FLORIDA DIGEST January 5, 2008

**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.

=

Sun-Sentinel.com

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-brmail893pnjan05,0,7518654,print.story

'Sanctity' of marriage seems to be overlooked by many straight couples

January 5, 2008

The writer of the Dec. 29 letter, "Gay marriage no threat to others," makessome good and concrete points, but let's take it one more step. If the"sanctity of marriage" must continue between a man and a woman, let's hearthese religious fundamentalists, social conservatives and right-wing punditsexplain how they will end the multiple straight marriages of men and women.There are countless straight couples in their second, third and fourthmarriages. Children are brought in, removed and shuffled between homes.

The word "sanctity" seems to be merely a word with little or no meaning forstraight people with several divorces under their belt.

Perhaps with the gay marriage ban, there also should be a "straight divorceban." The word "sanctity" might take on a renewed meaning.

Joe Stapleton
Fort Lauderdale


=

Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpaffordable0105pnjan05,0,6381457.story

Palm Beach County teachers could get $10,000 subsidy for housingBoard to vote on housing subsidy

By Rhonda J. Miller
January 5, 2008

Palm Beach County teachers will soon be able to get $10,000 to help buy ahome, if the School Board approves an affordable housing partnership withtwo developers Wednesday.

The board will consider a $750,000 grant application to the state CommunityWorkforce Housing Innovation Pilot Program in the latest effort to attractand keep teachers who are being driven away by high housing costs andrelated economic headaches. Under the proposal, teachers working at schoolswhere most of the students are poor will be able to apply for the housingsubsidy.

"We're really serious about helping our teachers get into home ownership,"said Angela Usher, the district's intergovernmental relations manager. "Ifthe School Board approves the partnership, the money is going to beavailable to teachers, regardless of whether or not we get the grant."

The $750,000 will be available from the general fund, with an initialallocation of $500,000 for housing in Village Square in Delray Beach byAuburn Development and $250,000 for homes in Hammon Park in Lake Worth byNew Urban Communities. The allocations could be adjusted based on whereteachers choose to buy. The home ownership assistance is for teachers atTitle I schools, which have a majority of students who qualify for free orreduced lunch, Usher said.

"The housing assistance will give the teachers some stability, and that willbenefit the schools and the students," he said.

more . . . . .



=

Miami Herald

http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/367939.html

Florida looms larger now

By LESLEY CLARK
Posted on Fri, Jan. 04, 2008

Florida stubbornly moved up its presidential primary in the hopes of havinga say in picking the next president -- and the tumult in Iowa suggests itmight yet happen.

As the candidates sped to New Hampshire to regroup and campaign forTuesday's first-in-the-nation primary, observers suggested Mike Huckabee'scome-from-nowhere-win Thursday in Iowa could give Florida a chance to playkingmaker, particularly on the Republican side.

''Florida voters are in the driver's seat,'' said Jim Greer, chairman of theRepublican Party of Florida. He projected that the GOP field may beunsettled by the time Florida votes on Jan. 29, noting that New Hampshiremay favor Mitt Romney or John McCain but that Huckabee has an edge in theJan. 19 GOP primary in South Carolina, where former Tennessee Sen. FredThompson also is making a play.

''No candidate will have this tremendous momentum coming into Florida,''Greer said. ``Even if a candidate has a win, it's not a huge win. You'llhave a second-place nipping at your heels.''

Expectations for a major Florida role could evaporate if one candidate winsdecisively in an early primary state and creates momentum. With that inmind, Rudy Giuliani -- who has banked his campaign on the premise that asplashy win in Florida would propel him into the giant sweepstakes Feb. 5,when nearly two dozen states vote -- hit the trail in New Hampshire onFriday in hopes of cutting his expected losses there Tuesday.

more . . . . .



=

ADRIANE REESEY FOR BROWARD SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
P O Box 1593
Dania Beach, Florida 33004

From Bob Adams

Hello Friends,

We have an excellent candidate for Broward County Supervisor of Elections.Adriane Reesey, current Chair of the Broward County Human Rights Board andCommunity Relations Specialist for the Broward Sheriff's Office, filed todayto run for Supervisor of Elections. She is someone that I believe in verystrongly, and she is truly inspiring!

I first met Adriane when she was appointed to the Human Rights Board byCommissioner Rodstrom in 2005. After only one meeting, it became obvious tome that she was someone who would be a strong leader, and I nominated herfor Vice-Chair the following year. Shortly after that Adriane became thefirst woman to Chair the Board in its thirty year history, and has servedwith distinction.

Adriane is an intelligent, highly motivated achiever who consistently thinks"outside the box" and will bring new ideas and boundless energy to theoffice of Supervisor of Elections!

Challenging an incumbent, Adriane obviously has her work cut out for her.However, she has much to offer to all of the voters of Broward County, andis certainly up to the challenge! I am asking everyone that I know to helpAdriane in any way they can, whether that is by making a monetarycontribution, helping on the campaign, working on election day, placing asign in your yard, distributing literature, calling friends, hosting anevent, or any combination thereof. I will be doing all of the above.

Adriane's campaign kickoff will be at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale onTuesday, February 12, 2008, 5 - 7 pm.
She will face the current Supervisor of Elections in the Democratic Primaryon Tuesday, August 26, 2008.

Warm Regards,
Bob Adams


=


[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####