FLORIDA DIGEST April 29, 2008

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From Reverend Durrell Watkins, Senior Pastor
Sunshine Cathedral MCC, Ft. Lauderdale
Join us on Sunday, May 4th at our 9 AM or 10:30 AM worship services to hearour guest speaker, the Reverend Elder Dr. Troy D. Perry. Books by Troy Perrywill be available in Simply Divine Books and Things after the worshipservices. Rev. Perry is the founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches(MCC) movement. MCC is an international Christian church with an affirmingoutreach to LBGT people and their allies, and it was started on October 6,1968 (several months before the Stonewall Riots) by Troy Perry!
Troy is a dynamic, powerful speaker with an incredible, positive, personalenergy that fills the room. You will definitely want to hear this historicfigure speak at Sunshine Cathedral, Sunday, May 4th. Come early to get agood parking place and a good seat, and invite your friends to join you!
Then, at 1 PM, the Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will beshowing "Call Me Troy" as its closing finale, and they are showing it atSunshine Cathedral! "Call Me Troy" is a documentary about Troy Perry's lifeand ministry. Tickets for the film showing are $13 each and can be purchasedfrom the FLGLFF. For information, visit their website: www.flglff.com orcall their box office: 305.531.2117. Join us for worship at 9 AM or 10:30AM on Sunday, May 4th to hear Troy Perry speak in person, and return in theafternoon to see the documentary film about his life. Remember: for ticketsto see the film, contact the Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
I hope to see you on Sunday, May 4th, for what should prove to be a veryspecial day in the life of Sunshine Cathedral.


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From Bill Rettinger and Marianne Stringer, Co-Founders
MedicaidAdvocates.Com

-I have held off sending this e-mail for 3 days now because I was just toolivid over this situation to write and send it without totally exploding,but now I have calmed down somewhat and have given this issue a LOT ofthought, and am ready to send the following story..... WITH my "editorial"comments written as a prelude of course. Hopefully when YOU all read thisstory, you will be as LIVID about it as WE were....AND be ready to joinMarianne and myself in the course of action that we are about to outline toCORRECT this situation! Over the last 10 years as we have fought to save theMedicaid Medically Needy Share of Cost and the MEDS - AD Programs we haveoften wondered WHY the MAJORITY of the Legislators ALWAYS seemed to usethese Programs and the Citizens covered under them as "Hostages" and "Pawns"to "Budgetary Shortfalls" and ALWAYS made saving these Programs an uphillbattle, that at times it seemed we could not and would not win. We oftenwondered, could the Legislators REALLY be that heartless and cruel as tomake the Citizens covered under these Programs go through the worry EACHYEAR that, come July 1st with the beginning of then new State Budget, THISwould be the year that they ALL received their "Legislative Death Notices"because the Programs had been ended?

-Florida legislators and 24,000 state managers get free insurance
TALLAHASSEE---While Florida lawmakers debate how to make health insurancemore affordable for Floridians, it's not something they have to worry aboutfor themselves or their own families. Nearly all of the state's 160lawmakers have helped themselves to a perk of the job: Free healthinsurance. All but six have signed up for it, according to the Office ofLegislative Services, which oversees spending. Nearly 80 percent alsoenrolled their spouses and children at no charge, records show. Theindividual coverage for 31 legislators costs taxpayers $428 a month or about$5,000 a year apiece. For the 123 legislators who signed up for familycoverage, the tab is $968 a month -- more than $11,600 a year apiece.
http://www.floridahealthnews.org/


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From Lavender Writes

-Free Fiction Writing Workshop Series for Gay and Lesbian Writers
Have you been promising yourself that you are going to write more but can't
get motivated on your own? Don't have time to go to a class? Whether you
want to learn how to get started or have some drafts buried deep on your
hard drive, Lavender Writes has the perfect option for you: a series of
online fiction writing workshops to help beginner and intermediate fiction
writers expand their skills, refine their craft and develop their
critical-analytical skills. Students will learn the elements of fiction
writing, use those elements and techniques in their own work and effectively
use the drafting and revision process. Meets online every week, but students
can participate any time. Objectives include learning about and
understanding the elements of fiction-characterization, setting, point of
view--and how to use these elements in their own work. Students also learn
how to objectively critique and analyze a piece of fiction with an eye
toward revision. Students without computer access can use computers for free
at any Broward County Public Library. Taught by Karen Dale Woman. Free,
but pre-registration required at LWrites@mindspring.com. Classes start in
May.

-The Broward Library is planning a series of events related to breast cancer
and is looking for authors writers to do readings and people sit on panels.
They are looking to include both breast cancer survivors and other people
impacted by breast cancer. If you are interested or know of someone who may
want to speak, please contact: Karen Dale Wolman, Executive Director -
Lavender Writes
LWrites@mindspring.com


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From Equality Florida
www.eqfl.org

-With the legislative session set to end May 2nd, the Florida Anti-BullyBill appears to be stalled on its way to the Senate floor. The bill wasexpected to be voted on by the Senate Friday but we have learned the Senatemay not take up the bill in order to deal with "higher priority" issues. Westill have a small window to make the Senate deal with this vital and longoverdue measure. Take Action!
1. Make 2 Phone Calls
Senate President Pruitt- 850-487-5088, pruitt.ken.s28@flsenate.gov
Governor Crist- 850-488-5000
E-mail us and let us know the response you get: mallory@eqfl.org
www.eqfl.org


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From Care Resource
ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT TILL DINING OUT FOR LIFE SOUTH FLORIDA!
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WILL BE EATING TO HELP SAVE LIVES?
Click here now to find a participating restaurant near you!
Check Out Our Celebrity Spokesperson Sandee Birdsong on NBC 6 South Florida
Today This Wednesday!
http://www.careresource.org/diningout/


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Let's pray idea for "I Believe' license plate fails
Keep this plate at home
Not only is the Florida Legislature determined to get into the Guinness Bookof World Records for most specialty plates. Now, they are entering the worldof "totally inappropriate" plates.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-editgsplatecapsbapr28,0,6958816.story

-Fleet Week: Life on a submarine is chaotic, crammed and 'awesome'
Aboard the USS Pittsburgh - Huddled inside the submarine control room, 17sailors prepare to descend steeply from the calm surface water to the darkdepths of the Atlantic Ocean.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbsub0429sbapr29,0,104952.story

-House approves 'simpler and more straightforward' bill on teaching ofevolution
TALLAHASSEE - In a move that could bring religious-based alternativetheories such as creationism into the classroom, the House on Monday votedlargely along party lines to require Florida's public school teachers tochallenge evolution.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flfevolution0429sbapr29,0,938610.story

-League of Women Voters challenges Florida registration law
MIAMI - The League of Women Voters of Florida sued state election officialsMonday to challenge a law that fines voter registration groups for losingregistration forms or returning them late.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-flbvoters0429sbapr29,0,244108.story?track=rss


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Abortion bill heads to vote
The Florida Senate will decide Tuesday whether ultrasound scans should berequired for women seeking abortions
http://www.miamiherald.com/516/story/513239.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-You call that tax reform? Seriously?
More tax breaks for a select few in Florida?
Making sure that the state can give its tax dollars to the church?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article477680.ece

-Safe Home Program Insurance Benefit Scarce, Survey Finds
TAMPA - Many My Safe Florida Home customers are not saving money on theirwind insurance, according to a survey released Monday by the stateDepartment of Financial Services.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/29/me-safe-home-program-insurance-benefit-scarce-surv/?news

-Crist pushes gas tax holiday
TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist's latest populist pitch to tax-wearyconstituents: Cut the state gas tax by 10 cents for two weeks this summer.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article477764.ece

-Dueling bills on teaching of evolution may not survive
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Legislature may not weigh in on the state's newstandards for teaching evolution after all.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article477739.ece


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