FLORIDA DIGEST December 14, 2006

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From: Paul Harris, Publisher
The Independent
www.OurIndy.com

Do you have plans for either Thursday or Friday evening this week? If notcan we suggest two things that might be of interest?

On Thursday evening (December 14) our good friends at the South FloridaLambda Chorale are performing their holiday concert at 8:00 pm at theBroward Main Library Auditorium (100 S. Andrews Ave. Fort Lauderdale). Thereis lots of affordable parking nearby. Fun is the hallmark of the LambdaChorale. Amongst the songs they will be performing are "Baby, It's ColdOutside," "In The Mood," "There's No Place Like Home," "Do You Hear What IHear," and, of course, "I'll Be Home For Christmas." Tickets are $25.00.You can order them at their web site

(http://www.freewebs.com/lambdachorale/ordertix.htm)


or by phone(866-937-4644), or at the door on the night. The last show I saw at thisvenue was a lot of fun. See you there!!

The following night, Friday (December 15), the folks on Wilton Drive arehaving their first "Art Walk." It starts at 7 and goes on until 10pm. Theidea is the brainchild of Mary Charapko of the Ellen Charapko Gallery. FromFive Points the first business to be a part of the event is Carol Moran'swonderful "New Moon" bar which appeals to a lesbian clientele (although ALL,and I mean all, are welcome). The last business heading south that is a partof the event is Art Expressions at 1212 NE 4th Avenue, which currently has ashow of affordable art from which people are encouraged to find presents fortheir friends. Along the way store owners who are part of the event areserving wine and cheese or other refreshments to those wandering down WiltonDrive and into the various businesses taking part.


more ....


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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/13/Hillsborough/Parental_okays_not_ne.shtml


Parental okays not needed, board says
Divided school officials vote that joining clubs shouldn't require a note.
By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK, Times Staff Writer
Published December 13, 2006

TAMPA - In a vote prompted by controversy over creating a gay-straightalliance in a local high school, the Hillsborough School Board opted not torequire students to get parental permission to join a club.

School Board members agreed parents need better information and moreawareness about the clubs their children join.

But they said having parents sign permission slips for their kids to join aclub is not the answer. The board rejected that concept, as recommended bysuperintendent MaryEllen Elia, with a 4-2 vote Tuesday before a small butdivided audience, primarily from east Hillsborough.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/16234147.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Thu, Dec. 14, 2006

COUNTY COMMISSION

County hires ex-commissioner Jim Scott as lobbyistThe hiring of former Commissioner Jim Scott as a lobbyist and the approvalof extra money for a park were among the decisions at a 14-hour CountyCommission meeting.

BY AMY SHERMAN
asherman@MiamiHerald.com

Former Broward County Commissioner Jim Scott, who lost his bid forreelection last month, will now become a paid county lobbyist.

Scott's law firm, Tripp Scott, will be paid $60,000 to lobby on thecommission's behalf in Tallahassee during the upcoming legislative session.

The commission agreed to hire Scott at the end of a 14-hour marathon meetingthat finished shortly after midnight Tuesday.

Commissioners pLowed their way through an agenda of 130 or so items --interrupted for a lunch with legislators. They wrestled with severalcomplicated issues, including negotiations with the Baltimore Orioles andthe rising costs for a park being built in Lauderhill.



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The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fteacher14dec14,0,7405877.story?coll=sfla-news-florida


Teacher union sues to challenge Florida's merit-pay program

The Associated Press

December 14, 2006


TALLAHASSEE · The Florida Education Association on Wednesday sued tochallenge the constitutionality of a provision in the current state budgetthat creates the nation's first statewide merit pay program for teachers.

The FEA, Florida's statewide teachers union, contends the language used inthe budget violates the state constitution by failing to provide specificconditions for using money appropriated for the program. The lawsuit wasfiled in Circuit Court here.

"We had hoped it wouldn't come to this," FEA president Andy Ford said. "Thedeadlines imposed on us have made it necessary to file this complaint atthis time. We had to preserve the rights of our members and call attentionto some critical unanswered questions."



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The St. Petersburg Times

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/13/State/Executed_man_takes_34.shtml

Executed man takes 34 minutes to die
By CHRIS TISCH and CURTIS KRUEGER
Published December 13, 2006

STARKE - A death row inmate who had argued that Florida's executionprocedures were cruel hung on for much longer than usual after his lethalinjection Wednesday evening, once again calling into question the way thestate kills condemned prisoners.

Angel Diaz winced, his body shuddered and he remained alive for 34 minutes,nearly three times as long as the last two executions.

Department of Corrections officials said they had to take the rare step ofgiving Diaz a second dose of drugs to kill him.A second dose is part of their protocol and was anticipated in this casebecause Diaz had liver disease, which they said can slow the time it takesthe drugs to metabolize, they said.


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