FLORIDA DIGEST - February 17, 2009

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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~


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

-Sidelines Sports Bar sponsors Green Hopper shuttle in Wilton Manors
Sidelines Sports Bar is delighted to announce its support of the new "green" shuttle service in Wilton Manors, the Green Hopper. The owners of Sidelines have been proactively searching for ways to help alleviate the parking challenges faced by patrons when visiting the city as a result of the diminishing number of parking spaces along "the Drive". One such solution was found in the Green Hopper. The Green Hopper, a new local shuttle service, provides safe, convenient and free transportation aboard their 100% electric and zero emission 5-passenger vehicles around Wilton Manors' Island City area. Once aboard, residents and visitors can enjoy a no-fee ride anywhere in Wilton Manors. While the Green Hopper does not charge a fee to ride, funding is generated by customer's generous tips to their drivers and paid advertising sponsors, such as Sidelines Sports Bar.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/

-Songwriter Desmond Child to speak Tuesday at gay Stonewall Library &
Archives in Fort Lauderdale
Stonewall Library & Archives and ArtExplosion '09, International GLBT Arts Festival, will feature An Evening with Desmond Child, 2008 Songwriters hall of Fame inductee, on Tuesday, February 17, at 6:00 PM at the Broward County Main Library Auditorium. The singer/songwriter/producer has penned 70 top 40 hits and will be discussing his career and the music industry today, along with a few tidbits about working with today's brightest young stars.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/

-FOSTER CHILDREN: South Florida foster kids pose for photo project
BY ROBERT SAMUELS
Her smile beaming with a tinge of red lipstick, the foster child posed for the photographer.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/907286.html


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NATIONAL VALUING OUR FAMILIES AWARD
Fort Lauderdale and Miami Gay Men's Choruses' Florida Premier Performance of "Songs of My Family" - Saturday, March 14, 2009
Sunshine Cathedral - Fort Lauderdale
2009 National Award Winner will be presented to Marriage Equality National Spokespersons GEORGE TAKEI (Star Trek's Mr Sulu) & his partner BRAD ALTMAN - Award will be presented by SHARON GLESS
SunServe Spokesperson and 2004 National Award winner
VIP Reception 6:30 - 7:45 pm
Concert and Award presentation 8:00 pm
About Songs of My Family. This amazing choral cycle, composed by Robert Seely and Robert Espindola, is a musically lush and poetically beautiful telling of real stories of gay and lesbian families. It had its origin right here in interviews of South Florida families who have attended SunServe's Valuing Our Families Conference. It was premiered last summer at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. and will be directed by Jeff Buhrman, the artistic director of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC. Hear the 170 voice combined chorus of the Ft Lauderdale and Miami Gay Men's Choruses and orchestra in this truly remarkable choral event!! Reception and performance tickets: $100 per person
To purchase tickets - 954-764-5150 - or online visit the SunServe website:
www.sunserve.org/awardgala2009.html


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

-RockHard reaction: First 'adult' store opens in WilMa
By JASON MICHAELS
For several months, there was speculation about what a storefront with a large sign saying "RockHard" on Wilton Drive was going to be. Some local residents thought it was going to be a clothing store. Some business people along the drive thought it was going to be a music store. As it turned out, it's the first adult toy store licensed in Wilton Manors.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/2-12/news/localnews/5531.cfm

-OUT Florida is in
Organizations Uniting Together, will increase clout in Tallahassee and around state
By GEORG KETELHOHN AND KAREN DOERING
After the disappointing passage last fall of Amendment 2, the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment, the leaders of several local LGBT organizations around the state began looking at how we might be able to make a broader, positive difference in Florida. A consensus quickly emerged that we needed better communication and cooperation among local organizations working throughout the state. We determined that a federation of LGBT and allied local organizations could help foster stronger, better connected efforts to help us achieve local and statewide success in Florida.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/2-12/view/editorial/5536.cfm


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

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

-Former Broward schools chief Till quits non-profit
By Lisa J. Huriash
Frank Till, the former head of Broward County Click here for restaurant inspection reports.'s public school system, has stepped down as CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County to pursue a career as an education consultant.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-bn-0216till,0,6559542.story


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

-Gov. Crist extends political courtesy
OUR OPINION: Governor had good reason to welcome president to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has come under a hail of brickbats from his Republican friends for daring to show up in Ft. Myers last week to share a platform with the president of the United States. Cheer up, governor. As John F. Kennedy said, ``Sometimes party loyalty asks too much.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/906155.html

-FORT LAUDERDALE: New Fort Lauderdale mayor's role: cheerleader in chief
BY AMY SHERMAN
Jack Seiler, mayor-elect of Fort Lauderdale, discusses taxes, the city's former Mayor Jim Naugle and tourism.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/front-page/story/906140.html

-CHILD WELFARE: Gay adoptive parent fights DCF for subsidy
A gay Key West man allowed to adopt a foster child is now fighting DCF for the same benefits other adoptive parents receive.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/906107.html



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

-Will Gov. Crist run for Senate? Signs point to yes
By Jeremy Wallace
Gov. Charlie Crist says he will not announce until at least May whether he will run for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090215/ARTICLE/902150369/2055/NEWS?Title=Will_Gov__Crist_run_for_Senate__Signs_point_to_yes

-Watching Republicans grieve
Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi journeyed into the heart of the GOP for her new HBO documentary. She discusses what she found there: Denial, depression and a whole lot of anger.
By Mark Schone
http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/int/2009/02/16/alexandra_pelosi/

-Meek Charging Out Of The Gate In Senate Primary
by William March
Rep. Kendrick Meek of Miami is charging out of the gate in the Democratic primary for next year's U.S. Senate race. This morning Meek announced an endorsement from the political active Service Employees International Union, then planned a meet-and-greet with supporters in Tallahassee this evening.
http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/meek-charging-out-of-the-gate-in-senate-primary/

-Florida Legislature will look at plan to end teacher tenure
by Ron Matus
A sweeping plan to make it easier to fire teachers and put a bigger spotlight on teacher quality is headed to the Florida Legislature. A top priority for one of former Gov. Jeb Bush's education foundations, the plan would essentially gut teacher tenure, a status encoded in state law that gives teachers special protections against firing.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article975946.ece

-Unemployment benefits in Florida: Questions and answers
Here are answers to key questions about benefits if you lose your job
By Marcia Heroux Pounds
With Florida's jobless rate topping 8 percent, workers who are unemployed or on the verge of losing their jobs have many questions about applying for unemployment benefits.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flz0213unemployment,0,7612857.story

-Michael Peltier: High noon for U.S. Sugar deal Tuesday
By MICHAEL PELTIER (Contact)
If this were Hollywood, the meeting scheduled for Tuesday between a key Senate committee and the South Florida Water Management District would have been held at high noon.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/feb/15/michael-peltier-high-noon-us-sugar-deal-tuesday/


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