FLORIDA DIGEST - March 27, 2009

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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

Miami & Ft. Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
April 24 - May 3

Films in Ft. Lauderdale
http://mglff.com/2009/flglff.php?PHPSESSID=f46d6ec1742396280133cf38a2da4e63

-Thursday, April 30
Suddenly, Last Winter
5:00PM | Gateway CinemaLicking wounds after the recent passages of Propositions 8 and 2 in California and Florida, blinking bewilderedly at the absurdly homophobic landscape in which they live, America's gays and lesbians stare with envy at Canada, Spain, and numerous other countries who have achieved legal recognition of same-sex unions on a federal level. Yet envy at the seemingly more socially enlightened societies of Europe, in particular, melts away quickly with the arrival of a new documentary from Italy . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-King Size
7:00PM | Gateway CinemaThree-way relationships are a fascinating and controversial subject - are they desperate alliances created out of duos in decline? Or are they the envious pleasure of unrepressed individuals who grant themselves the freedom to embrace the polygamous aspects of their animal instincts? Does the visibility of these relationships have a dampening effect on more mainstream gay socio-political struggles, such as the right to marry? King Size, a light-hearted and whimsical sex musical comedy, tackles all these complex topics without shortchanging them . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Friday, May 1
Baby Love
5:00PM | Gateway CinemaThis excellent 'comedy of manners' movie, set in Paris, is about Manu, a Pediatrician in his mid 40's with a very successful life, who desperately wants to be a Dad even though his determination causes him to break up with his longstanding partner, Philippe, a lawyer who has no paternal instincts at all . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Bandaged
7:00PM | Gateway CinemaFilmmaker Maria Beatty has made a name for herself as the leading creator of 'erotic-noir' lesbian fetish films. Her stunning narrative-feature thriller, Bandaged, is a continuation of the theme . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Dream Boy
9:00PM | Gateway CinemaSet in rural Louisiana, inhibited but intelligent young Nathan is the new kid in town. His family having just moved, the shy teen doesn't have any friends and passes his time lustfully gazing at Roy, the blonde haired high school senior who lives next door and drives the school bus in his off time . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Saturday, May 2
Do You Sleep In The Nude?
2:00PM | Gateway CinemaIn the 1960s and early 70s film critics raised the appreciation of the art of movies to new heights with their passionate critiques. This enormously entertaining documentary highlights the life and work of the larger-than-life Rex Reed, who was for a short time the most widely read film critic in America. Reed, whose pointed barbs and poignant praises have appeared regularly in Vogue, GQ, Holiday, Women's Wear Daily, New York Daily News and the New York Post, was the former co-host of the TV show At the Movies and is still actively writing about film today for The New York Observor . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Amancio
4:00PM | Gateway CinemaYuma, Arizona is a relatively small town with a few notable distinctions. Located on the banks of the Colorado River and bordering both California and Mexico, it is the birthplace of Chicano activist Cesar Chavez and one of the hottest places in the country . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-El Niño Pez
6:30PM | Gateway CinemaLucia Puenzo quickly made a name for herself with her debut film XXY, a haunting and beautiful story about an intersex boy finding his way through adolescence and a society that doesn't understand him, and finding love and affection along the way . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Mr. Right
8:30PM | Gateway CinemaThis delightful, heartwarming romantic comedy follows the lives of three gay, metrosexual couples in London. Harry wants to ditch his job producing home improvement shows on TV to travel the world. Harry loves Alex, a young aspiring actor who barely loves himself. William, a hunky ex Rugby player, loves Lawrence the TV soap star, but his nine year-old daughter is determined that true love will not find its course. Lastly, there is Tom, a successful but insecure artist who will let his boyfriend Lars, a handsome sometimes model, get away with literally anything as long as he doesn't leave him . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Sunday, May 3
For My Wife
2:00PM | Gateway CinemaDavid Rothmiller and LD Thompson's documentary For My Wife tells the harrowing tale of Charlene Strong's call to activism following the death of her beloved partner Kate Fleming . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Born In '68
4:00PM | Gateway CinemaOne of the world's best-known same-sex filmmaking couples returns with an epic history of France's leftist movement. Beginning in 1968 when free-love and communal idealism was in vogue, revolutionaries Yves and Herve share the love of the beautiful Catherine on a populous flower-child farm several hours away from Paris . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-The Country Teacher
7:15PM | Gateway CinemaWith its beautiful cinematography, quiet but captivating performances, and the gorgeous vista of the Czech countryside, The Country Teacher affirms itself as one of eastern Europe's greatest LGBT offerings in some time . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

Films in Miami
http://mglff.com/2009/index.php

-Patrik, Age 1.5
7:30PM | Gusman TheatreSven and Goran make up an attractive and successful gay couple who've left the bustle of city life behind and relocated to a small town in their native Sweden. With its white picket fences, perfectly manicured lawns, and block parties, their new neighborhood seems as if it were plucked right out of Pleasantville. Gay people are few and far between here, and the couple's arrival is met alternatively with hostility and over compensating pleasantries. Even the kids in Goran's pediatric practice openly share their parents' prejudices. Still, the couple carries on, focusing their energies on the soon-coming results of their adoption application.. . . more
Opening Night Film: Members $17* Non-members $22*
Opening Night Gala: Members $35 Non-members $50

-Saturday, April 25
Antarctica
1:00PM | Regal 17This sexy and sweet Israeli feature navigates past the region's politics to present a film about two siblings searching for love and happiness while dealing with the Jewish mother from hell. . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Training Rules
2:00PM | Regal 18Training Rules is a documentary about homophobia in the athletic department at Pennsylvania State University. Narrated by international swimming great Diana Nyad (National Public Radio), the film looks at the long and homophobic reign of Rene Portland, the coach of Penn State's women's basketball team whose three rules for her players were: no drinking, no drugs and no lesbians. . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-The Country Wedding
3:15PM | Regal 17Borrowing from the great tradition of 'road movies', The Country Wedding is a thoroughly charming and funny look at what happens when you put a squad of ill-matched characters together on a journey none of them are prepared for. Inga and Bardi are a fun and vivacious young couple. . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-The Baby Formula
5:15PM | Regal 17 & 18Capitalizing on the success of her short film Succubus and the real-life pregnancies of her two lead actresses Angela Vint and Megan Fahlenbock, Alison Reid's feature debut The Baby Formula charms us with a humorous take on what happens when lesbians decide to start a family. . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Mr. Right
7:30PM | Regal 17 & 18This delightful, heartwarming romantic comedy follows the lives of three gay, metrosexual couples in London. Harry wants to ditch his job producing home improvement shows on TV to travel the world. Harry loves Alex, a young aspiring actor who barely loves himself . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Every Little Step
9:40PM | Regal 18"One singular sensation" is more than a memorable lyric from a joyfully infectious tune: it is at once a great description of both A Chorus Line the stage musical from which it comes and of John D. Stern and Adam Del Deo's fantastic documentary film, Every Little Step . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Grimm Love
10:00PM | Regal 18It is said that reality is often stranger than fiction. The superbly executed Grimm Love proves that axiom to be true . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Sunday, April 26
Her Name Was Steven
1:00PM | Regal 18Steve Stanton had the epitome of the American Dream. As City Manager of Largo, Florida, Steve had a successful career as a public servant, where he managed a $130 million dollar budget and 1,200 employees and was respected and liked by his peers. His six-figure salary afforded a nice life for him, his wife, and son. Yet in early 2007 Steve's world came to a scratching hault when the guarded secret of his forthcoming sexual reassignment surgery was leaked to the local press . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Suddenly, Last Winter
1:30PM | Regal 17Licking wounds after the recent passages of Propositions 8 and 2 in California and Florida, blinking bewilderedly at the absurdly homophobic landscape in which they live, America's gays and lesbians stare with envy at Canada, Spain, and numerous other countries who have achieved legal recognition of same-sex unions on a federal level. Yet envy at the seemingly more socially enlightened societies of Europe, in particular, melts away quickly with the arrival of a new documentary from Italy . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Fairytale Of Kathmandu
3:00PM | Regal 18Director Neasa Ní Chianáin first encounters legendary Irish Poet Cathal O Searcaigh as a student in awe of him. Years later, the two are now friends and the poet invites her to accompany him on his annual three month visit to Nepal, which he considers his spiritual home . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-The Country Teacher
3:15PM | Regal 17With its beautiful cinematography, quiet but captivating performances, and the gorgeous vista of the Czech countryside, The Country Teacher affirms itself as one of eastern Europe's greatest LGBT offerings in some time . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Drool
5:30PM | Regal 17 & 18
Nancy Kissam's clever and hilarious film takes Thelma and Louise one step further (okay, maybe two or three). In her feature debut Kissam creates a comical explosion from interracial lesbian romance, husband killing, teenage oral sex and glamour makeovers. If that isn't enough, how about a road trip to Savannah for cocktails . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Baby Love
7:45PM | Regal 17
This excellent 'comedy of manners' movie, set in Paris, is about Manu, a Pediatrician in his mid 40's with a very successful life, who desperately wants to be a Dad even though his determination causes him to break up with his longstanding partner, Philippe, a lawyer who has no paternal instincts at all . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-One Day In A Life
9:45PM | Regal 18
As One Day In A Life begins, Salvatore arrives at a beautiful beach. Clad only in his Speedos, the confident and handsome man quickly catches the attention of a younger admirer and the two go off into the dunes together for a brief tryst. Emerging from this amorous interlude, Salvatore returns to the beach, soon meeting a group of neighboring sun worshippers, including an impossibly cute and flirtatious younger man who shows immediate interest . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Muñeca
10:00PM | Regal 17A long time South American bastion of conservatism, Chile seems to be redefining itself as a modern and progressive country, having elected a woman, Michelle Bachelet, as president, and shifted its portrayal of gay characters from stereotypes into well-rounded figures . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Monday, April 27
The Killing Of Sister George
7:00PM | Regal 17The Killing of Sister George is a classic. Equal parts heavy drama and hysterical camp, it is one of the first mainstream movies to prominently feature lesbian characters. Though not politically correct, it offers an interesting perspective on the changing portrayal of lesbians in film . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Clapham Junction
9:45PM | Regal 17Set during a 36 hour period in urban-London, Clapham Junction is a film where the characters and their lives intersect, often to tragic result. Though the comparisons to Paul Haggis' Crash will be quickly drawn, this film takes you places Haggis wouldn't dream of entering . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Tuesday, April 28
Victim
7:30PM | Regal 17With its echoes of film noir, the superb Victim was the first serious approach to homosexuality the cinema had ever made. Made in Britain in 1961 where, as in the US, being gay was still a crime, the movie was later banned from American theaters simply because it used the word 'homosexual' . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-What Boys Want
9:30PM | Regal 17Brace yourself for nearly an hour and a half of laughter. These funny shorts will take you on a comic journey, from mock-infomercials to musicals and everything in between . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Wednesday, April 29
El Niño Pez
7:30PM | Regal 17Lucia Puenzo quickly made a name for herself with her debut film XXY, a haunting and beautiful story about an intersex boy finding his way through adolescence and a society that doesn't understand him, and finding love and affection along the way . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Luchando
9:30PM | Regal 17Like the sweat that glistens on the bodies of the boys who stroll the malecon, sex and sensuality ooze from the pores of the Cuban people. Havana, from its heydays in the 1950's as the nightlife capital of Latin America, to its current position as a favored vacation destination for toursits, echoes the sexiness of its people . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Thursday, April 30
What Girls Like
7:30PM | Regal 17Bringing you the best in women's shorts from all over the globe, this program is sure to titillate, make you laugh, and make you feel. Get ready for a journey that will take you from drama to crisis to love. You'll be smiling when the lights come up . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Paolo
9:30PM | Regal 17In Andrea Franco Batievsky's documentary film Paolo, we are
introduced to the adorable Paolo Reategui. Like the millions of other immigrants who've made New York City their home, Paolo is searching for his version of the American dream. He shares his spacious Brooklyn apartment with his sister and a friend, he parties at the city's hippest gay clubs, and works in a high-end Manhattan boutique. He has a great group of friends and a wonderful relationship with his mom who lives in Miami. Yet amidst the skyscrapers, parties, and friends, something is missing from Paolo's life: his roots . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Friday, May 1
An Evening with John Waters - "This Filthy World"
8:00PM | Lincoln TheaterThe Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival & Edison Farrow are proud to present an evening with the iconic, irreverent, and deliciously twisted John Waters! The man who brought us Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, and made Divine a cult-icon will take to the stage of the Lincoln Theater on South Beach for one-night only, in his first South Florida stage appearance in over a decade! John Waters' one-man show is a "vaudeville" act that celebrates the film career and obsessive tastes of the man William Burroughs once called "The Pope of Trash." Focusing in on Waters' early negative artistic influences and his fascination with true crime, exploitation films, fashion lunacy, and the extremes of the contemporary art world, this joyously devious monologue elevates all that is trashy in life into a call to arms to "filth followers" everywhere. Everyone is invited to the after-party at the Shore Club but VIP Ticket holders will get a chance to meet John Waters, enjoy complimentary vodka cocktails and sit in the best seats in the theater.
Tickets: Members $35 - $100 Non-members $35 - $125

-Saturday, May 2
Annul Victory
1:00PM | Miami Beach CinemathequeIf you woke up on November 5th and your elation about Barack Obama's groundbreaking victory was tinged with sadness because of the passing of Proposition 8 in California, then Annul Victory is a film for you . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Fig Trees
2:00PM | FIU Biscayne Bay CampusEvery year thousands of people die from AIDS for lack of access to treatment. In this startling and inventive experimental documentary, filmmaker John Greyson and composer David Wall employ opera to tell the story of two activists at opposite ends of the world- Tim McCaskell of Toronto and Zackie Achmat of Capetown -both fighting for mass-access to HIV/AIDS medication . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Experimental Shorts
3:00PM | Miami Beach CinemathequeFor the first time at the MGLFF, we've decided to push the envelope by providing to audiences a fresh and different kind of shorts program. These films are not for the faint at heart, but if you like Tarentino and can stand the sight of a little blood, you'll love the sick and sticky stories in here. They are chock full of meaning, intellect and (albeit bizarre) beauty . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-City of Borders
4:00PM | FIU Biscayne Bay CampusThis excellent award-winning documentary follows the lives of five different and totally diverse gay men and women in Israel/Palestine whose common link is the fact that they all hang out at 'Shushan,' Jerusalem's only gay bar . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Chica Busca Chica
6:00PM | FIU Biscayne Bay CampusChica Busca Chica is Spain's answer to the L Word. In this sexy and cute show we are introduced to a group of ladies looking for love in all the right and sometimes wrong places as they play musical beds to their hearts' desire . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Shank
8:00PM | FIU Biscayne Bay CampusThis gritty, cutting-edge drama is a part of a new genre from contemporary queer filmmakers that shows another side of gay life. Shank is no cozy affair; void of the cliché plot devices typical of a coming of age story, this is a film that is refreshingly shocking, very explicit and painful at times . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Sunday, May 3
Ruby Blue
1:00PM | Colony TheatreJan Dunn's latest feature is a slow building meditation on suburban isolation and the healing effects of relationships. With fine performances by Bob Hoskins and Josiane Balasko, Dunn is able to transcend plot contrivances to create a personal film, addressing issues of mob mentality, child neglect and transphobia . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-I Can't Think Straight
3:15PM | Colony TheatreI Can't Think Straight is an entertaining, lighthearted romantic comedy from South African director Shamim Sarif. This sweet story is about two young women from different cultures, one woman of Indian origin, the other a Palestinian (who s about to get married), who meet and fall in love. Those of you who attended last year's Film Festival will immediately recognize the stunning lead actresses Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth from the film The World Unseen . . . more
Film Ticket: Members $7 Non-members $11

-Little Ashes
6:30PM | Colony TheatreThe setting is 1922 Madrid. Spain is in flux, serving as a perfect breeding ground for rebellious creative types who dare to be different. The Residencia de Estudiantes (the local fine arts university), a gathering place for local intellectuals, is the backdrop for a powerful convergence among Spanish luminaries Salvador Dalí, Federico Garcia Lorca, and Luis Buñuel. The three become fast friends, creating an explosive artistic triumvirate, and relish the attention that their avant-garde work and personas attract . . . more
Film Ticket Only: Members $15 Non-members $20


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From Dolphin Democrats - Ft. Lauderdale
Go to the links for the following articles:

-The City of Fort Lauderdale will host a public meeting on May 7, 2009 to present preliminary design concepts for the State Road A1A Corridor from Oakland Park Boulevard north to the City limits, based on several four-lane scenarios. The meeting will be conducted in an open-house format.
A1A Corridor Study Public Meeting
Thursday, May 7, 2009 - 6:00 p.m.
Beach Community Center
3351 NE 33rd Avenue (A1A & Oakland Park)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
RSVP: 954-828-4756
The public is encouraged to attend and provide input regarding potential future enhancements to the streetscape and the pedestrian environment. For more information about the A1A Corridor Study, please contact the City of Fort Lauderdale Planning and Zoning Department 954-828-8980.

-For the first time in 24 years, the mayor of the city of Ft. Lauderdale
(Jack Seiler) will address the Dolphin Democrats at our meeting on Wednesday May 13, 2009 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Of course Jack Seiler has addressed the club recently; however it is in his posistion as the Mayor of Ft Lauderdale that he has not addressed the club in the past 24 years. Join us as we celebrate this historic occasion!


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Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

-FL: FAU Students Create Petition Seeking Gay, Transgender Protections
Scott Travis | South Florida Sun Sentinel | Sun Sentinel
Florida Atlantic University would become the latest state school to specifically protect gays and lesbians from harassment and discrimination, and one of the first to protect transgendered people, if a student plan succeeds. Some students are collecting signatures for a petition that asks the university to add sexual orientation and gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy. So far, they've received about 1,000 signatures, with the hopes of collecting 3,000, said Amy Milin, 20, president of Lambda United, FAU's gay/straight alliance. A bill is also making its way through student government. It has received support from the incoming and outgoing student government presidents and the House of Representatives on the Boca Raton campus, said House member Boris Bastidas, 20, of Tamarac, who sponsored the bill. The plan will now go to student government leaders on other FAU campuses. FAU is one of only three public universities in the state not to specifically list sexual orientation in its nondiscrimination policy. The others are Florida State University and Florida A&M University, both in Tallahassee. Read more
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/6694/

~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

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

-Internet sales tax plan fading away, again
THE ISSUE: Internet sales tax plan fading away, again.
Even as the leaders of the Florida House and Senate try to reconcile two versions of a new state budget, they are poised to fritter away another opportunity to collect billions of dollars in unpaid sales taxes. According to some estimates, Florida is losing more than $2 billion a year in those taxes. State law technically requires Floridians who buy from remote retailers - purchases online, by telephone or by mail order - to pay taxes on their purchases. Very few, perhaps only the compulsively honest, go to the trouble and expense of filling out forms and paying what they owe. Local governments that charge their own additional sales taxes also lose out.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-sales-tax-editorial-m042709sbapr27,0,5144231.story?track=rss

-Alligator Alley to remain closed today
ALLIGATOR ALLEY - Alligator Alley will remain closed today due to excessive smoke from a large brush fire, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The major east-west highway connecting Broward and Collier counties has been inaccessible off and on since Wednesday because of heavy smoke from a massive brush fire at Big Cypress.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-alligator-alley-brush-fire-closure-bn042609,0,7588050.story

-Five ships to arrive in Fort Lauderdale for Fleet Week
Navyy, Coast Guard and Canadian vessels will sail into Port Everglades this morning for the annual event that allows locals to tour the ships. Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen will come ashore for community projects and parties.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sfl-fleet-week-ships-042209,0,7004468.story

-New gadgets help prepare for hurricanes
By Daniel Vasquez
We may not be able to avoid bad storms in South Florida, but we can turn to technology to help us stay safe and ride out whatever Mother Nature sends our way. Note to self: Hurricane season starts June 1. Here is a list of gadgets that belong in any hurricane kit.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/time-money/home/sfl-hurricane-gadgets-vasquez-c0sbapr27,0,5629323.column

-Three Broward charter schools may be given one year to shape up
By Akilah Johnson
It is contract renewal time for four Broward County charter schools, but three of the new agreements come with this stipulation: You have one year to get your act together or close.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-charter-school-renewal-b4270sbapr27,0,6947119.story

-Search our database: Who's getting a salary and a pension?
SEARCH
Getting a salary and a pension
Under the state's Deferred Retirement Option Program, longtime employees agree to retire within five years while their pension money is put in an investment account guaranteed to make 6.5 percent a year. That gives them a one-time lump-sum payout. This is supposed to encourage senior employees to retire, making way for younger, lower-paid employees. But the state also allows retired employees to return to their jobs after 30 days. Elected officials can collect both their salaries and pensions after that 30-day period. Regular employees can collect one pension check in that 30-day period, then suspend their pension for 11 months before collecting both a salary and pension.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-dropdatabase,0,1920543.htmlstory

-Florida Atlantic University, other state colleges may add technology fee
Students at state schools likely face new charge for technology
By Scott Travis
Boca Raton - Students at Florida's public universities may soon have to pay higher fees in exchange for more tech-savvy campuses. The Legislature last year authorized all 11 state universities to charge a technology fee equal to 5 percent of tuition beginning this fall. The board of trustees for each university must approve the fee before it can be imposed.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-fau-technology-fee-p042709sbapr27,0,6174396.story


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

-Mark Rosenberg, professor and administrator, named FIU's new president
BY LUISA YANEZ
Mark Rosenberg, a beloved, brainy and bespectacled Florida International University professor and administrator whose FIU career spans more than three decades, emerged from a national search Saturday to become the school's fifth president.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/1018233.html

-Gambling no prize for schools
BY MICHAEL R. VASQUEZ
Backers of the proposed Seminole compact say it would benefit education, but previous expansions of gambling failed to prevent the current school-funding crisis. In the name of improving education, Florida voters have twice expanded gambling, first with the introduction of the lottery in the 1980s, and more recently by bringing slot machines to Miami-Dade and Broward parimutuels.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1019407.html

-Diversity group promised by BSO's Lamberti has yet to meet
BY AMY SHERMAN
When Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti's opponent last year tried to portray him as ignoring minorities by appointing an all-white transition team, the sheriff fired back with promises. Against the backdrop of the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center near Fort Lauderdale a few weeks before Election Day, Lamberti surrounded himself with black and Hispanic leaders to announce the formation of groups to address internal diversity issues at the Broward Sheriff's Office and hate crimes in the community.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/1019848.html


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

-A U.S Senate campaign may be tougher for Charlie Crist than some realize
Posted at 12:43 PM in Charlie Crist, U.S. Senate
Amid the meltdown of the 2009 session of the Florida Legislature, one theme that has resurfaced again and again is that Gov. Charlie Crist is not engaged and is already looking ahead to his next election - and his next job in the U.S. Senate.
http://findout.typepad.com/the_fine_print/2009/04/the-road-to-the-us-senate-may-not-be-the-easier-path-for-crist.html

-Hard Lines on Havana Soften in Miami
Cuban Americans Reexamine U.S. Policy
By Nick Miroff
Edel Hernández arrived at the airport here last week with a giant duffel bag and a ball cap pulled low over his eyes. Two years earlier he had left Cuba, and he hadn't seen his wife since. "It's been hard," he said, his eyes welling as he tugged on the visor. "Really hard."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/26/AR2009042602250.html

-Capital ideas: Sansom jurors sending a powerful message about capitol corruption
Paul Flemming
On April 17, former House Speaker Ray Sansom was indicted, charged by a Leon County grand jury with official misconduct for inserting what the jurors concluded was a sham $6 million project in the state's budget. The jury's presentment, the reaction of citizens who got a good look at how the bratwurst is made at the Capitol, dripped indignation.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090427/OPINION/904270323/1015

-House leaders give ground on Florida election law overhaul
By Steve Bousquet
Following harsh criticism from voting rights groups and a threatened veto by Gov. Charlie Crist, House leaders have retreated from a sweeping overhaul of Florida's election laws.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/article994733.ece

-Powerful gulf oil drilling lobby faces strong resistance in Florida
By Lucy Morgan and Mary Ellen Klas
Dangling the promise of millions for the state's dwindling budget, a group of mostly unidentified oil and gas companies is bankrolling a last-minute fight to bring offshore drilling to Florida's coastline.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/article995616.ece

-Government-paid abortions? Latina advocacy group says it's time
posted by Jeannette Rivera-Lyles
A study released last week by the Pew Hispanic Foundation says that nearly half of illegal immigrant households (47%) consist of couples with children. That is a greater share than for households of U.S.-born residents (21%) or legal immigrants (35%).
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_momsatwork/2009/04/a-study-released-last-weel-by-the-pew-hispanic-foundation-says-that-nearly-half-of-illegal-immigrant-households-47-consist.html


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