FLORIDA DIGEST NOVEMBER 16, 2006

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The Independent


http://www.indynews.4t.com/0323/features1.html

November 16, 2006
Election Aftermath: Looking


By Paul Harris
PHarris@OurIndy.com

The election results in South Florida brought good news to GLBT activists byand large although the governorship of the state, as was very much expected,went to Charlie Crist, who may or may not be bisexual. Locally, gayactivists were delighted that long term enemy to the gay cause, CongressmanE. Clay Shaw, was finally removed after 26 years to be replaced by RonKlein, who polled a whisker over half the votes cast. The race gained thedistinction of being the most expensive congressional race in the countrywith a total of $8 million being spent by both sides.


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The Independent


http://www.indynews.4t.com/0323/oped2.html


November 16, 2006

Guest Editorial: One

Perspective After Election Day

By Leon Van Dyke

For the first time in six now very long years I can take heart that theAmerica for which I hold a fervent brand of personal patriotism is not lost.Americans of voting age descended upon the polls yesterday and swept outmany of the non-thinking rubber stamp politicians in the House ofRepresentatives.

And, as I write this many are waiting for vote recounts establishing whichpolitical party will hold sway in the US Senate for the next two years. Iwas overjoyed to realize what a fantastic turnout at the polls took placehere in Broward County where over 44% of registered voters showed up. Thatwas a significant change from the less than 10% of registered voters in bothFort Lauderdale's mayoral election and the primaries held earlier this year.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16023182.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006

SARASOTA RECOUNT
Paper trail for Florida ballots gains an ally

Calls for adding some sort of paper trail for Florida's touch-screen votingmachines picked up an influential new voice -- incoming state House SpeakerMarco Rubio.

BY MARC CAPUTO, PHIL LONG AND JACK DOLAN
jdolan@MiamiHerald.com

The Miami Republican lawmaker who's about to be one of Florida's two mostpowerful legislators says he supports the concept of having a paper trailfor all voting systems in the state.

Rep. Marco Rubio, who next week will be sworn in as House speaker, said it'stough not to consider some additional measures to verify election results inlight of the recount over the 18,380 nonvotes, called ''undervotes'' inSarasota County's 13th Congressional District race.



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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cnature16nov16,0,4018745.story?coll=sfla-news-broward


Wilton Manors to be designated wildlife habitat by national federation

By Elizabeth Baier
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

November 16, 2006


Wilton Manors · Some residents planted native species such as bromeliads andcrinum lilies. Others started small herb gardens. Officials cleaned thecity's riverfront parks and mangrove preserve. And children helped buildbutterfly gardens at the library and Wilton Manors Elementary School.

After the city's four-year effort to become an environmentally friendlycommunity, the National Wildlife Federation today will officially certifyWilton Manors as a community wildlife habitat.




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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16023032.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006


ED FOLEY, 85
Retired educator, father of former congressman

WEST PALM BEACH -- (AP) -- Ed Foley, a longtime educator andfather of former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, has died. He was 85.

Funeral services for Edward Foley were set for Saturday in WestPalm Beach, Gale Schiffman, co-owner of the Quattlebaum-Holleman-BurseFuneral Home, said Wednesday.

Foley, who had been ill with cancer, died Tuesday, Schiffmansaid.

A Massachusetts native, Edward Foley moved to Florida in the1950s. He was a teacher and principal who frequently campaigned on his son'sbehalf.

The younger Foley made headlines this fall in the waning weeksof his campaign for reelection when it was revealed that the congressmanwrote sexually explicit messages he sent to teenage pages who worked onCapitol Hill. He resigned Sept. 29. State and federal authorities areinvestigating whether Foley broke any laws.

Mark Foley abandoned a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2003 after hisfather was diagnosed with cancer. His decision to bow out of the race alsocame shortly after an alternative newspaper reported that Mark Foley wasgay. Foley denounced the allegations as rumors spread by his politicalopponents, but he refused to answer questions about whether he washomosexual. He has been in a treatment center in Arizona for alcoholismsince Oct. 1, according to his attorneys.

Foley's civil attorney, Gerald Richman, would not commentWednesday on whether Foley would come out of treatment to attend hisfather's funeral. A message left for his criminal attorney, David Roth, wasnot immediately returned.

Efforts by The Associated Press to reach his sister, Donna FoleyWinterson, were unsuccessful. Her telephone number is unpublished, and shedid not answer a knock on her door.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/16023039.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006

OKEECHOBEE
School sued over gay club ban

OKEECHOBEE - (AP) -- Students at Okeechobee High School have beenbanned from holding meetings of the Gay-Straight Alliance on high schoolgrounds, a lawsuit filed Wednesday claims.

The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in federaldistrict court in Miami, alleges that school officials refuse to recognizethe club. At the same time, the suit states that other extracurricularclubs, like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Key Club, meetregularly on school grounds.

According to the federal Equal Access Act, schools that allow anyextracurricular activities to meet on campus must allow all groups to do thesame.

Students Yasmin Gonzalez, a senior who is gay, and Amber Sewell, whois not, formed the club after Gonzalez and her girlfriend were not allowedto attend the prom as a couple, the lawsuit said.




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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-c3bdig16nov16,0,1678890.story?page=2&coll=sfla-news-broward


Nova hosting program to raise awareness of HIV challenges


Nova Southeastern University today will host Operation Get Tested to raiseawareness of the challenges of living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The event, sponsored by the national nonprofit Who's Positive, will featureaccounts from young adults who are coping with the disease. It also willoffer free, rapid-HIV tests that provide results in 20 minutes.

The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association from NSU's College of OsteopathicMedicine is coordinating the event, which will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. onthe first floor of NSU's University Center, 3301 College Ave., Davie.



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The LA Times



http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-florida16nov16,1,5214459.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

In Florida, much ado about touch screens
Reminiscent of the 2000 election fight, ballots that didn't record a Houserace pick are in dispute.
By Carol J. Williams
Times Staff Writer

November 16, 2006

SARASOTA, FLA. - The reluctant touch screen now joins the hanging chads andbutterfly ballots of Florida election scandal paraphernalia.

More than 21,000 electronic ballots cast Nov. 7 in the 13th CongressionalDistrict race failed to record a selection to replace Rep. Katherine Harris,triggering accusations of machine malfunction and demands for a revote ofwhat voter advocacy groups call a greatly flawed election.

The latest chapter in this state's history of electoral irregularities hasrekindled the fiery partisan confrontations that followed the 2000presidential vote.

Harris, then secretary of state, certified that election for George W. Bushover Al Gore, despite unresolved disputes about tens of thousands of voters'intentions.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16023356.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006

UP FRONT | GAMBLING
Las Vegas-style casino opens in Broward

BY JENNIFER LEBOVICH
jlebovich@MiamiHerald.com

Charlie Smigrod made $560 during his lunch break Wednesday.

It wasn't from sealing a business deal or getting a bank loan.

He got lucky on a virgin 50-cent slot machine on opening day of LasVegas-style gambling at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino.

''I just decided to come over for lunch,'' Smigrod said, 59, who made hiswinnings after 15 minutes on the casino floor. ``I just wanted to try myluck.''



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The New York Times


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/16/opinion/16thur1.html?ei=5040&en=d4ce57a4abedf90c&ex=1164344400&partner=MOREOVERFEATURES&pagewanted=print


November 16, 2006
Editorial
Counting the Vote, Badly

Last week's elections provided a lot of disturbing news about thereliability of electronic voting - starting, naturally, with Florida. In aCongressional race there between Vern Buchanan, a Republican, and ChristineJennings, a Democrat, the machines in Sarasota County reported that morethan 18,000 people, or one in eight, did not choose either candidate. That"undervote" of nearly 13 percent is hard to believe, given that only about2.5 percent of absentee voters did not vote in that race. If there was aglitch, it may have made all the difference. Ms. Jennings trails Mr.Buchanan by about 400 votes.



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The New York Times


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2006/11/16/m1a_INSURE_1116.html


Special session on insurance up to Crist
By Randy Diamond

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday that there appears to be broad consensus amonglegislative leaders that a special session should be called to tackleFlorida's property insurance crisis.

But the governor, who leaves office Jan. 2, stopped short of calling thelegislature into session, saying he would defer to Gov.-elect Charlie Crist.

Bush added that before any special session is called, he would want toensure that it would be productive and that leaders were in agreement overchanges they wanted in the property insurance market.

Crist declined to comment earlier in the week. A spokeswoman for him did notreturn phone calls Wednesday.




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The Palm Beach Post


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/11/16/a12a_district13_edit_1116.html


Touch-screen controversy doesn't indict machines
Palm Beach Post Editorial

Thursday, November 16, 2006

On Nov. 7, Sarasota County residents voted to dump their electronictouch-screen ballots in favor of paper fill-in-the-bubble voting. Votersundoubtedly feel vindicated because of what happened next.

The race between Republican Vern Buchanan and Democrat Christine Jenningsfor the five-county District 13 congressional seat vacated by KatherineHarris went to a recount. Mr. Buchanan leads by slightly less than 400votes. What puzzles elections officials is why Sarasota County residents,voting on touch-screen machines similar to those in Martin County but notPalm Beach County, skipped the congressional race at such adisproportionately high rate.

In Sarasota County, 13 percent of 142,000 voters made no selection in therace. In Manatee County, which had nearly 100,000 voters, only 2.4 percentmade no District 13 selection.


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The Palm Beach Post

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/nation/epaper/2006/11/16/a8a_wexler_1116.html


Paper trail bill backed by Wexler
By Christine Grimaldi

Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau

Thursday, November 16, 2006

WASHINGTON - Spurred by electronic voting controversies last week in Floridaand elsewhere, two representatives Wednesday called on Congress to require apaper trail for all electronic ballots.

Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, cited the ongoing recount in Florida's13th congressional district - where more than 18,000 Sarasota County voterselectronically cast ballots for local, state and federal offices but not forthe House seat - as an example of why a paper trail is needed.



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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16023191.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006


TALLAHASSEE
Incoming state House speaker unveils `100 ideas'
Marco Rubio, the incoming state House speaker, previewed his 100Innovative Ideas for Florida, a list that includes strengthening schools andcracking down on sex crimes.
BY MARY ELLEN KLAS
meklas@MiamiHerald.com

TALLAHASSEE - Florida should replace its public school curriculum tokeep pace with global competitors, require all felons to give DNA samples,prohibit child predators from trolling on MySpace, and give stripperswhistle-blower protection to report sex crimes.

Those are among a sweeping list of new ideas that will be proposed byincoming House Speaker Marco Rubio of Miami and Republican leaders of theFlorida House when they are sworn into office next Tuesday.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/16023189.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006


100 IDEAS


Highlights of the state House's ``100 Innovative Ideas'':

EDUCATION:

. Replace school curriculum and apply more rigorous requirements.

. Create career academies to train students seeking alternatives to college.

. Provide incentives to private companies for after-school programs.

HEALTHCARE:

. Reward providers that demonstrate better outcomes at lower costs.

. Provide one-stop assistance to uninsured.

CRIME:

. Require all convicted felons to give DNA samples by 2012, especially thosewith a ``propensity for sexually deviant behavior.''

. Deny registered sex offenders and stalkers access to websites such asMySpace.com, commonly used by underage children.

. Require social networking sites to verify a user's age.

. Afford whistle-blower status to individuals, such as strippers, who reportsex crimes.

- end -


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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16021808.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006


Panel offers quick fixes for state insurance crisis

A special committee offered recommendations geared to provide quick reliefto the insurance crisis and possibly lower costs for homeowners.

BY BEATRICE E. GARCIA
bgarcia@MiamiHerald.com

A special committee appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to find solutions to thestate's growing insurance crisis is emphasizing measures that could bringrate relief but also more risk to homeowners.

Armed with the 50 recommendations put forward Wednesday from the committee,headed by Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, lawmakers are expected to hold a specialsession -- possibly next month -- to craft some quick fixes. However, it'sup to Bush to call the special session, and he's still waiting for consensuson the issues to be discussed.



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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-zinsure15nov15,0,899519.story?coll=sfla-news-sfla


Bush panel gets cool reception for its plan on reforming home insurance



By Kathy Bushouse
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

November 15, 2006


Some homeowners would be allowed to buy only the property insurance coveragethey want, and insurers would have easier access to the state HurricaneCatastrophe Fund, under broad recommendations from a state insurancecommittee appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush.

The recommendations released Tuesday come at a time when home and businessowners are reeling from soaring insurance prices after destructive hurricaneseasons in 2004 and 2005 put Florida's property insurance market into atailspin.

The nonbinding proposals could serve as a template for a special legislativesession on insurance, should Bush choose to call one before the end of histerm. The Property and Casualty Insurance Reform Committee, led by Lt. Gov.Toni Jennings, will meet today in Tallahassee to finalize more than 50recommendations.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16023038.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Nov. 16, 2006

MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS
Deal may mean pay hike for teachers in Dade
The school district and teachers union agreed to a contract that would raise
the starting teacher salary to $37,000 in January.
BY TANIA deLUZURIAGA
tdeluzuriaga@miamiherald.com

Miami-Dade's 21,000 classroom teachers could receive something akin to aholiday bonus if they approve a tentative contract reached by the UnitedTeachers of Dade and the school district on Wednesday.

The proposed three-year deal calls for immediate raises of between 2 and 6percent.



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Orlando Sentinel

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-mlawyerbill1606nov16,0,3926748.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state

Lawyers for poor face loss of pay
State money to compensate attorneys for low-income clients is running low.
Sarah Lundy
Sentinel Staff Writer

November 16, 2006


After raiding public defenders' trust funds to pay for last year's deficit,the state is running out of money to pay court-appointed attorneys at a muchfaster pace this year.

The Justice Administration Commission, which administers the money, doledout the last of its second-quarter money Nov. 9 -- almost two months beforethe period ends.

That means the state has paid $18.2 million for criminal work and $11.5million for civil/dependency work since July 1. Last year, the state hadspent $16.2 million on criminal work and $8.3 million on civil work duringthe entire first half of the fiscal year.



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Palm Beach Post


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/11/16/s3c_dcfverdict_1116.html


Judges uphold verdict of millions
By Kathleen Chapman

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Thursday, November 16, 2006



Appellate judges unanimously upheld a verdict of $26.8 million against theFlorida Department of Children and Families for failing to protect a toddlerfrom a near-fatal beating.

In a ruling issued Wednesday, a panel of judges from the 4th District Courtof Appeal said there was enough evidence to support a Palm Beach Countyjury's ruling that DCF was negligent in its handling of Marissa Amora'scase.

Marissa, formerly named Moesha Sylencieux, was beaten into a coma in January2001 after DCF failed to complete its child abuse investigation of herfamily in Lake Worth. Her adoptive parents, who have since moved to NorthFlorida, sued the state for the cost of her lifetime care.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16022024.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Wed, Nov. 15, 2006


Supreme Court sets deadline for execution appeals

The Florida Supreme Court ordered that appeals for death row inmate AngelDiaz be expedited Wednesday, a day after Gov. Jeb Bush signed a second deathwarrant for the convicted killer.

Diaz, who fatally shot a Miami topless club manager during a 1979 robbery,is scheduled to die by lethal injection Dec. 13.

His lawyer, Suzanne Myers Keffer, said he already had a Circuit Court appealpending in Miami before Bush signed the death warrant Tuesday.



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