FLORIDA DIGEST September 18, 2007

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net
and we'll be happy to send the full article.

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FLORIDA RED AND BLUE!!!!

Many of you haven't responded.....

Florida Red And Blue!!!!

Do your part to fight the right-wing state-wide anti-gay initiativeto amend the Florida constitution.

Friday, September 28, at the GLCC, Ft. Lauderdale - 11:45am to 1:30pm.

Michael and I promised to get a minimum of 10 people to attend thislow dollar boxed lunch - only $25 - to learn about Florida Red And Blue andthe multiple efforts to overcome this hateful amendment. Florida Red andBlue has already raised over $1 million, but our work is only beginning.

Will you support us with this? Every GLBT person in Florida needs to be apart of this effort.

Boxed Lunch Series
$25
Friday, September 28
Noon - 1:30pm
Networking 11:45am
GLCC - Ft. Lauderdale

Send us an e-mail and let us know if you'll join us on the 28th.

And...... If you can't attend, we'll be glad to accept your check made outto "Florida Red and Blue."

Ray and Michael
rays.list@comcast.net



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Sun-Sentinel.com

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbmoney0918nbsep18,0,1046693,print.story

Broward schools struggling to find enough cash for teaching

By Akilah Johnson
September 18, 2007

The Broward School District has money to replace steel studs damaged byHurricane Wilma but can barely afford to buy wood for wood shop.

Having money to fix buildings, but struggling to line up dollars to teachstudents has been an issue at the school district.

"You need to have reserve dollars because you don't know what'sunderground," Superintendent James Notter said, adding. "It's our operatingdollars that are so scarce."

School Board members will vote today on an additional $1.5 million to repairHurricane Wilma damage at the district's headquarters. The repairs includeadding stainless steel elevator doors, new wiring for security cameras,upgrading the fire alarm system and replacing leaking pipes.

Meanwhile, Broward school officials are cutting $60 million from the 2007-08operating budget because of a sluggish economy that strained state coffers.The new budget year begins Oct. 1.

more . . . . .



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Sun-Sentinel.com

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpenroll0918pnsep18,0,7808421,print.story

FAU hopes tougher admissions standards will increase graduation rate

September 18, 2007

Boca Raton

Florida Atlantic University may raise its admissions standards in hopes ofattracting students who are better prepared for college.

Members of the Board of Trustees agreed in a retreat Monday to direct FAUadministrators to draft some new requirements for incoming freshmen. Thetougher requirements, which might include higher high school grade pointaverages and SAT scores, would likely be phased in over several years,officials said. FAU President Frank Brogan plans to bring back a proposalwithin 90 days.

"We are still taking many students who can be better serviced by going to acommunity college first," Brogan said.

Some changes could happen as soon as next fall, Brogan said.

Right now, students are generally required to have a 3.0 high school GPA anda 440 on both the math and reading portions of the SAT. Students with alower GPA can be admitted if they have higher SAT scores. The average highschool GPA for FAU is 3.3, the second lowest of the 11 schools in the stateuniversity system.

more . . . . .



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From ACLU of Greater Miami - Tonight!

We wanted you to know about this important community debate the ACLU, one ofour Fairness For All Families Coalition partners, has planned in your area.We hope you are able to attend.

The Fairness Team What's the Real Story?

ACLU of Greater Miami Presents a free public debate onThe Perils of Florida's So-CalledMarriage Protection Amendment

WHAT: FREE Public Debate on Florida's So Called Marriage Amendment:
What's the Real Story?

WHEN: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 7:00 PM

WHERE: Temple Israel of Greater Miami,
137 NE 19 Street, Miami 33132
(West of Biscayne Blvd, ample free parking)

PANEL:

Nadine Smith, Executive Director, Equality Florida / Board Member, FairnessFor All Families

Karen Doering, Senior Counsel, National Center for Lesbian Rights

Rev. Nathaniel Wilcox, Associate Minister, Apostolic Revival Center

John Thompson, Attorney

MODERATOR: Jim DeFede, Jim Defede Show, WINZ-AM 940



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Oakland Park

City Commission Meeting
WEDNESDAY
September 19, 2007
6:30 pm

City of OAKLAND PARK
City Hall Commission Chambers
3650 NE 12 Avenue
Oakland Park Florida 33334

Agenda Item 8
SECOND READING

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OAKLAND PARK FLORIDAAMENDING CHAPTER TWO OF THE CODE ORDINANCES BY SPECIFICALLY AMENDINGSECTION 2 87 TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION ANDSEXUAL ORIENTATION AMENDING SECTION 2 158 ENTITLED PROHIBITIONS PROVIDINGFOR THE INCLUSION OF GENDER IDENTITY AND GENDER EXPRESSION IN THE GENERALPERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROVISIONS PROVIDING FOR DEFINITIONS PROVIDING FORSEVERABILITY PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION PROVIDINGFOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE



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Forwarded from Civic Concern
Info@CIVICConcern.org

Special Session Rescheduled:

New PIP Law is Gaining Momentum and You Can Help
September 17, 2007

Legislative leaders announced late last week that they have rescheduled thebudget-cutting special session for October 3. PIP and no-fault insurancelaws sunset on October 1, but the movement to pass new legislation duringthe special session is gaining momentum.

A bi-partisan group of legislators has been actively working to buildconsensus on either reform legislation or a one-year extension of theexisting law. And Governor Crist held a day-long summit last week to try todevelop a consensus solution.

In spite of all this, legislative leaders have still not said they willexpand the special session to address PIP.

If PIP is allowed to sunset:
Drivers are at greater risk of financial hardship after an accident; Hospitals and health care workers are unsure how they'll cover the costs oftreating uninsured accident victims; and It's estimated that more than 2million additional uninsured drivers will be on Florida's roads.

You can help Governor Crist and the bipartisan group of lawmakers who aretrying to do the right thing.

What You Can Do
In just over two weeks, CIVIC has collected more than 2500 signatures fromFloridians urging legislative leaders to expand the scope of the specialsession to take up this urgent legislation.

Please add your name to the petition. Together, we can demand that theLegislature get the job done right.

Sign the Petition
Join thousands of Floridians in urging Governor Charlie Crist, SenatePresident Ken Pruitt and Speaker Marco Rubio to expand the scope of thespecial session to include passage of an extension of PIP. Sign the Petition http://www.civicconcern.org/action/SpecSessPIPKidCare

Email Your Legislators
Contact your senator and state representative and tell them you want them toaddress PIP during the fall special session. Urge them to pressurelegislative leadership to expand the scope of the special session.

Email Your Legislators
http://www.civicconcern.org/action/officials/20070913_SpecSessPIP/

Forward the Petition to Your Friends

We can only influence state policy if we join together to demand action. Askyour friends and family to join you in signing the petition.

Learn More
Check out these articles:

Orlando Sentinel: PIP Law May Not Disappear After All
http://www.civicconcern.org/news/clips/PIPreprieveOrlSent20070915/

Crist Works to Salvage No-Fault
http://www.civicconcern.org/news/clips/CristPIPMHerald20070915/



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STONEWALL LIBRARY & ARCHIVES LAUNCHES ANNUAL WRITING WORKSHOPSERIES ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4

On Thursday, October 4, 2007 at 7:00 pm, Stonewall Library & Archives willlaunch its annual 4-session writing workshop, "Writers Get Heard." Theworkshop will give writers, from beginners to advanced, a chance to getimmediate feedback on their work: fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. Writingtopics will be suggested and will include gay and lesbian subjects as wellas general interest subjects. Writers are also encouraged to submit projectson which they have already begun working.

The workshop will also focus on getting work published and will includediscussions about the best publishing opportunities, including how to findthe right agent, writing successful cover letters, and self-publishing.

The workshop facilitator is Bruce Rosenzweig, a former writing instructor atSUNY/Albany and St. Thomas University in Miami. Bruce also led a writingworkshop in Miami Beach, Writers in the Sand. Bruce has written shortstories and novels, and his latest book Rabbits in Wartime is with CurtisBrown Agency.

Writers Get Heard will take place on four consecutive Thursday evenings,beginning October 4, and it is free and open to the public. The workshopwill be held at Stonewall Library & Archives, 1717 North Andrews Avenue,Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The mission of Stonewall Library & Archives is to collect, preserve,organize for use and display materials related to gay, lesbian, bisexual andtransgender culture and history; support related research and sponsorcultural and educational programs.

This program is sponsored by Stonewall Library & Archives and is supportedby a generous grant from Comcast in recognition of Comcast's commitment tothe communities where its customers and employees live and work.

For further information, please contact:
Jack Rutland, Executive Director
Stonewall Library & Archives
954-763-8565
info@stonewall-library.org

or Bruce Rosenzweig
954-468-1200
rose3400@bellsouth.net

We obtained your e-mail address when you signed up with the StonewallLibrary & Archives. If you would like to unsubscribe from these messages,send an e-mail to sla.manager@earthlink.net with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subjectline.

Stonewall Library & Archives
1717 N Andrews Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
(954) 763-8565



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Forwarded from Ron Mills
ron@ronmills.us

Value Voters Debate: Wrapup

So-called "values voters" gathered in Fort Lauderdale Monday night to hearRepublican presidential candidates' answers to their most burning questions.

But the forum was most notable at its start for its empty lecterns.

The biggest GOP names, Rudy Giuliani, who was speaking in Broward Countyearlier in the day, Mitt Romney, John McCain and Fred Thompson all sat outthe Values Voter Presidential Debate, citing scheduling conflicts.

The 2,688-seat Broward Center for Performing Arts was predicted byorganizers would be so full they started a waiting list instead had severalhundred empty seats.

Still, the debate went on with seven second-tier Republican candidatesparticipating and hoping to secure the support of a largely evangelicalChristian audience.

Organizers say the front-runners' absence will doom their support amongsocial conservatives. But with the debate only broadcast on a satellite TVstation, radio and the Internet, it's unclear how great its reach will be.

Many of the attendees were there to see Ron Paul, not the hate mongers.

The Opening song was " Why God Does Not Bless America"
If any anti-war group, were to sing that song, the right wing hate groupswould be all over them in the media today. Note the stillness of the mediaon the subject today.

To Watch Some Video of the circus go to:

http://ChangeInTallahassee.com


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The Palm Beach Post

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2007/09/18/a5a_votesuit_0918.html

Groups sue state over voter identification law

By MICHAEL C. BENDER
Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
Tuesday, September 18, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida NAACP and the Haitain-American GrassrootsCoalition sued the state Monday over a law that requires citizens to matchtheir Social Security number before heading inside the voting booth.

"With the elections approaching, we should be doing everything we can toensure that eligible citizens can register to vote and have it count," saidNAACP President Adora Obi Nweze said. "But Florida's draconian registrationlaw won't give many citizens that chance."

Florida law requires voters to match their driver license number or SocialSecurity number at the polls before receiving a ballot.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, claims the law deniedor delayed registrations for thousands of voters in 2006 and coulddisenfranchise thousands of potential voters in the 2008 election.

A spokesman for the Brennan Center for Justice, which helped bring thelawsuit, said Florida's law is similar to one that was struck down inWashington state when a judge found the matching requirement created anunconstitutional obstacle to voter registration.

more....


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The Palm Beach Post

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2007/09/18/a5a_crist_0918.html

Crist to back amendment plan to change homestead exemption
By S.V. DÁTE

Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

TAMPA - Gov. Charlie Crist took a first step Monday toward campaigning for aconstitutional amendment to restructure the state's homestead exemption,lending his name and publicity machine to a new political committee createdto support it.

"It's this simple: If you want your property taxes lowered, you should vote'yes on one' on the amendment Jan. 29," he said at a news conference at theTampa home of a retired carpenter.

The "Yes on One - Save Our Homes NOW" political committee will be chaired bystate Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, and will be backed by the FloridaAssociation of Realtors, Associated Industries of Florida and others. TheMortgage Bankers Association of Florida also announced its support of theamendment Monday.

"I brought a football with me because we're going to give the ball to thepeople of Florida on the next phase of this giant property tax cut," saidformer college quarterback Crist, flipping a ball in his hands as he spoke.

more....



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The Orlando Sentinel

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/orl-cfbriefs18_5sep18,0,2533236.story

Rep. Allen seeks trial delay

September 18, 2007

TITUSVILLE - -An attorney for Rep. Bob Allen will ask a judge today topostpone the legislator's trial on a charge of soliciting a sex act in apublic-park bathroom.

Jury selection is scheduled to start Wednesday, but attorney GregEisenmenger said he needs more time because prosecutors have failed toprovide adequate copies of photographs, audio recordings and other evidencein the case.

For instance, Eisenmenger said he had received facsimiles of photos thatcame out all black and had not been given ample time to question a newlydisclosed witness.

more....





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Local10.com

CAUGHT ON TAPE

Watch Manatee Baiting Home Video

Local 10: Manatee Abuse Put on Internet

http://www.local10.com/news/14135264/detail.html?treets=mia&tid=2655619429813&tml=mia_7am&tmi=mia_7am_1_06000209182007&ts=H

MySpace Video Leads To Arrest For Manatee Abuse
Two South Florida Men Out On Bond

POSTED: 5:54 pm EDT September 17, 2007
UPDATED: 1:27 am EDT September 18, 2007

DANIA BEACH, Fla. -- Two South Florida men were arrested by U.S. Fish andWildlife agents for allegedly baiting and hooking an endangered manatee. Themen posted their actions on www.myspace.com, according to investigators.

On Saturday, federal agents took 19-year-old Karl Kuhn and 20-year-oldCharles Podesta Jr. into custody, Local 10's Kellie Butler reported.

They were arrested at their place of work, Bass Pro Shops on Interstate 95in Dania Beach.

"We received information from the public that the individuals tried to takean endangered species," said Eddie McKissick, special agent in charge withU.S. Fish and Wildlife.

The two men appeared before a federal magistrate Monday. They are bothcharged with knowingly and unlawfully wounding an endangered species.

more....


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Daytona Beach News Journal

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorials/opnOPN56091707.htm

September 17, 2007
Offending civil rights

Sex-offender witch hunts unfounded, unjust, unsafe

Local communities such as Deltona, DeBary, DeLand, Orange City and Piersonwere at the forefront of a legal movement making it tougher to impossiblefor sexual offenders and predators to live in big parts of each city. Butthe residency-restriction movement is only the latest in a national trendthat's turning hundreds of thousands of sex offenders, many of them forminor and one-time offenses, into publicly branded outcasts.

There's no evidence the laws work to reduce sexual crimes. There's plenty ofevidence to show that the overwhelming majority of such crimes -- up to 90percent -- are committed not by strangers but by someone the victim knows,and often someone under the victim's own roof. There's plenty of evidence toshow that public perception about sex offenders being unredeemable and boundto offend again, if unrestrained, is wrong. And there's growing evidencethat turning offenders into outcasts harms communities more than it protectsthem by severing the former offenders' social and work bonds and forcingthem underground or into vagrancy.

more....


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