FLORIDA DIGEST - January 05, 2009

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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

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

-Anti-gay activist plans protest during play in Oakland Park
Scott Wyman
Anti-gay activist Fred Phelps and his Topeka, Kan., church are planning to protest a play later this month at an Oakland Park theater. Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church gained notoriety for picketing the funeral of slain gay Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard and carrying signs that proclaim God hates gays and hates America because of its acceptance of homosexuality. They've picketed funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan for the same reason.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/oakland_park/sfl-flbplay0104sbjan04,0,1557116.story


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Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Appoint gay man as commerce secretary, grassroots group lobbies
Equal Rep is a grassroots group dedicated "to have government be representative of the people they serve. This includes shattering 'glass ceilings' in the United States Senate and White House where GLBT people have never been elected to." From Equal Rep's website: Appoint Fred Hochberg Commerce Secretary
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/


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

-Wilton Manors ex-mayor jokes about $30,000 fine
Former Wilton Manors Mayor Jim Stork, recently fined $30,000 after the Federal Election Commission concluded that his 2004 ads about his bakeries were essentially campaign ads paid for with corporate dollars, responded to the citation with a dash of humor. ''I guess it is a compliment that the federal government believes that the quality of my Stork's food can somehow influence voter decisions,'' Stork e-mailed The Miami Herald. Stork, a Democrat, had mysteriously dropped out of his Congressional race against Republican Clay Shaw in 2004, claiming an unspecific heart ailment. He now says it was bacterial endocarditis and that he ''poorly handled communication.'' Shaw easily won the race against a late fill-in candidate. Will Stork run for office again? ''No chance,'' he wrote. And for those who miss eating apple pie and lemon blueberry biscuits at Stork's on Las Olas, which closed a few months ago, Stork says the future of the spot is ''pending, but it will not be called Stork's.'' The Wilton Manors location, which Stork sold to his baker, remains open.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/837799.html


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Wilton Manors: ArtWalk
Friday, Jan. 16th @ 7 - 10PM

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Ft. Lauderdale - ArtExplosion
www.ArtExplosionOnline.org

-Visual Art Exhibit Applications Now available.
The ArtExplosion Visual Art Exhibit will take place February 2-28, 2009 at ArtServe. Our guest Juror this year is Elayna Toby Singer, Director of Palm Beach County's Art in Public Places, and $1000 worth of prizes will be awarded. Entry is $20 for ArtsUnited members, and $45 for non-members, for up to 3 pieces of art; all entrants will receive 2 complimentary tickets to the Opening Night Reception, a $20 value. Applications and art drop-off are Jan. 31 from 9am to 1pm at ArtServe. Applications for the exhibit, or the Erotic Exhibit on February 7, are available online at www.artexplosiononline.org

-Include your exhibit or performance in the Festival
If you have an art exhibit opening, artist reception, or performance opening that occurs during the festival betwen February 7 and 21st, we will include it in the Calendar of Events and help promote it on the website and in the Program Guide. The 12,000 program guides will hit the streets throughout South Florida on Jan. 23rd so we need your event information by January 15th to be included. Email Keith the Event title, date(s), time, location, a brief description and photo in jpeg format to keithclark@aol.com or call him at 954 568-1154. We must receive the information by Jan. 15th!

-Donate your Frequent Flyer Miles to ArtsUnited
ArtExplosion needs your Miles to help fly in Lea Delaria, Levi Kreis, Scott Ryan and their band members. With the reduction of sponsors this year, we need to reduce costs of producing the event to keep it affordable, and airfare is a huge budget item. Lea DeLaria only flys on American Airlines so we're looking for two tickets donated for her and her pianist. Levi Kreis and his backup singers will be flying Delta from LA so we need 3 Delta tickets, or American Express miles transfered. Scott will fly any airline direct from Laguardia, so we'll take a ticket from JetBlue, Spirit, or any airline that flys direct. All Miles donated are tax deductible and are greatly appreciated. Contact Keith at keithclark@aol.com or 954 568-1154 for details.

-Key Dates for ArtExplosion
February 7- ArtExplosion '09 Opening Night at ArtServe, 6-9pm
February 21- Lea DeLaria, Levi Kreis, and Scott Ryan at Broward Center, Member prices $24/$36 at www.artexplosiononline.org (use the Password: ARTSUNITED) or call Keith at 954 568-1154 for the best seats without the Box Office service fees!
www.ArtExplosionOnline.org


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Dean Trantalis for Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Campaign
Please join Mayoral Candidate Dean Trantalis Wednesday night at Art Serve in Ft. Lauderdale for a Community Rally . Dean will be recruiting volunteers to help with the campaign in these last six crucial weeks before the election. Dean and a number of influential community leaders will be on hand to speak to supporters and volunteers. Please see attached flyer for details about the upcoming event. For more info contact:
lgordon@deanformayor.com 954-663-8023 or
dean@deanformayor.com 954-295-2838


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From Earl Rynerson for Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Campaign
We are happy to report that the Earl For Mayor Campaign is in full swing!
In just the last month, a number of exciting new developments have occurred:
-We have a Professional Campaign Manager with over 20 years of experience in running Political Campaigns.
-We have a GREAT Campaign Headquarters, just a few blocks from City Hall
-We now have a team of 12 dedicated phone bank callers, who will be contacting Fort Lauderdale voters from 11am to 8pm every day, seven days a week, from now until Election day. Here are a few of our dedicated staff:
-We have finished our television commercials. You will start seeing Earl "on the air" within the week!
-Our T-Shirts and Yard Signs have been completed! If you would like to have a Yard sign for your home or office, please let us know! We'll drop one off and even place it for you! Over 200 have already been handed out, so get yours before we run out!
-We have just sent out our first mailer. (Many of you have already received it). We have many more that will be sent out in the next 4 weeks.
-And probably most importantly, we have GREAT VOLUNTEERS! If you would like to volunteer 4 hours of your time (11am to 3pm) on a Saturday or Sunday, please let us know! Also, if you want to conduct a more specialized canvassing activity during the week, we'll set that up for you as well.
http://www.earlformayor.com/


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From Suzanne Boisvenue for Oakland Park City Commission Campaign
You are cordially invited to
COMMISSIONER SUZANNE BOISVENUE
CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER
SUPPORTER AND GUEST SPEAKER
COUNTY COMMISSIONER KEN KEECHL
Hosted by Elaine Johnson
1597 N.E. 46 Street - Oakland Park, FL
Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 7-9pm
R.S.V.P. (954) 270 4874
Please join us for great food, and fun!


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From DERRICK HANKERSON For Dania Beach City Commission Campaign
Campaign Kickoff - Tuesday, January 6 - 6:30pm
Paolo's 3's Company Restaurant
242 E Danbia Beach Blvd.
RSVP - 954-374-9199
http://derrickhankerson.com/


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Scott Newton for Wilton Manors City Commission Campaign
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND A CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER FOR SCOTT NEWTON
A Voice for ALL of Wilton Manors
Monday January 5th - 7-80m
Georgie's Alibi - Manchester Room
2266 Wilton Dr. - Wilton Manors

-Put Your Christmas Tree To Good Use
Broward County residents trying to get rid of their Christmas trees can drop them off at area parks to be recycled. The county said more than 10,000 trees were recycled through the program last year, instead of ending up in landfills. The trees are chipped and used for park landscaping. The trees must be decoration-free. Artificial trees will not be accepted.
http://www.justnews.com/news/18411886/detail.html?treets=mia&tid=2655619429813&tml=mia_9am&tmi=mia_9am_-1_08000101052009&ts=H


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

-Florida Legislature begins two-week session to slash budget
BY STEVE BOUSQUET AND MARC CAPUTO
State lawmakers will begin a special two-week session Monday morning to try to find $2.3 billion in cuts in the state budget. Among the measures under consideration: Trimming aid to schools, borrowing money, taking cash surpluses from state trust funds and boosting fees, from traffic tickets to courts.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/838095.html


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

-Florida joins 29 other states in Wednesday's Powerball
BY RICK NEALE . and J.D. GALLOP
Obeying his mom's marching orders, Suntree resident Ed Yoches drove to the Circle K gas station and bought her two tickets Sunday for Florida's inaugural Powerball drawing.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090105/NEWS01/901050312/1006&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

-Sen. Jeb as GOP's Bush 4.0? Wake up and smell reality
Scott Maxwell | TAKING NAMES
Now that the feel-good magic of the holidays is over, it's time for some punch-in-the-gut reality checks -- starting with one for those who are gaga about the idea of Jeb Bush running for Senate.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-maxwell0409jan04,0,3500077.column?track=rss


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