FLORIDA DIGEST - February 03, 2009

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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

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

-Fla. group seeks to lower divorce rate
The Associated Press
The group that helped get a gay marriage ban in the state constitution now wants to help those who can wed stay married. The Florida Family Policy Council says it will work with churches and organizations that helped get the gay marriage ban on last year's ballot to boost programs that help married couples stay together. During a press conference Tuesday council president John Stemberger criticized Florida's no-fault divorce law, which allows either party to end a marriage for any reason. Stemberger did not make a formal proposal to change the policy but said churches will help engaged couples understand marriage and provide programs to strengthen existing marriages. The goal is to reduce the Florida divorce rate by 10 percent.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/885972.html

-EDGEWATER: Gay-porn filming at 'Cocodorm' can stay at Miami home
BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ
The boys of Cocodorm -- Snow Bunni, J Fizzo, et al -- are staying put, after a federal judge ruled that the gay porn website has a right to film out of its Edgewater home.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/884570.html


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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Florida Bar Will Support Gay Adoption
The Florida Bar is coming out in a big way - for gay adoption. The Bar's board of governors voted unanimously to file an amicus brief before the 3rd District Court of Appeal supporting a Miami-Dade circuit judge's ruling that declared unconstitutional the state's ban on gay adoptions. "We thought it was appropriate to defend the judge's decision," said Nancy Gregoire, a family section member and a partner with Kirschbaum Birnbaum Lippman & Gregoire in Fort Lauderdale. "In my mind, speaking only for myself, it was the right thing to do and well past its time."
http://nationalgaynews.com/content/view/4375/173/

-Norm Kent Debuts 'Broward Law Blog'
Renowned Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Norm Kent released today the debut of 'The Broward Law Blog,' easily accessible on the Internet at www.browardlawblog.com A South Florida attorney for 30 years, Mr. Kent is well known for his long time experience as the highly rated morning drive talk show host for WFTL-850 AM. He later hosted a weekly radio show entitled 'Weekend Legal' on WWNN-1470 AM.
http://nationalgaynews.com/content/view/4373/173/


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From Dolphin Democrats

-Re-Elect Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue for Oakland Park City Commission, Seat 5
Commissioner Boisvenue applauds the City of Oakland Park for their decision to uphold city employees' first amendment right to free speech. Political signs sparked a debate in the city yesterday after a firefighter was asked to remove his vehicle from city property because his vehicle contained political signs. The firefighter complied with his supervisor's request. Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue is known as a fighter for city residents and employees. After much heated debate, Oakland Park department directors issued a statement that employees have the right park vehicles on city property. Commissioner Boisvenue has continually fought to protect the rights of all Oakland Park citizens and employees. She voted to add domestic partner benefits for all city employees, advocated for increased residential notification in zoning changes and worked with city departments to stop the killing of cats by advocating for the trap neuter and release program. Commissioner Boisvenue works tirelessly to stop discrimination and believes in treating all people equally and fairly, and she has publicly spoken out against such acts. "There shall be no discrimination anytime anywhere", stated Boisvenue. VOTE MARCH 10 2009!

-DOLPHIN DEMOCRATS CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE NEEDS YOUR HELP !!
GET OUT THE VOTE TABLE
WHERE: GLCC 1717 N. ANDREWS AVENUE
WHEN: SATURDAY FEBRUARY. 7 , 2009 - 8AM TO 2 PM
NEED: TWO HOUR SHIFTS 7AM- 9AM; 9AM-11AM; 11AM-1PM- 12 NOON TO 2PM
ONLY YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN; WE NEED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THE VARIOUS MUNICIPAL RACE'S IN BROWARD COUNTY: FORT LAUDERDALE;OAKLAND PARK; WILTON MANORS; DANIA BEACH COME MEET THE CANDIDATE'S - SOME PLAN TO RALLY - PLEASE LET MICHAEL ALBETTA KNOW WHAT TIME YOU AND ASSIST ON THIS MATTER- IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND TO HELP
PLEASE CALL AT 954-390-6537 OR E-MAIL TO> PRESIDENT@FLORIDAGLBTDEMOCRATS.ORG


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Sunshine Cathedral - Ft. Lauderdale

-Valuing our Families conference
On Saturday, April 25th, SunServe will be holding its sixth annual Valuing Our Families (VOF) Conference on the Sunshine Cathedral campus. The daylong event is designed for all who value the LGBT contribution to the American family in all its diversity. Parents and children, including LGBT teens will spend time in workshops, support groups, fun social activities, and even a carnival! A huge part of the VOF Conference's success comes from the many volunteers who help make it the highlight of the year for many lesbian, gay, and trans couples / families in Florida. You can make a positive impact by volunteering at this year's conference. Opportunities are available in many areas, including but not limited to helping set up / clean up the carnival and picnic, assisting workshop facilitators, and registering participants. You can volunteer for the entire day from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, or you can help out in the morning or afternoon for a few hours.
If you would like to make a positive impact and help make this year's conference a success, please contact Rev. Michael Diaz at 954-462-2004 x208 or mdiaz@sunshinecathedral.org.

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From Stonewall Library and Archives - Ft. Lauderdale

-On February 11, at 7:00 pm, as part of its Distinguished Authors Lecture Series, Stonewall will host a reading and book signing by the enormously popular award-winning novelist K.G. MacGregor.
A former teacher, K.G. MacGregor holds a PhD in journalism and mass communication. She began writing lesbian fiction in 2002 and in 2005, she signed with Bella Books, which published the Goldie Award finalist Just This Once. Her sixth Bella novel, Out of Love, won the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for Women's Romance, and the 2008 Goldie Award in Lesbian Romance. In 2008, she published Without Warning and Secrets So Deep. Ms. MacGregor divides her time between her homes in Miami and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Copies of several of Ms. MacGregor's books will be available for purchase the night of the event. This event is free and open to the public. For further information, please contact:
Jack Rutland, Executive Director
Stonewall Library & Archives
954-763-8565
Jack-rutland@stonewall-library.org


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Lavender Writes
LWrites@mindspring.com

-Readings: Love Gone Bad: an Open Mic Reading
Saturday, February 14, 8pm
Border Books and Music
2240 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
954-566-6335Valentine's Day not your favorite holiday? Want to howl with pain or laughter, commiserate and gloat at fictional tales of love and sex so disastrous they have to be read in public? Then join us at Borders as local scribes share stories of bad break-ups, psycho ex's from hell and the worst first dates in history. Writers should sign-up at LWrites@mindspring.com. Audience members can just show up. Writers and audience members gather in the Borders Cafe after the reading for coffee, snacks and conversation.

-Laugh it Off: an Open Mic Reading
Saturday, March 14, 2009, 1 p.m.
Broward Main Library
These events are part of The Next Generation, a year-long series of free fiction writing workshops and public readings for gay and lesbian writers. This program is a collaborative project of Lavender Writes, the Broward County Libraries Division, Borders Books and Music and author Karen Dale Wolman. The Next Generation was developed as a forum for gay and lesbian writers to write the stories they want to write in a safe environment that offers high quality teaching. Nongay students who are comfortable being in a gay environment and reading gay and lesbian fiction are also welcome to attend. Funding for this program is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council. Lavender Writes, Inc., provides service and support to lesbian and gay writers by sponsoring writing workshops, developing public forums for writers to present their work and offering assistance with publication. Non-gay writers and readers are also welcome to participate. For more information or to register for any of the programs, contact LWrites@mindspring.com.


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

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

-Fla. Supreme Court to reprimand Judge Aleman
By Tonya Alanez
The Florida Supreme Court announced today it will publicly reprimand Broward Circuit Judge Cheryl Alemán for misconduct on April 7.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-bn-0203judgealeman,0,7783069.story


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

-Broward to use FEMA grant to retrofit buildings for hurricanes
BY DAN CHRISTENSEN
Broward commissioners took a big step Tuesday toward carrying out a $25 million plan to fortify key county buildings to withstand the punishing winds of a Category 3 hurricane.
http://www.miamiherald.com/466/story/885869.html


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From Scott Newton for Wilton Manors City Commission Campaign

-Elect Scott Newton Campaign
Rally the Vote - 7 days to election day
VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS - HOW ARE YOU RALLY'N THE VOTE?
CITY CANDIDATES FORUM - WE NEED YOU TO BE THERE!! PLEASE WEAR YOUR T-SHIRTS
IF YOU HAVE THEM. WE'LL BE HANDING OUT STICKERS TO WEAR.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2009 - 7:00 PM
Wilton Manors Elementary Cafeteria
Moderated by League of Women Voters
With only 7 days left until election day, Scott still needs your help...VOLUNTEER NOW!
Callers: Call a manageable number of people to encourage them to VOTE on Feb. 10, and ask them to vote for Scott Newton - The Candidate for All Wilton Manors Polling Places: Stand outside a polling precinct with a Scott Newton For Commission sign. We are requesting that you work three hours, but anytime you can give us will be appreciated. Please email Cindy @ csssp@aol.com to sign up for your precinct. For information on scheduled events, visit: www.votenewton.com



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FairDistrictsFlorida.org

-Last week, the Florida Supreme Court gave Fair Districts Florida the green light to move forward to establish constitutionally mandated fairness standards for the drawing of legislative districts in Florida. We were thrilled by the news, and excited to move into the next stage of our campaign. It seems we weren't alone. This weekend, the Tallahassee Democrat opined:
Everyone acknowledges that the leaders and elected officials of whichever party is in power is fond of the current apportionment system, which makes districts so utterly in line with voting patterns that an interloper from the out-of-power party can almost never get elected. Anecdotally it's been said that map-drawing is so technologically refined these days that you can almost draw a district line down the middle of someone's living room in a house where the wife is known to vote Democratic and the husband goes for the GOP. They can also pack a large number of voters they don't want to have any real power into just a few districts. These minorities win seats in the Legislature, and keep getting re-elected, but there aren't enough of them to have any real power once they have that seat at the table. Right now the Legislature does the redistricting work itself every ten years, but these constitutional amendments would change the way it's done, setting out standards for redistricting that would help stop favoritism for any party or incumbent and would prevent denying equal opportunity for racial or language minorities. [...] You will likely have an opportunity to sign one of the petitions and get involved in the money-raising needed just to get the petition drive big enough to do its job.,, Checks can be mailed to: PO BOX 350188 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33335
Click here to "get involved in the money-raising" and help us bring Florida fair districts!
https://www.fairdistrictsflorida.org/


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

-Florida governor considers Senate run
From CNN's Mark Preston and Rebecca Sinderbrand
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is not ruling out a run for the Senate in 2010, but for now is focusing all of his attention on the legislative session, a top ally tells CNN. "The governor is not closing the door, but he is not necessarily opening it," Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer said in an interview this afternoon. "He is focused on being governor and focused on solving the challenges that Floridians are facing right now."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/02/02/florida-governor-considers-senate-run/

-Cretul takes House reins
By Alex Leary
Ray Sansom's short-lived and tumultuous tenure as House speaker effectively ended Monday night when his Republican colleagues, in an unprecedented and solemn procedure, anointed a new leader.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article972828.ece

-Crist not NOT running for U.S. Senate
By Dara Kam
Amid reports that Gov. Charlie Crist is being wooed to run for retiring U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez' seat _ and that Martinez may drop out early _ Florida's top GOP politico has remained coy about his intentions. But today he put to rest questions about whether he is definitely NOT going to enter the field.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2009/02/02/crist_not_not_running_for_us_s.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics


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