FLORIDA DIGEST - September 13, 2008

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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Wilton Manors welcomes Wet N Wild Weekend
Parking lot of Shoppes of Wilton Manors converted to big gay playground
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#20999

-Finding the glamour in local politics
Beauty is in the eye of the donator when choosing a leader
It's interesting, the timing of things. Quinnipiac University, long regarded as the gold standard of political polls, released a study this past week on Amendment 2: approximately 55% of Florida voters support the measure. But while that's over half the population (who are these people?), support is just shy of the 60% needed to pass. Critics may scoff, pointing out the obviously slim margin that could cause the vote to go either way; but Quinnipiac polls tell a larger story, of what will probably be. A close call may result after the votes are counted, but it doesn't look like Amendment 2-a constitutional amendment against gay marriage, gay partnerships, gay relationships in general-is going to pass.
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/9-11/view/editorial/5056.cfm


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Tonight! 5-7pm
2040 N DIXIE HIGHWAY #B - WILTON MANORS
Look for the Tiki Torches at the entrance!!!!

THE DOLPHIN DEMOCRATS INVITES YOU TO STOP BY....
COME SEE THE GET OUT THE VOTE CENTER

WINE , CHEESE, MINGLE- AND MEET AND GREET AT THE GET OUT THE VOTE CENTER THE POWER BASE TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
.SEN. BARACK OBAMA AND SEN. JOE BIDEN
.CANDIDATE CONGRESSMAN RON KLEIN
.CANDIDATE LINDA BIRD STATE SENATE #25
.CANDIDATE CHRIS CHARI-FLORIDA HOUSE #91
.CANDIDATE FLORIDA REP. MARTIN KIAR -FLORIDA HOUSE #97
.CANDIDATE'S FOR CITY COMMISSION WILTON MANORS
.JUSTIN FLIPPEN AND TOM GREEN
BEFORE YOU START YOUR EVENING, SWING BY, AND SAY HELLO
******Click below for map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2040+N+Dixie+Hwy+%23+B,+wilton+manors&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=24.455808,78.75&ie=UTF8&ll=26.154629,-80.128784&spn=0.013482,0.038452&z=15&iwloc=addr


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Tom Green for Wilton Manors City Commission Campaign

-Endorsed by Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz's office has announced that she has endorsed Tom Green's candidacy in his race for Wilton Manors City Commission. Representative Wasserman Schultz has known Tom for many years and previously endorsed him in his three successful races for the Central Broward Water Control District. Tom has also been endorsedby Broward Property Appraiser Lori Parrish and School Board members MaureenDinnen, Robin Bartleman, and Jennifer Gottlieb. Organizations that haveendorsed Tom Green for city commission include the Broward AFL-CIO, theBroward Teachers Union and the United Faculty of Florida .Wasserman Schultz has also endorsed Justin Flippen for one of the two citycommission seats to be decided in the November 4th election.


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Linda Bird Campaign for State Senate, District 25
This Sunday, September 14th, please join the Linda Bird Campaign for StateSenate, District 25 at our new campaign office! Tour our new office andcelebrate with Linda's supporters and staff. Refreshments will be served.
Here are the details:
Linda Bird for State Senate Campaign Office
5130 N. Federal Highway, Suite 2
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
(954) 638-6505
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. *Campaign Open House
2:00 p.m. *Volunteers will leave office to knock on doors nearbyDIRECTIONS:The office is located on the east side of N. Federal Highway, 1.5 blocksnorth of Commercial Blvd. There is parking available in the front and therear of the building. Please RSVP to Mara at mara@lindabirdforchange.com ifyou can, however RSVP is not required, please feel free to stop by! Thereare many ways to get involved! Please contact me at mara@lindabirdforchange.com or call the Campaign Office at (954) 638-6505 to help. Volunteer needs include clerical work in the office, projects that can be completed from home with a computer and internet connection, phone calls, canvassing, and much more.


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GLAAD and ABSOLUT® Vodka invite you to the second annual TGIF South
Florida - a Friday evening happy hour event series held at Georgie's Alibi.
The perfect opportunity to meet like-minded young professionals and support the work of the only LGBT media advocacy organization in the country, this event is also the perfect way to kick off your fall. Enjoy two hours of hosted ABSOLUT® cocktails with entry, win prizes from local businesses and feel good knowing your Friday plans support an important cause.
Date: Event #1: Friday, September 19, 2008 - Event #2: Friday, October 17,
2008 - Event #3: Friday, November 21, 2008 - Time: 9 - 11 pm
Location: Georgie's Alibi
2266 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL
Tickets: TGIF Series Passes are only $35 and provide access to all three TGIF Events in the city series. 100% of the funds are donated to GLAAD and you receive a one-year GLAAD membership. Purchase your series pass online.
http://www.glaad.org/events/detail.php?event_id=184


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Lavender Writes Announces the Fall Schedule of Readings and Fiction Writing
Workshops for Gay and Lesbian Writers

-National Coming Out Day Reading
Broward County Main Library and Lavender Writes present:
Talk About It: an Open Mic Reading in celebration of National Coming Out Day
Saturday, October 11, 2008, 1 p.m.
Broward Main Library
100 S. Andrews Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
954-357-7443
Lwrites@mindspring.com
Free

-Fiction Writing Workshop
An Online Short Story Writing Workshop Series
Starts early October
Free
Registration accepted on a first come basis
Lwrites@mindspring.com

-World AIDS Day Reading
Monday, December 1
Details to be announced
For more information or to register for any of the programs, contact
LWrites@mindspring.com.
These events are part of The Next Generation, a year-long series of freefiction writing workshops and public readings for gay and lesbian writers.This program is a collaborative project of Lavender Writes, the BrowardCounty Libraries Division, Borders Books and Music and author Karen DaleWolman. The Next Generation was developed as a forum for gay and lesbianwriters to write the stories they want to write in a safe environment thatoffers high quality teaching. Nongay students who are comfortable being ina gay environment and reading gay and lesbian fiction are also welcome toattend. Funding for this program is provided in part by the Broward CountyBoard of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward CulturalCouncil. Lavender Writes, Inc., provides service and support to lesbian andgay writers by sponsoring writing workshops, developing public forums forwriters to present their work and offering assistance with publication.Non-gay writers and readers are also welcome to participate.


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

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

-Air and sea show might return to Fort Lauderdale
Come back, air and sea show! If that's been your cry since the annualmilitary extravaganza folded, you might be in luck. If you hated the annualflock of thousands to Fort Lauderdale beach, you might want to mark next May2 and 3 as a good time to go out of town. Yes, the air and sea show mightreturn.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbairshow0913sbsep13,0,4130241.story

-Lowering of Lake Okeechobee to continue
Water will be released for two more weeks
The lowering of Lake Okeechobee will continue for at least two more weeks toprotect the aging dike that guards against flooding, the Army Corps ofEngineers said Friday. For the first time in two years, the corps on Sept.4 started lowering newly swollen Lake Okeechobee to ease the strain on its70-year-old, earthen dike - named one of the six most at risk of failing inthe country.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flplakeo0913pnsep13,0,4306191.story

-Broward may use hotel taxes to help sea turtles
Commissioners are considering re-routing nearly $200,000 to balance nextyear's budget and help maintain the beaches. [...] Hotel taxes could soonbe tapped to pay for programs to protect sea turtles and offshore reefsrather than advertise the area as a tourist destination.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbturtles0913sbsep13,0,900595.story


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

-Uneasy first day for new schools chief
The new schools chief Alberto Carvalho begins his tenure with questionsabout explicit e-mails with a former Miami Herald reporter.
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/684792.html

-BROWARD SCHOOL DISTRICT: Broward teachers want raises, step increases
Broward teachers are planning a new wave of protests over the question ofpay increases for next year. Frustrated over stalled negotiations involvingteacher raises for next year, the Broward Teachers Union is about to launcha new protest campaign. They've given it a name: Step Up!
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/684757.html

-Harry Sargeant, South Florida GOP mega-donor wields power behind scenes
A major GOP donor from South Florida, in the news amid questioned donations,has built a global power base.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/684727.html


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

-EDITORIAL: We think: A simple survey tests the mettle of state candidates
It's gut-check time for Florida's legislative candidates. A nonpartisangroup has challenged them to say -- simply and plainly -- where they standon everything from abortion to taxes to ethics to energy. If the lastelection was any indication, the vast majority of people running for stateHouse and Senate lack the nerve to take Project Vote Smart's PoliticalCourage Test and mail back the results.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed13208sep13,0,1910780.story

-A Florida firm is a leader in making biofuel from algae
The green muck in your pool might someday be a source of fuel for your car,but not just yet. The surge of interest in biofuels has companies around theU.S. racing to be the first to produce cost-effective algae fuels on a largescale. Despite high hopes and decades of research, algae fuels remain miredin unforgiving economics. PetroAlgae, based in Melbourne, hopes itstechnology will provide the needed breakthrough to make algae the fuel ofthe future. "We're not quite finished," said Fred Tennant, vice presidentfor business development with PetroAlgae. "If we were finished you'd seegiant smiles on everyone's faces here. We get a little closer every day, butwe're not quite there yet."
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/article808311.ece

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