FLORIDA DIGEST - July 26, 2008

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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

SunBurst - News from Sunshine Cathedral, Ft. Lauderdale
www.sunshinecathedral.org
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Rodgers Masterpiece T-1038 organ is here!
The Rodgers Masterpiece T-1038 custom four-manual organ with its ebonyfinish and burl wood inlays is now on the Chancel. The organ and pipes arescheduled to make will make their debut on Sunday, August 3rd.

-Ruffatti pipes installed!
As you enter the Walt Lawrence & Stephen Lewis Center for Worship and theArts on Sunday you will be greeted by the presence of 12 ranks(approximately 700 pipes) of Ruffatti pipes above the choir loft.

-Chancel construction complete
With the exception of a couple of inspections, the Chancel has beencompleted.

-VisLaw sponsors D.A.Y. camp
Volunteering Is LOVE at Work (VisLaw) is coordinating the fourth annualDiversity among Youth (D.A.Y) camp again this summer. This summer camp isthe only one of its kind in the south.


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Letter from Paul Harris to Brittany Wollman of Sun-Sentinel
PHarris825@aol.com
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the entire letter.

-Dear Miss Wallman:
Are you openly heterosexual, closetedly heterosexual, openly homosexual (orlesbian if you prefer), or closetedly homosexual?? Or either variety ofbisexual??? The answer is, of course, "none of my damned business." Whatmatters is are you a good, honest journalist who reports the news asaccurately as you can. [...] Your comment about someone being "openly"gay is frankly disgraceful. I cannot for one moment believe it is yourpersonal editorial policy that insists in continuing this nonsense... HenceI'll copy it to a few of "the people upstairs" who obviously control thisinsulting and demeaning editorial policy. I hope that it is not long beforethis nonsense ends. I always tease myself about an issue by wondering whatpeople will think 100 years from now. I frankly think that they will laughthey heads off.
Sincerely yours,
The openly graying-haired, somewhat height-challenged, rather freckled,
occasionally opinionated Paul Harris


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GLCCSF eVoice - Ft. Lauderdale
http://glccsf.org/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-CONVENTION CENTER.
Thank you to the Broward County Convention Center for hosting and sponsoringthe July Founder Circle Reception. Click on these two links to view thepictures from Steve Shires: http://www.photoshow.com/members/shirespics
and JumpOnMarksList.com
http://frontpage.jumponmarkslist.com/MSFL/2008/072308.htm

-Our next Founder Circle Reception will be on Thursday, August 28 on the newGLCC Campus. To learn more about the Founder Circle membership and how youcan get invited to these great networking events, contact Robert Boo,Development Director at rboo@glccsf.org or 954.463.9005.

-Mike Trost will host the second annual fundraising event at his home forthe GLCC. Last year Mike raised $25,000 to support the programs andservices of the GLCC. This year the goal is $40,000. Cost is only $100 toenjoy great food, drink, Silent Auction with great items, and much more. For more information contact Robert Boo, Development Director, at 954.463.9005 or rboo@glccsf.org


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

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

-A look at black life: Fort Lauderdale group screens documentary
Art Evans, by any standard, has made it.
He has taught at Florida Atlantic University for 30 years. He leftBaltimore's inner city to later earn a doctorate in sociology from KansasState University. He and his wife own a home in Boca Raton. But as anAfrican-American man, "I'm always on guard," he says. "If I am out gardeningand I need to go to Sears, I change my clothes. Not because I'm sticky oranything. But because I don't want to appear I'm there to take something."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flrndblackmen0726sbjul26,0,7551971.story

-Do we really want 80-year-old cowboys carrying guns?
ISSUE: National permit allows retired officers to carry weapons. You'reeither a cop or you're not. If you retired, or found some other line ofwork, you're not a badge-carrying law enforcement officer anymore. Unfortunately, Congress has approved a national program to allow retired lawenforcement officers to complete a shooting course for a concealed weaponspermit that is recognized nationwide. Doubly unfortunate, Florida has signedon by offering a course for ex-officers to take and receive the permit. Inpart, the program's goal is to give retired cops a countrywide permit sothey can act if they see a crime occurring. This is a flawed assumption.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-editgsgunssbjul26,0,5766435.story

-Rep. Wexler's opponent calls for residency investigation
One of U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler's election opponents is seeking state andfederal investigations into questions surrounding his residency in Florida.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbwexler0726pnjul26,0,3088634.story

-A look at black life: Fort Lauderdale group screens documentary
Art Evans, by any standard, has made it. He has taught at Florida Atlantic University for 30 years. He left Baltimore's inner city to later earn adoctorate in sociology from Kansas State University. He and his wife own ahome in Boca Raton. But as an African-American man, "I'm always on guard,"he says.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flrndblackmen0726sbjul26,0,7551971.story



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

-POLITICS: Broward candidates build on war chests
With one month to go until the Aug. 26 primary, Friday's campaign financereporting deadline indicates who's going to have the most money for the homestretchIn the Broward Sheriff's race, Scott Israel is still the Democraticfundraising leader but lags far behind the incumbent sheriff. Tightfundraising battles by two state House candidates, including one who couldbecome the state's first openly gay legislator, have set the stage for aclose primary.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/618603.html

-Miami-Dade School Board showdown set over Crew's job
The Miami-Dade schools superintendent and board members appear ready to faceoff next week over money woes and growing displeasure with the chief.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/618589.html

-Why the School Board is unhappy
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/618565.html

-POLITICS: Broward candidates build on war chests
With one month to go until the Aug. 26 primary, Friday's campaign financereporting deadline indicates who's going to have the most money for the homestretch
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/618603.html


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YouTube Ad Supports Amendment 2 that restricts marriage only to male andfemale.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBx5VDr5g84


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ProgressFlorida
http://www.progressflorida.org/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Victory for the Everglades...maybe
Today the Everglades are a little safer from poorly planned development.Thousands of Floridians from around the state signed our petition to Gov.Crist urging his Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to reject twodevelopments, including a Lowe's big box retail center that threatened theEverglades. On Friday, DCA did exactly that. But our work isn't done.Lowe's, who still wants to cement urban sprawl to the edge of theEverglades, plans to fight this decision. "We feel confident that thedecision will be overturned,'' declared a Lowe's attorney in response to theDCA's decision. There are 111 Lowe's stores in Florida but there's only oneEverglades. We need to send a message to Lowe's right now and tell them toprotect the Everglades, not pave it. We've made it very easy to send amessage to Lowes, simply click here:
http://progressflorida.org/page/speakout/pressurelowes


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

-Two Hillsborough Democrats flush with contributions
Democratic challengers outraised Republican incumbents in the scramble forcampaign funds in two significant Hillsborough County races. PhyllisBusansky, who's running for supervisor of elections, raised $48,000 in thepast three months, according to a report filed with the county.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/article739823.ece

-Sink calls for independent WellCare investigation
Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink called for an independent audit ofWellCare Health Plans after the Tampa company said an "accounting error"showed it owed $46.5-million to several states, including Florida's HealthyKids program. WellCare is Florida's largest provider of Medicaid and HealthyKids, which covers low-income children. Managed-care companies are paid aflat fee per member per month by the state, but they are required to spend acertain percentage on services or refund the difference. WellCare said itscalculations understated the amount of refunds due by $46.5-million in 2006and the first half of 2007. While Sink called for an audit Friday, therelevant documents are probably already in the possession of state andfederal investigators who seized records relating to possible overpaymentsfrom WellCare's headquarters in late October. Sink is chairwoman of theHealthy Kids board of directors.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/article739642.ece

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