have held spring training at the 45-year-old stadium for 11years, had hoped to gain a commitment of $1 million a year, but were notdisappointed with the county's offer, which is contingent on securingfunding from the state. The team will also need to hammer out a finalagreement on the funding plan with the county and Fort Lauderdale, whichowns the stadium, by the end of the year.County commissioners, who voted 8-1 with County Commissioner Jim Scott dissenting,almost didn't support the project.
They objected to being asked to act soquickly to meet the state's Monday deadline to apply for the state dollars.They questioned whether Fort Lauderdale, which agreed to contribute $350,000a year in the form of a facilities use fee the Orioles will pay annually,and another $240,000 in maintenance and equipment, was providing enough.
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Address to Broward County Commissioners by Michael Rajner:
September 26, 2006 Statement to the Broward County
Board of County Commissioners
Mayor, Vice Mayor and Commissioners. Good morning.
As a county or EMA as designated by the CARE Act, we excel in our grantwriting ability provided by the evidence of our past success in recordfunding awarding by the federal government. Last year, Broward County wasamong the few EMA's to receive an increase in funding to meet the needs ofthe HIV/AIDS community while other EMA's have lost a significant amount offunding.
The funds provided by the Ryan White CARE Act are critical to the health andwelfare of the approximate 7,500 - 8,500 people in Broward County that livewith HIV/AIDS that this grant serves. At the last meeting of the BrowardCounty HIV Health Services Planning Council, it was reported that anestimated 23,000 residents of Broward County are living with HIV/AIDS whilean estimated 6,000 are living without primary medical care for variousreasons. The CARE act provides medical services, medications, treatment forsubstance abuse, mental health, food, transportation and more. Theseservices are essential to the people that are dependent upon them and haveno where else to turn.
Contact us at rays.list@comcast.net for full address
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September 25, 2006
Mayor Graber and the
Board of County Commissioners
Broward County Governmental Center
115 South Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
Dear Mayor Graber, Vice Mayor and Commissioners:
On September 21st through today, September 25th, the Executive LeadershipTeam of the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) and I had thehonor of visiting your beautiful county in order to attend the United StatesConference on AIDS. Over 3,000 people attended the conference. NAPWAcontinues work to ensure that all people living with HIV/AIDS have access tothe best possible HIV primary care, support services and AIDS housing.
It has come to the attention of the National Association of People with AIDS(NAPWA) that the Broward County Planning Council has recently added incomecaps that restrict access to services under Title I of the Ryan White CareAct. NAPWA has serious concerns that this change will eliminate critical treatment and care services for persons who are most in need. Our ask issimple, we request that the leadership of the HIV Planning Council and therepresentatives from the Board of County Commissioners meet with localadvocates and agree to ensure that "no person with HIV or AIDS is leftbehind!"
NAPWA which was founded in 1983 is the nation's oldest AIDSorganization and the oldest national network of people living with HIV/AIDSin the world. Our mission is to advocate on behalf of all people livingwith HIV/AIDS in order to end the pandemic and the human suffering caused byHIV/AIDS. NAPWA has been and continues to be the leading national voice forpeople living with HIV and AIDS.
Contact us at rays.list@comcast.net for full address
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To: Ray's List
Our friends at The Independent have started The Independent Theatre Club andreaders of "Ray's List" can benefit from it as well. Please read thefollowing article to read about two different shows this week - on Thursdayevening, and Saturday afternoon - where people can get in at a considerablediscount off ordinary prices. ALL the have to do is mention "The Independent" when they call to book their tickets.
The Independent Gay News
http://www.indynews.4t.com/0319/ae7.html
Enjoy
Announcing 'The Independent' Theater Club
By Paul Harris
PHarris@ourindy.com
Ever been tempted to go to see a play but for some reason never got aroundto it? Perhaps the play was at a theater you had never been to before, orthe play was being performed by a company you did not know, or you had neverheard of the play or the playwright.
Well, your friends at The Independent, along with a group of leadingtheaters in South Florida are going to try to help.
This coming season readers of The Independent will have certain performancesof new productions where they can get tickets at significant discounts.
Normally the performances will be one of the final previews, the openingnight itself, or one of the other early performances.
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A note from Michael Rajner:
I am pleased to report that my speech before the Broward County Board of County Commission this morning can be measured with 100% success. Not only were the Commissioners receptive to the message, they engaged for another 20 minutes of discussion on HIV/AIDS matters in the county.
Attached is what I had prepared and generally stated, but did adlib where and when it was appropriate as the Commissioners were very receptive to the message.
Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin has committed to requesting to serve on the HIV Planning Council when committee assignments are reallocated on November 21st. Commissioner Wasserman-Rubin also requested that I advise her of upcoming events allow her participation. At tomorrow's Hispanic Committee I will work with the committee to formally invite the Commissioner to participate in the upcoming National Latino AIDS Awareness Day on October 13th.
Please see the attached letter from Frank Oldham, NAPWA's Executive Director to the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.
Working together, we will End AIDS!
Michael Emanuel Rajner
National Secretary - Campaign To End AIDS
Founding Member - Campaign to End AIDS - FLORIDA
Tel: (954) 272-8131 ? (305) 677-3506
Cell: (954) 288-1999
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