FLORIDA DIGEST March 21, 2007

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The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cjudge21mar21,0,4325830,print.story

NAACP files complaint against Broward judge charged with smoking marijuana
By Paula McMahon and Tonya Alanez
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

March 21, 2007

An advocacy group is calling for Broward Circuit Judge Lawrence Korda to beremoved from the bench because he was charged with misdemeanor possession ofmarijuana after Hollywood police said they caught him smoking pot Sundayafternoon in a city park.

The Fort Lauderdale chapter of the National Association for the Advancementof Colored People filed a complaint Tuesday with the state judicial watchdogagency, the Judicial Qualifications Commission.

The commission does not comment on complaints, which are confidential untilthe agency decides whether to file formal charges of misconduct. Penaltiesfor a sustained complaint range from a reprimand, to counseling, to removalfrom the bench.

Korda, a Family Court judge who briefly handled a small part of thepaternity battle over former Playboy centerfold Anna Nicole Smith's infantdaughter, has been on the bench for 29 years. The NAACP also wrote toBroward Chief Judge Dale Ross, calling on him to remove Korda from the boardof the Children's Services Council of Broward County. Korda represents thejudiciary on the board.

"No judge should violate the laws we all share," said Marsha Ellison,president of the Fort Lauderdale NAACP. "When you have a judge who is notsupposed to be above the law, he should follow the law... It's a poorexample for everyone else."



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The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-pwater21mar20,0,5749250,print.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

What you need to know as water restriction rules go into effect
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

March 20, 2007, 9:04 PM EDT

The rules for using water change Thursday, and that could mean more brown inSouth Florida lawns and less green in the pockets of residents who don'tcomply.

A lingering drought and falling water levels prompted the South FloridaWater Management District to limit lawn watering to three times a week, withfines that could cost repeat violators hundreds of dollars. Today, PalmBeach County Fire Rescue plans to impose a ban on all open burning in thecounty. That includes burning for land clearing as well as fireworks andsparklers, but doesn't apply to barbecue grills.

Code enforcement departments and law enforcement officers throughout SouthFlorida are gearing up to start enforcing the new rules, which watermanagers say could remain in effect at least until the summer rains come.

Q: What are the water restrictions for homes?

A: The rules differ depending on the size of property.



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The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-sland21mar21,0,1321515,print.story

State paying $258,000 an acre for land as part of Everglades restoration
By Susannah Bryan
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

March 21, 2007

WESTON - State water managers are paying $258,000 an acre for land theyseized as part of a $10.9 billion Everglades restoration project.

The governing board of the South Florida Water Management District agreedlast week to pay $11.6 million for a vacant 45-acre parcel on South PostRoad, south of Weston Regional Park. Broward Circuit Judge Patti EnglanderHenning approved the settlement Monday, said Miami Beach attorney JeffCynamon, who represented the landowner.

The parcel, taken by eminent domain in 2004, eventually will be flooded tohelp restore the natural flow of the Everglades.

The deal appears to be the highest per-acre price paid by the water districtfor vacant land slated to become part of a reservoir. The area will holdpolluted storm water that is now being pumped directly into the Everglades.

In 2002, the district paid $33 million for 113 acres in Weston, or $292,000an acre, but that parcel included a family-owned asphalt plant, rock-miningoperation, plant nursery and other buildings.



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The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-parking21mar21,0,5446800,print.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

Residents-only parking to be permanent near Fort Lauderdale beach
By Brittany Wallman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

March 21, 2007

FORT LAUDERDALE - Beachgoers will have to erase another set of streets fromtheir pool of potential parking spots.

City commissioners and staff agreed Tuesday they're pleased with a six-monthtrial that banned outsiders from parking on a span of residential sidestreets at the beach north of Sunrise Boulevard. They said they plan to makeit permanent.

Commissioners voted 4-0, with Commissioner Carlton Moore absent, to prolongresident-only parking restrictions for the Birch Park Finger Streets untilthey can pass an ordinance to make it year-round. Commissioners also areconsidering a resident-parking-only restriction north of Las Olas Boulevard,between Southeast 12th and 17th avenues, but postponed a final vote to April17.

The permit-only plan for the beachside rankled some in the city and beyond.

A pile of petitions against the plan was delivered to City Hall this week,complaining that the restriction is unfair because "it excludes theremaining tax base of the city of using these publicly financed andmaintained streets."



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From: Donald Cavanaugh

donald@donaldcavanaugh.com

Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:07 PM

Subject: FW: Adoption Town Hall Live Webcast

Please help get the word out.

The Coalition for Fair Adoption is holding a town hall on March 27 at NewHope First Community Church at 2929A Seacrest Blvd in Boynton Beach. Thetown hall will feature a panel of speakers including experts on adoption andfoster care, child welfare; family law as well as a Florida resident who hasmade it through the labyrinth of our state's current discriminatory adoptionlaws.

Rainbow Radio will webcast the proceedings live from the church thanks toJim Stafford and www.lakeworthtalk.com.

People can listen and post questions and comments athttp://www.lakeworthtalk.com. Click on "Live Broadcast" between 7 and 9 pmand hear the proceedings. Click on "Complete List of All Message Boards"and scroll down to find "Rainbow Radio." Sign in or post anonymously as"Guest."

Ideally, everyone will want to come to the church and participate directlybut for those who can't make it they can participate online

Please help get the word out.

Also, starting tomorrow evening, Rainbow Radio is moving from Tuesdays at 7pm to Wednesdays at 8 - right after The Live Show with Jim Stafford.

Thanks!
Donald Cavanaugh, Host

Giving voice to the South Florida gay community
Rainbow Radio
Wednesdays 8 to 9 pm
www.lakeworthtalk.com
rainbowtalk@gaypowernet.net
561-582-0971


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