FLORIDA DIGEST February 23, 2007

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The Express Gay News

http://www.expressgaynews.com/print.cfm?content_id=3461

Oakland Park candidate says he wants to make amends with gays
Mann says he now regrets referring to Wilton Manors as the ‘pink village’

By PHIL LAPADULA
Feb. 23, 2007

Roger Mann, a candidate for Oakland Park City Commission, insists he’s “nota raving homophobe as some in the media would have you believe.” Mann,however, concedes that he ran an anti-gay campaign for a commission seat in2001. But he now says that was a mistake, and he wants to make amends withthe gay community.

This year, Mann is running against Allegra Webb Murphy, a strong ally of thegay community. The election for the Oakland Park Commission seat will beheld March 13.

In an interview this week with the Express, Mann admitted to referring toWilton Manors as the “pink village” during the 2001 campaign.

“I said, ‘We don’t need to be the pink village like Wilton Manors,’” Mannrecalled. He now regrets the statement, he said. He also admitted to statingduring the 2001 campaign, “I might be the only hetero in the race.”

“I basically made a mistake when I said I might be the only hetero in therace,” Mann said. “I’m like the Mel Gibson of Oakland Park. But the bottomline is I’m fairly liberal when it comes to gay people. They keep theirhouses better than mine. They keep their properties in good shape.”



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The Express Gay News

http://www.expressgaynews.com/2007/2-23/locallife/feature/feature.cfm

Comics grab Winter Party spotlight
Task Force’s annual bash offers several new events this year

By SHERI ELFMAN
Friday, February 23, 2007

It’s time again for Winter Party Festival, the annual celebration of socialand cultural events that benefits the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force andlocal GLBT groups. This year’s festival, which takes place Feb. 28 to March5, features events mostly in Miami Beach and Miami, with a few in BrowardCounty.

A highlight of the week is the Comedy Spotlight, which will feature gaycomedians Leslie Jordan, Michele Balan and ANT. The three will perform atJackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach on Friday, March 2.

The Comedy Spotlight will also feature an art exhibit showing the works oflocal artists Lazaro Amaral, Monica Hernandez and Alekxey Sabido. Proceedsfrom art sales will be donated to Winter Party Festival.

Express caught up with gay comic ANT to talk to him about his upcomingappearance at Winter Party. The comic has appeared on all four seasons ofNBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and is the host of VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club.”He also stars in the LOGO series “U.S. of ANT.” His comedy act is availableon DVD, “ANT: America’s Ready,” and CD, “Follow My Ass!”

ANT says that he’s been to Winter Party a few times, but not during theyears after the Task Force took it over. He looks forward to attending manyof the events, especially the fashion show. When asked what topics he willtouch upon at the show, he mentions a few highlights: “Being gay, my familyand my miserable dating life.”




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Express Gay News

http://www.expressgaynews.com/2007/2-23/news/localnews/10056.cfm

Better Bodies Gym to shut down Feb. 28

Friday, February 23, 2007

Better Bodies Gym, a fixture of the gay fitness scene in the greater FortLauderdale area for the past eight years, will shut down Feb. 28.

Steven Paul, manager of Better Bodies, confirmed this week that the gym hasbeen struggling financially. He said the gym’s owner, Bob DeBenedictis,“made a financial decision” to close the gym.

Better Bodies was located in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors for several years.About three and a half years ago, it moved to its current location at 1164E. Oakland Park Boulevard. Paul said he did not think the gym’s new locationhad anything to do with its financial problems. In fact, the new locationsolved the gym’s parking problems, Paul said. “I think the location was anadvantage,” he said.

Paul said the Firm, another local gym, has agreed to honor the contracts ofBetter Bodies members starting March 1.

“The Firm will honor whatever time is left on their contracts,” Paul said.“We wanted our members to continue their workouts, so we found a goodfacility for them.”



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The Express Gay News

http://www.expressgaynews.com/2007/2-23/news/localnews/10056.cfm

FIU to host gay and lesbian spirituality events Feb. 26

Florida International University’s Center for the Study of Spirituality willsponsor a day of events focusing on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderedspirituality issues on Monday, Feb. 26.

The events, which will be held in FIU’s Graham Center at 11200 SW 8th St. inMiami, will include a mid-day lecture by nationally known speaker andcolumnist Rev. Irene Monroe and a “Spirituality Fair.” Rev. Monroe willaddress the burgeoning LGBT faith movement nationally and its effect onmainstream religions. The event will be held from noon to 2:30 p.m. in theGraham Center, Room 150.

Local songwriter Amy Carol Webb will perform at the mid-day event. She hascomposed a number of songs celebrating diversity, faith and spirituality.

The Spirituality Fair will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Graham Center.Local welcoming and affirming congregations will have displays. The day willwind up with Rev. Monroe leading a “Dialogue on LGBT Diversity,” aparticipatory community discussion, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

For more information about these events, please contact Gisela Vega at305-348-4196 or Nan Van Den Bergh at 305-348-5522.



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The Express Gay News

http://www.expressgaynews.com/2007/2-23/arts/feature/sheets.cfm

Life between the sheets
Tim Miller to bring sexy show ‘1001 Beds’ to South Florida

By SHERI ELFMAN
Friday, February 23, 2007

PERFORMANCE ARTIST TIM MILLER is one of many artists coming to South Floridato perform at Art Explosion. The two-week-long event is presented byArtsUnited, a local gay and lesbian artists group.

MILLER, AN INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed performance artist, will perform “1001Beds,” a piece based on his book of the same name. He came up with the namebased on all the traveling he does as a performer.

“It’s a conservative estimate of how many hotels I will sleep in,” he says.

His new show hits on many popular themes. “It’s funny and kinky, about love,life and politics,” Miller explains. “It’s a very between-the-sheets show.”

This is Miller’s third book. His other two are “Shirts and Skin” and “BodyBlows.” Since 1981, he has created many performance pieces, including “LiveBoys,” “Democracy in America,” “My Queer Body” and “Glory Box.”

His performances have been presented all over North America and Europe invenues such as Yale Repertory Theatre, the Institute of Contemporary Art(London), the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis) and the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic.



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Sun-Sentinel.com

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-ztoll23feb23,0,6862112,print.story?coll=sfla-business-front

Major builder says 2007 will see 'too many soft markets' for housing torecover
By Peter Woodifield and Brian Louis
Bloomberg News

February 23, 2007

Toll Brothers Inc., the largest U.S. luxury home builder, said Thursday thatfiscal first-quarter profit slid 67 percent on expenses to write off thevalue of land.

Toll's predicament is similar to what other home builders nationwide arefacing as demand for new homes cooled in 2006 after five years of blisteringsales. Miami-based Lennar Corp., WCI Communities Inc. of Bonita Springs andLevitt Corp. of Fort Lauderdale are among the Florida builders seeing anincrease in canceled home contracts and unsold properties.

Toll cut its profit forecast for the fiscal year and lowered its estimatefor home deliveries in 2007 as orders slumped.

"There are too many soft markets at this stage of the selling season to calla general upturn in the new home market," Chief Executive Officer RobertToll said.

In December, he said the market was nearing a "bottom." Area Tolldevelopments include Wellington View in Wellington, Frenchman's Reserve inPalm Beach Gardens and Jupiter Country Club in Jupiter. The company doesn'tbuild in Broward County.

Toll, of Horsham, Pa., said first-quarter net income fell to $54.3 million,or 33 cents a share, from $163.9 million, or 98 cents, a year earlier. Thecompany had a $96.9 million land writedown in the period, less thanpreviously forecast.





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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/16763122.htm

Ros-Lehtinen backs new bill to let gays serve

Saying the military should not turn away needed talent, Rep. IleanaRos-Lehtinen will once again co-sponsor a bill to let openly gay peopleserve in the armed forces.

BY STEVE ROTHAUS
srothaus@MiamiHerald.com

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said Thursday she will again co-sponsor a billallowing openly gay men and women to serve in the U.S. military.

''I have a stepson and a daughter-in-law in military service who haveproudly served our country in Iraq, and my daughter-in-law will soon bedeployed to Afghanistan, so I am familiar with the great need that ourcountry has to have our best and brightest wear our nation's uniform,'' saidthe Miami Republican by e-mail. ``One's sexual orientation should not be afactor in their ability to serve.''

On Wednesday, Rep. Martin Meehan, D-Mass., plans to reintroduce the MilitaryReadiness Enhancement Act, a bill to repeal the military's ''Don't Ask,Don't Tell'' ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel.

So far, 93 lawmakers, including Meehan and Ros-Lehtinen, are co-sponsors.Two other Republicans, Reps. Christopher Shays of Connecticut and WayneGilchrest of Maryland, also are co-sponsors, said Steve Ralls,communications director for the gay-oriented Servicemembers Legal DefenseNetwork in Washington.



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NOTE:

"At 41, Milstein realized he was gay. He came out, despite having what hetold The Herald in 2005"


The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/steve_rothaus/16762875.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Posted on Fri, Feb. 23, 2007

Guardian of Smith's baby shuns the spotlight

A week's worth of testimony and accusations came down to one man's sense ofresponsibility and a few minutes of proceedings behind closed doors.

BY NIRVI SHAH AND STEVE ROTHAUS
nshah@MiamiHerald.com

For a few minutes, the courtroom was closed and the minute-by-minute detailsabout Anna Nicole Smith's life, death, body and baby were out of sight.

The man who drew the curtains on the weeklong court performance was RichardMilstein, an unassuming, accomplished Miami attorney.

After Thursday's compromise to bury Smith in the Bahamas, Milstein wasambushed by the media. He declined requests for appearances on evening newsshows.

''I've been in this for one week,'' Milstein said. The ''task was to keepone thing in mind -- the best interests of the child.'' Milstein, thecourt-appointed guardian for Smith's infant daughter, Dannielynn, was theone Broward Circuit Judge Larry Seidlin gave the responsibility of finding afinal resting place for Smith.

Milstein's friends and acquaintances said Thursday the 60-year-old lawyerwas the perfect choice to advocate on behalf of the 6-month-old girl.


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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16763101.htm

Posted on Fri, Feb. 23, 2007

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
$58 million spent to lobby Legislature

CORPORATIONS, SPECIAL INTERESTS AND GOVERNMENTS SPENT A'STAGGERING'$58MILLION TO LOBBY THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, AN ANALYSIS OF A YEAR'S WORTHOFREPORTS SHOWED

By GARY FINEOUT
gfineout@MiamiHerald.com

For the first time ever, there's a known price tag for influencing theFlorida Legislature: at least $58 million. And counting.

Lobbyists reaped at least that amount last year -- and might have earned upto $38 million more, depending on how the numbers are figured -- fromcorporations, special-interest groups and cities and counties that wanted toinfluence the Legislature, according to an extensive review by The MiamiHerald of newly required lobbyist disclosure forms.

The world of lobbyist finances was once off limits. But in late 2005, statelegislators passed a tough ban on gifts and freebies, and they forcedprofessional lobbyists to reveal how much they get paid.

''This is excellent evidence that fewer and fewer business interests andpeople feel comfortable about affecting the outcome without a hired gun,''said former Senate President Tom Lee, a Brandon Republican who pushed thelegislation requiring lobbyists to report their incomes. ``I think it's asad testimony about where our democracy is headed.''




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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/16762836.htm

LABOR
Union claims 100 cleaners lost jobs at NSU

About 100 workers at Nova Southeastern University's campus are out of a job,says a union that is filing charges against the school.

BY NIALA BOODHOO
nboodhoo@MiamiHerald.com

On Monday, union activist and Nova Southeastern University janitor WandaRodriguez's worst fears were realized: After 11 years cleaning the Davieschool, she was told she was out of a job.

Rodriguez is one of at least 100 former workers, many union activists andHaitians who cleaned and maintained NSU, who have not been retained by theschool's new contractor, according to the Service Employees InternationalUnion.

''We are human beings, like them. We deserve to have our jobs back, becausewe are struggling,'' said Rodriguez in a phone interview from Tallahassee,where she and other workers are visiting lawmakers to tell them of theirsituation.

The union has filed unfair labor practice claims against the university withthe National Labor Relations Board and sent a formal letter to the newcontractor, TCB Systems, asking them to recognize the SEIU.

''I just think it's a callous way of treating employees,'' said the Rev. TimSmiley, a minister at Plantation United Methodist Church. He said itappeared a disproportionate number of those not retained were Haitianworkers.



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365gay

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/022207flatrans.htm

Local Florida Official To Transition
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: February 22, 2007 - 11:00 am ET

(Largo, Florida) The city manager of Largo, Florida has told a localnewspaper of plans to begin transitioning in preparation for a sex-changeoperation.

Steven Stanton sat down with the St. Petersburg Times after the paper beganhearing rumors about Stanton and began asking questions.

In an interview at Largo City Hall, which also included mayor Pat Gerard,Stanton told the paper she has begun receiving hormone therapy andcounseling - a requirement for transitioning.

Stanton, who is married and the father of a teenaged son, said she had notintended to go public until later in the year when her son would be out oftown and could not be subjected to the publicity. She said that planchanged when the Times began asking questions.

Stanton has the support of Mayor Gerard. Both said that Stanton will remainas chief executive of the city, a position she has held for 14 years. “Mygender has nothing to do with my capabilities.” she told the paper.



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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/email/news/breaking_news/16759185.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Posted on Thu, Feb. 22, 2007

Ros-Lehtinen: Repeal `don't ask, don't tell'

BY STEVE ROTHAUS
srothaus@MiamiHerald.com

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said today that she will again co-sponsora bill allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the U.S. military.

''I have a stepson and a daughter-in-law in military service who haveproudly served our country in Iraq, and my daughter-in-law will soon bedeployed to Afghanistan, so I am familiar with the great need that ourcountry has to have our best and brightest wear our nation's uniform,'' theMiami Republican said by e-mail. ``One's sexual orientation should not be afactor in their ability to serve.''

On Wednesday, Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass., plans to reintroduce the MilitaryReadiness Enhancement Act, a bill to repeal the military's ''don't ask,don't tell'' ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel.

So far, 93 lawmakers, including Meehan and Ros-Lehtinen, are co-sponsors.Two other Republicans, Reps. Christopher Shays of Connecticut and WayneGilchrest of Maryland, also are co-sponsors, said Steve Ralls,communications director for the gay-oriented Servicemembers Legal DefenseNetwork in Washington.

Ros-Lehtinen's support is particularly important, Ralls said.



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