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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcgayjamaica19mar19,0,1382462,print.story
Area church helps Jamaica's lesbian, gay community
By Alva James-Johnson
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 19, 2007
When members of the Sunshine Cathedral heard reports that gays and lesbianswere being abused in Jamaica, they extended their reach from Fort Lauderdaleto the Caribbean island.
The church at 1480 SW Ninth Ave. now has a branch in Jamaica 83 membersstrong, church leaders said.
The congregation established the Jamaican church in December in response toa 2004 Human Rights Watch report that alleged police and citizens werepersecuting gays, sex workers and people with HIV/AIDS, according to thechurch pastor, the Rev. Grant Lynn Ford.
Church leaders have traveled to the island to support gay men and lesbiansand challenge homophobic attitudes among government and religious officials,he said.
"The government says it's not happening. They attribute the death of everygay man and lesbian woman to domestic violence or a trick gone bad," hesaid. "But it's not that. It's a homophobic mob mentality."
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editgsadoptcapmar19,0,3191169,print.story?coll=sfla-news-editorial
Homosexuals
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
March 19, 2007
Adoption ban remains a Florida shame
The truly sad thing about the proposal to repeal the ban on gay adoptions inFlorida is that even the sponsors aren't optimistic about its passing.
Barring a miracle during the legislative session, Florida will shamefullyspend another year with the most sweeping law in the country against gapadoption. Gays and lesbians can be foster parents, but if they want to adoptthose foster kids whom they have raised -- heaven forbid!
The law is a relic from the Anita Bryant homophobic days of 30 years ago,but old prejudices die hard in Florida.
The South Florida sponsors of repeal include: Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston; andReps. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton; Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach;Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach; Martin David Kiar, D-Davie; and Ari Porth,D-Coral Springs.
Rich and Skidmore hope introducing the measure will move Florida closer torepeal. It's embarrassing that "closer" is all they can realistically hopefor.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-318gaysuit,0,6332209,print.story
Gay-Straight Alliance discrimination lawsuit against school board cancontinue
The Associated Press
March 18, 2007, 7:19 PM EDT
A Gay-Straight Alliance at Okeechobee High School can continue its lawsuitagainst the county school board over alleged discrimination, a judge hasruled.
The school board of Okeechobee County had sought to get the lawsuit by theclub dismissed, but U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore ruled March13 that the lawsuit could go forward.
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in federaldistrict court in Miami in November. ACLU lawyer Robert Rosenwald, whorepresents the Gay-Straight Alliance and the club's president, YasminGonzalez, called the ruling "a major victory.''
David Gibbs, the lawyer for the school board, disagreed.
"Neither side should claim this as a victory. It's really the courtstreamlining the lawsuit,'' he said.
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/454/v-print/story/45756.html
Posted on Mon, Mar. 19, 2007
Protect Florida's coastline, economy
Big oil just doesn't give up trying to get drilling rigs into the EasternGulf of Mexico. This time the vehicle is a Senate bill (S. 875) that wouldallow oil drilling just 45 miles from Florida's shoreline. Called theSecurity and Fuel Efficiency Energy Act, the bill would also allow U.S.firms to search for oil and gas in Cuban waters, contrary to the U.S.embargo.
It makes no sense
The bill sponsored by Sens. Bryan Dorgan, D-N.D., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho,would threaten Florida's environment, beaches and tourism economy as well ascritical military training flights. Fortunately, Florida Sens. Bill Nelsonand Mel Martinez have vowed to fight these provisions, just as they teamedup to defeat equally offensive drilling measures in the last two years.
Allowing oil and gas drilling so close to Florida's coastline makes nosense, particularly after Congress crafted compromise legislation thatprotects the Eastern Gulf coastline until 2022. That legislation establisheda significant no-drill buffer that extends 325 miles off of Naples, 235 offof Tampa Bay and 125 miles off of Pensacola. This buffer should be settledlaw.
The no-drill buffer is vital to protecting:
. Florida's beautiful beaches and environment, which draw visitors to ourstate and boost our billon-dollar tourism industry.
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The Saint Petersburg Times
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/03/19/news_pf/Hernando/A_high_price_for_anti.shtml
A high price for antimurder
By ASJYLYN LODER
Published March 19, 2007
Gov. Charlie Crist's first legislation - the antimurder bill signed March12 - could cost Hernando County $2.3 million a year.
The state won't pay for it. Instead, the bill will fall to county taxpayersalready clamoring for tax relief.
"It's a good law. There's no question it will save lives," said HernandoCounty Commissioner Dave Russell, a former state legislator. "Just help usout a little bit."
Other counties are likewise reeling. In Pinellas County, the measure couldcost as much as $32,600 a day, said Elithia Stanfield, deputy countyadministrator in Pinellas County.
"It's very frustrating because there are some legislators that say localgovernments are spending money like drunken sailors," Stanfield said. "Andthen they do this."
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Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-cristskid1907mar19,0,1473190,print.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state
Possible Crist link doesn't bother teen
But she would like to meet the governor, who could be her biological father.
Elinor J. Brecher
March 19, 2007
TAMPA -- She's a freshman at a small Southern college, a psychology majorand international studies minor, cheerleader and sorority sister who, at 17,already has charted a career path.
"I'm pre-law," said the teen, "K" for the purposes of this story. "I'vethought about it since high school. It's interesting that both of mybiological parents are attorneys, because that's definitely something Iwanted to do before I found out all that. . . . I'm interested in politics."
"All that" includes her belief that Gov. Charlie Crist is her birthfather -- speculation based solely on the assertion of her birth mother,Rebecca O'Dell Townsend, that she had a one-night stand with Crist in 1988resulting in pregnancy.
Townsend named Crist as K's father in adoption records leaked to the mediaduring last year's nasty Republican gubernatorial primary.
He has denied it angrily, and aides have said the allegation and its timingwere an effort to damage his campaign.
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The sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fklein19mar19,0,5945841,print.story
First-term U.S. Rep. Klein still without Republican challengers
By Anthony Man
Political Writer
March 19, 2007
Tallahassee - The state Capitol is teeming with ambitious people craving thechance to seek higher office as they hone their skills in the FloridaLegislature.
But something is missing: candidates lining up to challenge U.S. Rep. RonKlein, D-Boca Raton. Despite the presence of three prospects among theRepublican legislators from Broward and Palm Beach counties, Jeff Atwater,Ellyn Bogdanoff and Adam Hasner have all declined to take on thecongressman, though the easiest time to pick off an incumbent in Congress ishis or her first re-election campaign, which Klein faces in 2008.
After surviving the first re-election, incumbents are much less vulnerableuntil the next redistricting of congressional seats, which happens only oncea decade.
Several Republican politicians and strategists publicly profess it isn't toolate to begin a campaign against Klein; others say time is running out.
Any potential challenger needs time to raise an enormous sum to have anyhope of seriously competing. At this point two years ago, Klein was a statesenator who had already declared his candidacy and was raising money forwhat many at the time considered a long-shot bid against veteran U.S. Rep.Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale.
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News-Press.com
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070317/OPINION/703170421/1015
Editorial
Time to step up for gay rights
Originally posted on March 17, 2007
We'd do well just to be consistent when it comes to the treatment of gaysand lesbians in Florida.
This idea is prompted by the progress of two pieces of legislation inTallahassee.
REPEAL ADOPTION BAN
Florida's 30-year-old ban on adoption by gay parents is a stain lawmakers asyet have not had the courage to wash away.
The ban is a cruel disservice to the almost 4,000 foster children awaitingadoption in a state which, with wild inconsistency, allows gay couples andsingles to be foster parents!
"It is the most sweeping anti-gay parenting law in the country, something ofwhich we should not be proud in the state of Florida," says state Sen. NanRich, D-Weston. "The law is devoid of any basis in social science andcontradicts public policy on child welfare. It denies children and adultsconstitutional rights and jeopardizes, most importantly, the best interestsof children."
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Naples News
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/mar/19/legislation_would_remove_restrictions_flying_old_g/?print=1
Bill would make it free to fly Old Glory
By Julio Ochoa
Monday, March 19, 2007
Rep. Nick Thompson thought his idea to prohibit governments from requiring afee or permit to fly an American flag was common sense.
Donald Trump, the billionaire business baron, thought it was genius.
The idea for the legislation came to Thompson, R-Fort Myers, while he waswatching CNN one night. He saw a piece about the Town of Palm Beach finingTrump thousands of dollars for flying an oversized flag on an 80-foot flagpole outside his home without a permit.
"I thought, 'You know, if you live in Florida and want to put up an Americanflag on your property, you shouldn't have to get a permit and you shouldn'thave to pay a fee,' " Thompson said.
He decided to propose a bill and let Trump's camp know about it.
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Palm Beach Post
http://palmbeachpost.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Break+up+this+chorus&expire=&urlID=21595181&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palmbeachpost.com%2Fopinion%2Fcontent%2Fopinion%2Fepaper%2F2007%2F03%2F19%2Fm16a_greenboard_edit_0319.html&partnerID=491
Break up this chorus
Palm Beach Post Editorial
Monday, March 19, 2007
Gov. Crist still hasn't filled four vacancies on the nine-member SouthFlorida Water Management District Board. Among the many applicants arepeople whose qualifications actually outweigh their political credentials.Since the governor has expressed strong support for Everglades restorationand cleaning up Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers,he should give the governing board the environmental voice it has lacked foreight years.
For starters, he should not reappoint Chairman Kevin McCarty or the otherthree board members who last week approved a water permit for an unneededPalm Beach County golf course at the edge of the Everglades that will suck amillion gallons a day from South Florida's shrinking water supply. The boardsimultaneously limited lawn-watering because of drought. Mr. McCarty's termexpires this month. So do those of Irela Bagué and Alice J. Carlson. Gov.Crist had rescinded the term of Miya Burt-Stewart, appointed by Gov. Bush.
These board members are on the governor's list of applicants, as is EricBuermann, whom rumors place near the top. A Miami lawyer, he is formergeneral counsel to the Bush-Cheney campaign and the state Republican Partyand an associate professor at the University of Miami. Mr. Buermann servedon Gov. Crist's transition team for the Department of EnvironmentalProtection. His firm's clients do include Florida Crystals, the state'slargest sugar-grower. The sugar industry already has a presence on theboard: U.S. Sugar Vice President Malcolm Wade. Jim Murley, director ofFlorida Atlantic University's urban planning center, would be the bestMiami-Dade representative.
Broward County's applicants include two excellent candidates: LisaBaumbach-Reardon, who fought runway expansion at Fort Lauderdale-HollywoodInternational Airport; and Shannon Estenoz, an engineer who is an expert onEverglades issues. In Palm Beach County, Leah Schad, who had a good recordas a board member in the 1990s, is a possibility. The Lee County Commissionon Florida's West Coast has endorsed environmental consultant Gregory Rawland Walter Daltry, who has served on the district's Water Resources AdvisoryCommission.
Politics always comes into play with these choices, but Gov. Crist willmatch his rhetoric if he looks also for qualifications.
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Palm Beach Post
http://palmbeachpost.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Ban+cellphones%3F+Not+yet&expire=&urlID=21595177&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.palmbeachpost.com%2Fopinion%2Fcontent%2Fopinion%2Fepaper%2F2007%2F03%2F19%2Fw16a_cellphoneban_edit_0319.html&partnerID=491
Ban cellphones? Not yet
Palm Beach Post Editorial
Monday, March 19, 2007
Hold the phone.
The Palm Beach County School Board didn't get all the facts or consider allits options last week before deciding that it should try to ban studentsfrom bringing cellphones to school.
The school district doesn't keep statistics specifically on cell-phonemisuse. Superintendent Art Johnson has plenty of horror stories aboutstudents sending each other threatening text messages, students using cameraphones to take inappropriate pictures in the bathroom or locker room andstudents taking pictures of test questions. Without solid statistics,though, there's no way to begin balancing those potential abuses against theconvenience and peace of mind cellphones give parents and students.
The board didn't ask basic quesions. For example, would a ban stop"cyber-bullying" when threats still can be sent to a phone at home? Andsince text messages can be saved, isn't a "cyber-bully" providing proof tobe used against him?
Many parents give students cellphones so they can be in touch if necessarywhile walking to school or from a bus stop. A predator who sees a childcarrying a cellphone is more likely to think twice. Is the school boardreally ready to take away that precaution?
The frustration school officials feel with cellphones is real, and isn'tjust from the extreme cases. A ringing cellphone interrupts class, and thenthe teacher and principal have to deal with parents angry that a phone hasbeen confiscated.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-fteachers16xmar19,0,4402927,print.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Budget crunch, new requirements could mean misery for Florida's teachers
By Jean-Paul Renaud
Tallahasee Bureau
March 19, 2007
Tallahassee - This may be a bad time for Florida's teachers.
Low salaries. High property taxes. Yet more mandates from politicians.
"The new teachers coming in, I mean I think it's really pathetic for them,"said Joyce Kerensky, a fourth-grade teacher at Del Prado Elementary Schoolin Boca Raton and a 22-year veteran educator. "They can't even afford tolive in Broward or Palm Beach counties."
More budget crunches may lie ahead for Palm Beach and Broward Countyschools. Funding proposals being debated in the Legislature are more than$40 million under what the Palm Beach School Board says it needs, and morethan $50 million below Broward's estimated requirements. Officials in bothcounties fear programs could suffer, and teachers' salaries, already lowerthan in many other states, will lag behind further.
And each year, there are more rules from Tallahassee. The latest: mostteachers' bonuses next year must partly be tied to the Florida ComprehensiveAssessment Test.
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The Palm Beach Post
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/03/19/s1b_skvirtual_0319.html
Online class popularity soars
By Don Jordan
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 19, 2007
On the surface, English teacher Linda George's British literature classsounds like a 16-year-old's dream.
You can show up when you want, turn in assignments when you want and takebreaks to watch videos of the Urban Ninja on YouTube.
You can eat, drink, listen to music, play video games and text message yourfriends without fear of punishment.
Clothing is optional.
And according to George, it's "the perfect atmosphere."
George is one of a handful of teachers in Palm Beach County who end theirtraditional school day - at Jupiter High, in her case - and continueteaching from their home computers as part of the Palm Beach VirtualCommunity School, a district program offering high school credits and GEDcourses completely online.
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Tallahassee.com
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070319/NEWS01/703190328/1010&template=printart
Article published Mar 19, 2007
Medical systems facing big cuts
Medicaid limits would slash funds for indigent care
By Ferdie De Vega and Larry Wheeler
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
and DEMOCRAT WASHINGTON BUREAU
Hospitals say funding for poor is at risk
Tallahassee hospital officials say a plan to limit Medicaid funding wouldmake it more difficult for the poor and uninsured to receive medical care.
More than 5 million poor and uninsured Florida residents rely on Medicaidand charity hospitals. The new limits, scheduled to start Sept. 1, coulddeal a serious blow to the budgets of more than 100 hospitals, according tothe Florida Hospital Association. The big medical systems in Miami,Jacksonville and Tampa could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in stateand federal matching funds.
Regional providers in Tallahassee, Pensacola, Fort Myers and Brevard Countyalso stand to lose millions.
"At a time when the number of uninsured persons is at a record high in boththe state and the nation, the federal government is proposing enormous cutsin dollars that have been designated to support these individuals," saidMark O'Bryant, president and chief executive officer of Tallahassee MemorialHealthCare.
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TBO.com
http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Domestic+Partner+Benefits+Stalled&expire=&urlID=21595694&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tbo.com%2Fnews%2Fmetro%2FMGBO1ZW9GZE.html&partnerID=97476
Domestic Partner Benefits Stalled
By ADAM EMERSON The Tampa Tribune
Published: Mar 19, 2007
TAMPA - A year ago, when the University of South Florida administrationagreed to find health care options for domestic partners, faculty unionleaders called it a breakthrough.
The word they use today is stalemate.
The two sides are no closer to creating a health benefit for gay andunmarried heterosexual couples like those found at a growing number ofFlorida universities.
The union says the university's leaders care little about finding the moneyto pay for such a benefit, and suggest that USF follow the example set bythe University of Florida and Florida International University, whichlaunched domestic-partner benefits more than a year ago.
Finding money may be one of many problems. Responding to the union'scriticism, USF administrators say they have yet to find a health-insurancecarrier eager to provide coverage.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editgsadoptcapmar19,0,3191169,print.story?coll=sfla-news-editorial
Homosexuals
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
March 19, 2007
Adoption ban remains a Florida shame
The truly sad thing about the proposal to repeal the ban on gay adoptions inFlorida is that even the sponsors aren't optimistic about its passing.
Barring a miracle during the legislative session, Florida will shamefullyspend another year with the most sweeping law in the country against gapadoption. Gays and lesbians can be foster parents, but if they want to adoptthose foster kids whom they have raised -- heaven forbid!
The law is a relic from the Anita Bryant homophobic days of 30 years ago,but old prejudices die hard in Florida.
The South Florida sponsors of repeal include: Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston; andReps. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton; Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach;Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach; Martin David Kiar, D-Davie; and Ari Porth,D-Coral Springs.
Rich and Skidmore hope introducing the measure will move Florida closer torepeal. It's embarrassing that "closer" is all they can realistically hopefor.
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/454/v-print/story/45757.html
Posted on Mon, Mar. 19, 2007
Straight to the point
NO CHEATING
We've been here before: A prolonged spell of dry weather prompts theimposition of water-use restrictions. Doesn't seem right, does it? Water,water everywhere . . . and yet the restrictions make sense and should bestrictly enforced.
There's no mystery about why this is ncessary: 2006 was the sixth-driestyear on record, and water levels are plunging everywhere. Lake Okeechobee,our big drinking cup, is four feet below average. Obeying moderaterestrictions may prevent the imposition of tougher rules later.
In the past, some residents have been prone to ignore restrictions out offear of seeing lawns turn brown. That's a mistake. Restrictions aremandatory, and they apply to all users. Given predicted changes in weatherpatterns in coming years, the best advice may be to get used to it.
. OVERDUE HONORS
The Tuskegee airmen will get long overdue recognition this month when theyare awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The 994 black men who became pilots broke the color barrier in the air and distinguished themselves inWorld War II combat missions.
In more than 15,000 sorties, they destroyed 400 enemy aircraft and protectedthe U.S. and Allied bombers they escorted. The example they set helpeddesegregate the U.S. military in 1948.
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"COMBING THROUGH LIFE'S TANGLES"
A new musical by Mario Betto
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Friday, March 23, 2007 - 8pm
Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 8pm
Sunday March 25, 2007 - 8pm
Vinny's Beauty Parlor is the meeting place for gossip, drama and politics!Cori's gender bending life, which is the center of gossip at the salon,unfolds in this comedy/drama. Reinvented oldies such as "California Dreamin'(now "Beauty Parlor Dreamin'") are sure to please. Original compositions andshort-film segments take the audience on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
"Combing Through Life's Tangles" is truly a multi-media theater experience.All net proceeds from this production go towards Hairstylists for Humanity,a 501c3 Florida organization. Ticket prices are tax-deductible as providedby law. Proceeds help provide no-cost beauty services to over 3,000 diverseindividuals yearly in South Florida.
Ticket prices: $18.00 for students & seniors $25.00 for general admission
FOR TICKETS: WWW.TICKETWEB.COM
1-866-468-7630
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