Agenda 090915 issue 303 by Multi-Media Platforms

SAME-SEX PARENTS TO CREATE BABIES FROM SKIN CELLS WITHIN TWO YEARS

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Random thoughts and quotes on Facebook this week...

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Dean Trantalis

Amen to that!

Starting in my teens and until somewhere in my late 20’s, I’d blow out my birthday candles with the same wish: “Please don’t let me be gay.” Every time I prayed, I made sure to ask God to help me through this. To help reveal my true self. As I got older and, of course, had to continue the social dance of dating women, not just to maintain some sort of façade (besides the dating women part, I tried to remain as genuine as possible because I’ve always had amazing friends and a great family and always wanted to be as true to them as I could), but also to continue this hopeless attempt to Israel Gutierres “fight off the gay.” I remember always trying to chase the best looking women, because I’d likely get turned down. But hey, I tried, right? Israel Gutierres, ESPN reporter and former Miami Herald staffer, who revealed in a heartfelt blog last week that he was gay.

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Trump calls it a “very sticky” situation

Donald Trump

I would say the simple answer is let her clerks do it. Now from what I understand, she is not letting her clerks do it either. The other simple answer is rather than going through this – because it’s really a very, very sticky situation and terrible situation – 30 miles away they have other places, they have many other places where you get licensed. And you have them actually quiet nearby, that’s another alternative.” Presidential candidate Donald Trump, fumbling to react to the Kim Davis situation

By Adam Cohen POWER COUPLE New lesbian power couple alert! Rosie O’Donnell and Tatum O’Neal! I christen them “Fishsticks and Taters!” LET ME SEE... TMZ just released footage of a Mexican man with a 19 inch, 2 lb. penis and I can not unsee that horror. MILLION DOLLAR WHAT? I never understood the show, Million Dollar Listing. You have some of the most nouveau riche, obnoxious human beings on earth, showing gorgeous homes, driving nice cars and wearing exclusive suits, yet they all live in unimpressive tiny shitboxes themselves. ROWAN COUNTY, HERE I COME After all these photos of clerks offices in Kentucky I think I’m going to move there! Screw feeling self-conscious about my weight in Florida or New York, I’ll be the Kate Moss of Rowan County! REMEMBER CHARLIE Today was a tough day. But when you think you’ve had a tough day, always remember Charlie from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. That poor kid lived in a shack where four old people slept in one bed and had not gotten up to walk (or take a dump, presumably) in years! The stench must’ve been unbearable! THE BIGGER, THE BETTER We haven’t misspelled “Bananas” in eleven years thanks to Gwen Stefani. A BIG OL’ COBRA Clutch the Pearls! There is a king Cobra loose in Florida!! LIP SYNC Truly hitting new heights of retro 60s homosexuality as I sail down Stirling Road shrieking along to Linda Ronstadt! REALLY I wish people randomly offered me weed as often as the middle school health classes said they would. CASTING CALL That clerk’s office looks like an open casting call for “Roseanne!”

September 09, 2015

“Kim Davis is right where she belongs, in a Kentucky jail. To imagine that a country that was founded on religious freedoms and separation of Church and State should even put up with a (pardon the expression) broad like this is, well, a crime in and of it self. People, in this country we have much bigger problems than keeping people who love each other apart. Zealots please read the “Judge not, lest ye be judged” part [of the Bible, and one of the other greatest and most important commandments (which is not a suggestion either) “Love your neighbor as yourself. “ And can we have an AMEN?” Craig D. Cox Fort Lauderdale

‘Please don’t let me be gay’

JUST ADAM

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So I think we should allow the clerk in Kentucky to express her religious beliefs by not processing marriage licenses for same sex couples. After all, that’s what the Bible says. But only if she agrees to allow herself to be stoned to death for her blatant adultery. After all, that’s what the Bible says... Dean Trantalis Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner

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Just as the Bible says...

Adam Cohen is South Florida’s #1 social commentator. His column appears weekly in the Agenda. Follow Adam on Facebook.

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NEWSWATCH

CHANGING THE FACE OF ADVERTISING IN AMERICA

September 09, 2015

BY STAMPP CORBIN

ith the marriage equality ruling by the Supreme Court, the world has changed for gay and lesbian people throughout America. The ruling means that LGBT culture will begin to be mainstreamed. The closest example would be what happened to African Americans after the implementation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Before then, African Americans rarely saw themselves and their lives reflected in any type of advertising, or on television and radio programs.

After the passing of the Civil Rights Act, companies began to acknowledge that African Americans purchased dish soap, hair products and food, just like white people. Today the concept of avoiding African American consumers seems absurd but that is exactly what is happening with marketing to the LGBT community. In the last year, in how many ads from large mainstream brands have you seen yourself? One? Two? Three at the most? I do not mean a rainbow flag or the HRC yellow equal sign. I mean actual people that look and act like you. I mean a gay or lesbian couple drinking coffee in an ad for Folgers. You get the idea. Over the next five years,

marketers for the largest companies in the nation will realize that being a first mover in appealing to the LGBT community through effective advertising will build their brand and revenues. There have been some trailblazers like Absolut Vodka. When Absolut came to America from Sweden in 1979, the company did not get the memo that said donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t market to LGBT people. Absolut built its brand in progressive nightclubs like Studio 54 in New York and the Trocadero Transfer in San Francisco. Trendsetters attending these clubs during the disco age included many LGBT people who were drinking the high end brand along with their straight counterparts.

Subsequently in 1981 Absolut began taking out ads in the LGBT publications The Advocate and After Dark, while unabashedly placing their brand in exclusively LGBT establishments. Sure there were other alcohol brands in LGBT bars but those brands were really about taking our money, not about marketing to the community. Think Coors. Absolut did not have people in its ads but the fact that the brand took out ads at all was so incredibly trailblazing it is almost impossible to describe. After a night of partying at the Trocadero, I sat on the patio of the End Up with an Absolut Cape Cod in hand and vowed to drink Absolut until I died. A vow

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Stampp Corbin is a leader of the National Equality Publishers Association, an advocacy group for publishers serving the LGBT community as well as a liaison to national media buyers. He is also the owner of San Diego LGBT Weekly. He can be reached at stampp@lgbtweekly.com

GRAPHIC BY FLORIDA AGENDA

September 09, 2015

SOURCE: NIELSEN.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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The LGBT consumer is no longer content to hand over its hard earned dollars to companies that are not willing to acknowledge them as a customer...

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I have managed to keep. Brand loyalty that is truly deserved. And there are scores of LGBT people of a certain age who agree with me. Flash forward 34 years and not much has changed. There are a few ad campaigns targeted at our community but nothing compared to the ad dollars spent pursuing the African American and Latino communities. In 2014, Marriott launched the #LoveTravels campaign that featured LGBT people in their true state as individuals and couples. How many of you saw the campaign? Probably not many because the ad support was limited to national publications and Web sites that may not have not reached you. That is about to change. The National Equality Publishers Association (NEPA), a group of publishers serving the LGBT community across the nation, was recently created to ensure that the LGBT community gets the respect it deserves from the Fortune 500 brands and beyond. You buy Tide, Febreze, iPhones and Ford cars like everyone else. It is time for these brands to actively pursue your business just like they do for other communities. The LGBT consumer is no longer content to hand over its hard earned dollars to companies that are not willing to acknowledge them as a customer. NEPA will help the Fortune 500 make the transition to marketing and advertising that includes you. That means that the kid in Tuscaloosa, Ala. who is L, G, B, or T will be able to turn on the television, open their tablet or read their favorite print magazine and see LGBT people represented, just like everyone else. That’s impact. The ad will make an even greater difference with the Tuscaloosa kid’s straight counterparts. Now that LGBT kid will no longer seem different, he will be just like the people the straight kid saw in an ad for their favorite jeans. That’s why you should care that publishers serving the LGBT community have formed the National Equality Publishers Association.

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MEDIA

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Multimedia Platforms

4With five brands in the top three markets, the digital, print and streaming video company is set to become America’s largest LGBT media company

FORT LAUDERDALE — Multimedia Platforms Inc. (OTCQB: MMPW), the only publiclytraded LGBT media company, announced Wednesday the acquisition of New Frontiers Media Holdings, LLC. The purchase now gives Multimedia Platforms an expansive reach within the LGBT markets of New York, California and Florida, spanning five brands currently publishing 3 million print copies a year. With a next-generation online media hub launching in the Fall, the combined companies will create America’s largest LGBT media company and will give advertisers unprecedented access to a demographic representing $884 billion in buying power in the U.S. alone. California-based Frontiers Media is active in digital, mobile, streaming video, print and outdoor signage, and is best known as the publisher of the gay lifestyle magazine Frontiers, which has received praise and awards since its re-launch in 2014. The company also brings a lively events business to the table with its active role in Style Fashion Week in Los Angeles, the LGBT film festival Outfest, Gay Days Anaheim at Disneyland, and its annual samesex wedding expo. Multimedia Platforms now owns the Florida Agenda, Frontiers Media, FunMaps, Guy magazine and Next magazine. Collectively, the five brands represent 7.5 million

Bobby Blair

Michael Turner

readers and 4 million unique online visitors annually, in America’s top three LGBT markets and 40plus cities across North America. The brands will maintain their individual identities and websites. Frontiers will expand to the East Coast, becoming America’s national gay lifestyle brand, and Next will bring its mix of nightlife and pop-culture to California. “We will be harnessing the strength of our national reach and amazing content with the launch of WiRLD, the world’s first LGBT online media hub, in the fourth quarter of 2015,” said Multimedia Platforms CEO Bobby Blair. “The online media hub will include unique and aggregated news, lifestyle and entertainment stories, social blogs, and premium video, all curated specifically for the

ABOUT FRONTIERS MEDIA

September 09, 2015

Peter Jackson

Frontiers Media is the 21st century’s LGBT media company, spanning digital, mobile, print, video, outdoor signage and unique experiential events. In addition to publishing its biweekly gay print magazine Frontiers, distributed throughout California, Nevada and online, Frontiers Media co-produces The Horizon, the world’s most popular gay web series with over 38 million views hosted on its Frontiers TV platform. Frontiers Media is proud to be a certified LGBT Business Enterprise and a founding member of NEPA, representing LGBT publishers from the top 20 U.S. markets.Visit frontiersmedia.com for more information.

Kevin Hopper

Tristan Schukraft

global LGBT community.” Blair pointed out the acquisition of Frontiers Media gives Multimedia Platforms established roots on the west coast and an entry into the entertainment industry. “We now lead in three of the most populous LGBT states in the country — California, New York and Florida — and offer advertisers both national and international audiences, Blair said. “Our combined resources allow us to double print circulation and grow our web traffic exponentially in 2016.” The group of brands will give industry partners such as Rivendell Media, the National Equality Publishers Association (NEPA), major LGBT nonprofits and current advertisers such as Delta Air

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editor Owen Phillips, who has led Frontiers Media’s editorial transition, will advise on content across all platforms. “It’s an incredible time to be serving the LGBT

the five 4Collectively, brands represent 7.5

million readers and 4 million unique online visitors annually, in America’s top three LGBT markets and 40-plus cities across North America.

community as the business world recognizes the power of this influential audience,” said Multimedia Platforms President of Digital Media Michael Turner. “I’m proud that we’ll be able to vastly expand the reach of our content — which is produced by some of the most talented and respected writers, editors, designers, producers and photographers in the industry. With this talent we have a number of new engaging business initiatives that will launch in the next year which will serve the LGBT and LGBT friendly communities.” “We are creating a first-of-its-kind media company which will have global reach and influence,” said Multimedia Platforms President and Group Executive Publisher Peter Jackson. “This acquisition represents a multimillion dollar investment in digital media development to provide the LGBT community with news, opinion and entertainment across a wide variety of delivery formats, anywhere and at anytime. We welcome the Frontiers Media team aboard as we strive to create and deliver top-notch products for print and online audiences and advertisers.”

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Lines, Mercedes, Wynn Las Vegas and Wells Fargo privileged access to the loyal and influential LGBT community, on both a national and local level. Multimedia Platforms will now have two divisions focused on publishing and online media, respectively. Current President and Group Executive Publisher Peter Jackson will continue in that role leading the company’s publishing operations. Michael Turner, Frontiers Media’s current President and CEO, will become President of Multimedia Platforms’ digital media, and will focus initially on the launch of WiRLD. Turner will also continue as Publisher of Frontiers. Rounding out the executive management team are Kevin Hopper, VP/Operations and Publisher of Next New York; Maura Lane, VP/Sales; Emily Stokes, Corporate Circulation Director; and Dennis Dean, Corporate Creative Director. New to the team is Tristan Schukraft, who will serve as VP/Marketing and Publisher of the new Next Los Angeles magazine. Veteran magazine

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buys Frontiers Media

ABOUT MULTIMEDIA PLATFORMS WORLDWIDE

September 09, 2015

Multimedia Platforms Inc. is a publicly traded industry-leading multimedia, technology and publishing company that integrates print media with social media, and related online platforms, to deliver information and advertising to niche markets. MMP has recently expanded its concept to include video and mobile applications reaching deep into the international LGBT community. MMP's top brands include the Florida Agenda, FunMaps, Guy magazine and Next magazine. MMP's plan to interweave web, mobile and print to deliver the highest quality news and entertainment information via a variety of platforms that cross all cultural, generational and preferred modality barriers to reach an unprecedented audience. Visit multimediaplatformsinc.com for more information.

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COVER STORY

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT TRUVADA

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4Study finds controversial drug is 100% effective in preventing HIV SAN FRANCISCO — In what surely is the most conclusive study regarding the effectiveness of Truvada as a daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), last week Dr. Jonathan Volk, an epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center, announced that the popular HIV medication was 100% effective in preventing new HIV infections in healthy individuals. Volk labeled his study “the first to extend the understanding of the use of PrEP in a real-world setting and suggests that the treatment may prevent new HIV infections even in a high-risk setting.” The study followed 600 high-risk mostly male individuals for two and a half years. All participants were HIV free at the beginning of the study, and all continued to have unsafe sex while consuming a daily PrEP dose of Truvada. None of the subjects became infected with HIV.

false sense of security. It’s true that you can now have sex and not get HIV, but you can get syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and more.” In commenting on the study, published in the Oxford Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, University of California-San “What concerns Francisco researchers Kimberly me about this A. Koester and Robert M. Grant, study is that labeled the discovery “tremensexually active dously good news” coming as it does at a time when infections guys will see it with HIV continue to rise in as a license to every part of the globe. have unsafe sex. Even so, Koester and Grant It’s not.” said that many questions remain. “What proportion of the popuDr. John Jones lation vulnerable to HIV will HIV Specialist take a pill a day to prevent it? Fort Lauderdale How will costs of the medication and clinic visits be paid for?” they asked. “Assuming people emtricitabine, work together to block an enzyme are willing to use PrEP and can access PrEP, will called reverse transcriptase that allows HIV cells to they take the medication as directed? Will uptake multiply. In addition to suppressing HIV that is aland use be higher or lower among those at higher ready in the body, the drugs can also prevent the risk? Will people place themselves at higher risk or virus from gaining a foothold initially. HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as a Prior to the just-announced study, The Centers consequence of using PrEP?” for Disease Control and Prevention had asserted Regardless, the Volk study brings absolute assurthat PrEP was shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 92 percent when taken consistently ance to an area which has seen far too few answer. Take Truvada with consistency, and keep this disbut is much less effective when taken inconsisease at bay. tently. In one key study, called PROUD that inIt is time for a vigorous conversation about sexucluded men who have sex with men in Britain, the ally transmitted infections, too long eclipsed by risk of infection was said to be reduced by 86 perfear of HIV infection. The conversation should incent. “What concerns me about this study is that sexu- clude public health officers, clinicians, clients, and sexual partners. Routine STI testing within primary ally active guys will see it as a license to have uncare practices is often not performed representing a safe sex. It’s not,” according to Oakland Park missed opportunity for epidemic control and an exphysician Dr. John Jones, whose Midland Medical pansion of the scope of primary care to continually practice is centered on HIV prevention and treatinclude sexual health. While HIV testing and trends ment. “While it’s amazing that the pill works so are frequently in the news, notice of STI trends rewell, it does nothing unless it’s taken consismain unnoticed in technical reports. People and tently…and even then does nothing to protect prospective partners frequently exchange informaagainst other disease.” tion about HIV test results, HIV treatment outcomes, and adherence, while discussion of other OTHER STDs STIs is left for the morning after, or after the ap“The real problem here is that there is more (dispearance of symptoms of infection. eases out there) than HIV,” Fort Lauderdale infecFeeling safer from HIV infection while using tious disease specialist Dr. Ricardo Reyes said. PrEP creates space for a more robust discussion of “There are many other sexually transmitted disSTIs. eases. And it gives sexually active individuals a

By RICHARD HACK

September 09, 2015

CONTROVERSY The taking of Truvada as a PrEP has been the center of an ongoing controversy, one that had been led for several years by Michael Weinstein, head of the L.A.-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). Weinstein has been a vocal critic of the development of Truvada as an HIV prevention system, dismissing it as a “party drug,” and alienating many over his response. He’s also the man responsible for pushing the laws demanding condoms on porn actors. But lately even Weinstein has come around and given a cautionary thumbs-up for the use of Truvada by at-risk individuals. In a full page ad in the Agenda and other publications, the AHF reached what it labeled “a common ground” on Truvada’s use. “Those who have not and will not use condoms, and are having multiple sex partners, are the best candidates for PrEP,” the advertisement stated. Small step, big gains. Truvada combines two drugs that have been part of the anti-retroviral cocktail taken by HIV-positive patients for years. The medicines, tenofovir and

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September 09, 2015

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PETER JACKSON President | Group Executive Publisher

RICHARD HACK Vice President | Content

KEVIN HOPPER Vice President | New York Publisher

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MAURA “MUMBALL” LANE National Advertising Director

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AS I SEE IT

PROTECTING US FROM BIGOTRY

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BOBBY BLAIR Founder | CEO

Why Kim Davis’ defiance of the law is not religious persecution

of the First Baptist Church in Dallas had no trouble drawing a comparison between Davis and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The pastor reminded viewers that it was King who said, “Whenever man’s laws conflict with God’s moral law, we have to obey God’s moral law. But that belief landed Dr. King in a Birmingham jail just as it landed Kim Davis in a Kentucky jail.” Carlson then brought the subject back to his own sense of reality. “Part of the difference, I suppose, between Kim Davis and Martin Luther King is the reception that she’s received. King was lionized, correctly, as a hero, as a moral leader by the people who run this country who write newspaper opinion columns and appear on television. Davis has been dismissed as a crank. …She’s not a popular figure.” It is this martyrdom of Kim Davis, a saint alone among the mighty nasty authorities, that should have every member of the LGBT community outraged. She deserves more than a hissy fit, for she has become the figurehead of a movement whose mantra is religious persecution. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said as much. “Those who are persecuting Kim Davis believe that Christians should not serve in public office,” he said. Really? Come on Ted. You can do better. Last time we looked, persecution

means attempting to humiliate or destroy a group or person simply because of their beliefs. Surely Ted Cruz know that Davis wasn’t jailed because of her beliefs or who she is. No, no. This belligerent woman got put in the pokey for refusing to follow the laws that guarantee the rights of all Americans, and for arguing against the rule of law itself. Defying the law is not persecution; it’s anarchy, Ted. And it has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity. In this country, if we disagree with the law, we vote out politicians from office and bring in those who might improve upon our legislature. What we don’t do is refuse to obey the law because it makes us uncomfortable within our religious beliefs. We all have the ability to affect change, including Kim Davis. She keeps that ability even as she sits cooling her heels in jail, where yesterday we were advised by her attorney that she was weeping over her confinement. She has never been denied her right to believe what she wishes or worship as she pleases. But there is a reason that Thomas Jefferson decreed a separation of church and state — the Kim Davises of the world included. While she has the right to believe any thing she wants and call it religion, she does not have the right to impose it on us, or you, because of her government position. That’s not persecution. That’s our system protecting all of us from bigotry.

In this country, if we disagree with the law, we vote out politicians from office and bring in those who might improve upon our legislature. What we don’t do is refuse to obey the law because it makes us uncomfortable within our religious beliefs.

September 09, 2015

HEY GATHERED OUTSIDE of the Carter County Detention Center where Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis remained jailed for the fifth day. There were 300 or so of them, all chanting “Thank You Sister Kim.” Not that she’s related to this group. They are family only in religious fanaticism. They had traveled across state lines to sit at the alter of a woman By they have turned into a RICHARD martyr. Some even called for election as HACK president (And you think you have a problem with Donald Trump!). Other said that “God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers.” USA Today referred to evangelist Cal Zastrow as the “emcee for the event.” He came to Kentucky from The Kingdom of Heaven in Saginaw, Michigan just to praise the Lord in the name of Kim Davis, breaker of laws and now-prisoner. It was a small leap to Fox News where host Tucker Carlson called Davis’ situation, a “showdown between religious freedom and the rule of law.” Behind him was a “Fight for Faith” graphic which suggested that this was a religious war, not the jailing of a civil servant who broke the law. On the program, Pastor Robert Jeffress

WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?

The Florida Agenda welcomes signed Letters to the Editor, up to 400 words in length, on topics of general interest to our readers. You may e-mail submissions to Editor@MMPLGBT.com. We also welcome comments on our Facebook page.

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OPINION

wouldn’t want anyone telling me what to believe, and I certainly believe in honesty as well as sticking to your principles. However, when you go for a job, or are elected to a specific position, I would think you know what the duties are. If they change after you are in the position, you have two choices: You do the job that is required of you, or you find new employment. I know it’s sometimes easier said than done, but what other choices do you have? On September 7th, one of Huffington Post’s headlines read “Kentucky Clerk Asks Court To Force Governor To Let Her Deny Gay Marriages.” Seriously? Ms. Davis has either grown some big brass ones or she has legal advisers that aren’t the brightest crayons in the box. Unless I’m mistaken (and yes, it does happen), doesn’t a Supreme Court ruling trump (sorry to

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PAUL BERGE

matter. Kim’s slate was “wiped clean” and her past is the past. Kim will (obviously) do anything to stand her ground on religious freedom. She will remain in jail as long as it takes, so she (initially) said. On September 6th, 2015, it was reported in the Los Angeles Times, “Attorneys representing Davis announced Sunday that they had filed a notice of appeal of last week’s ruling by District Court Judge David L. Bunning that held the clerk in contempt for failing to issue the licenses. Davis argued that her religious beliefs prevented her from signing or even having her name on the licenses despite a June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that gay couples had a constitutional right to marry.” All right. I’m all in favor of people following their respective religions. I know I

some for the choice of word) something like this? I would no sooner ask the Governor of my state to disregard a higher court ruling any faster than I would want the embarrassment of doing so! It’s going to be very interesting to see how this plays out in the weeks to come. What can we possibly learn from this? Practice what you preach? Make sure the only skeletons in your closet are for Halloween? Don’t ask someone to do something you’re not willing to do? Whatever it is you take from this, be sure you think out whatever decision you have to make. In the end, you never know who it’s going to impact! floridaagenda.com

Now, let’s take a look into NCE AGAIN, “Relisome facts (not judgments) gious Freedom” is about this upstanding citizen front and center in and a (conversion about four the headlines, years ago becoming a) Bible thanks to Rowan following Christian. She has County (KY) Clerk Kim been married four Davis, in Ashtimes, twice to the land, Kentucky. same man who is her At this time, it current husband. She is four days since had two children in Kim Davis was 1994 while not mararrested and ried. Her conversion jailed on contempt. It is “wiped her slate against her reliclean,” according to a gion to issue story in U.S. By 9/1/15 marriage licenses News. to same-gender Some see her as the JOEL couples. It new religious martyr. SLOTNICK Personally, I see her as doesn’t matter that she was a hypocrite and one elected to serve more who likes to the people of her county. It cherry-pick scripture to suit doesn’t matter that she took her mission. an oath to fulfill her job. The Guess what? She’s not the only one who can cherry pick. only thing that matters to her is she will issue no licenses to Anyone can. I found at least 18 scriptures that speak any gay couples “Under against divorce! But it doesn’t God’s Authority.”

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Kim Davis: Religious freedom or hypocrisy?

Rev. Joel S. Slotnick is an ordained Interfaith minister and full time digital court reporter for the state of Florida.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

--Unknown

Accuracy is very important to us at the Florida Agenda and we work very hard to be correct before we publish. But mistakes do happen, especially under the pressure of deadlines. If you identify a factual error,

September 09, 2015

STANDARDS OF ACCURACY

please bring it to our attention immediately by emailing Editor@ MMPLGBT.com. It is our policy to correct errors of fact promptly and with the same prominence given to the original story containing the error.

September 09, 2015

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September 09, 2015

AIDS AND HIV IN BLACK SAME-GENDER LOVING DC

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CAPITOL BEAT “Among all gay and bisexual men, African Americans are the racial/ethnic group most affected by HIV.”

September 09, 2015

Al Sura Presents: White Attire Affair July 2016

hat’s the blunt statement at the top of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web page on HIV/AIDS among gay and bisexual men. The next CDC fact states: “Young African American gay and bisexual men accounted for the highest number of new HIV infections in 2010 among all gay and bisexual By men.” Linda That conPentz cern persists in 2015 and is at the heart of the work of Al Sura, Inc., a Washington, DC nonprofit that seeks to provide tangible, fiscal support to local groups working to better protect the health of the African American community in general, the LGBT community in particular and especially African Americans afflicted with AIDS or HIV. AIDS is still described as an “epidemic,” and its presence is deeply felt in the African American community here in Washington, DC and elsewhere. The fact that the HIV infection rates are highest among young black men, a demographic that also leads the incarceration rates, is particularly disturbing to Al Sura, since HIV has become treatable and even livable over the long-term. But this very improvement — in drug therapy, healthy diet and lifestyle — that has added to the longevity of people living with HIV, may also have contributed to a myth that HIV is no longer a problem. “People should not be dying,”

said Abdur-Rahim Briggs, an Al Sura co-founder and board president, when we spoke recently at the group’s annual White Attire Affair fundraiser at the historic Thurgood Marshall Center in Washington, DC. “It’s gone to a whole other level — PrEP, prophylaxis,” he said. “People think ‘I can do whatever I want to do.’ This has added to health disparities and not just HIV, but also other STDs. It is why people are still dying from it. People are desensitized.” But why, with all the education and awareness about AIDS and HIV, would young people, and especially young African Americans, be so susceptible to infection? “There’s a false sense of security, the sense that ‘I’ll just get medicines and I’ll be ok’,” said Ronald Thomas, also an Al Sura cofounder and board member. “It’s the idea that if you don’t look sick so you can’t be sick. HIV does not have a look but AIDS does. So there’s this impervious attitude among the young that it will never happen to you.” Sometimes, however, the fact that young people are neither tested nor treated can be related to the family environment as well. “It can be due to abandonment,” continued Thomas. “Family and friends shunning them. They are forced onto the streets and it’s about survival sex. They have to do something to stay afloat. So they’ll have sex with a stranger just to get shelter.” The lack of awareness can be exacerbated, said Briggs, by the fact that “African American society is still socially conservative, especially the black churches. There are a lot of issues. But we have to keep pushing.” While once Al Sura — whose

website says the name means “new beginning” or “new chapter” — handed out large grants to just a few individuals, the organization has gone through an evolution since its founding in 2008. “We realized we were helping people but we were not helping enough people,” Thomas said. “We scaled it down to be more personal for people.” Consequently, Al Sura is able to help multiple groups with seemingly mundane but essential things, like bedding and toiletries for the Wanda Alston House, a shelter for homeless GLBTQ youth, or facilitating the formation of a new group’s 501(c)(3). The ManDate, a monthly discussion group that brings gay black men together in an intimate at-home setting to explore a wide range of issues related to health and wellness, is another Al Sura beneficiary. But the group also sponsors more high profile ventures such as a 2013 DC production of James Earl Hardy’s play, B-Boy Blues, and the Howard Theatre debut of an out black comic, Sampson McCormick, who is a dedicated HIV/AIDS awareness campaigner. McCormick, who grew up in DC, has raised money for homeless and HIV affected LGBT youth and has volunteered at the Wanda Alston House. Al Sura is necessary because there is not a strong tradition of institutional philanthropy within the black community, says Darryl Moch, Al Sura board vice-president. He would like to see — and to help — the more affluent members of the gay black community make a cultural shift toward philanthropic endeavors. “Black gay men in particular hold onto their wealth more,” he said. “They are highly educated but they have not

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left to right: Darryl! Moch (Vice-President), Ronald Lee Thomas (Co-Founder and Board Secretary) and Abdur-Rahim Briggs (Founder and President) Photo credit: alsura.org

the legalization of same-sex marriage might help the more conservative black community come to greater acceptance of its same-gender loving members. “Marriage makes people healthy,” he said. “If we are married, we are not trying to be promiscuous. We just want to love.” That love was celebrated in festive style at the White Attire Affair, which is also an opportunity to network, to thank donors, and to celebrate gains, all dressed to the nines in sparkling white while dancing to the irresistible beats spun by a professional DJ. It is a brief interlude each year, along with the Al Sura In Black event in February, when it’s possible to forget some of the harsh realities that confront the community each day.

Linda Pentz is the Washington correspondent of the Florida Agenda. She can be contacted at lindapentz@mmplgbt.com. Follow her on Twitter @CapitolAgenda

September 09, 2015

learned the key to philanthropy. Culturally we are taught to be consumers, not to save money and do something with it.” Consequently, Moch, who has also run for DC City Council as a member of the Green Party, is aiming to develop Al Sura into a major donoradvised philanthropic organization, specifically targeting grants to the African American community. “That’s my vision,” he said. Re-energizing that community can be an uphill struggle, Moch admits. “For the black community, they are so used to not getting what they want and need, so when it doesn’t happen, they don’t go out and make it happen,” he said. While whites may eagerly confront LGBT equality challenges without the added burden of racial discrimination, Moch says, “the same-gender loving black community is just tired of fighting or we feel we shouldn’t have to fight. And so we are not fighting for everything all the time.” Briggs is hopeful, meanwhile, that

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CREEP OF THE WEEK By D’Anne Witowski

Tony Perkins

emember when the White think he placed the lights and put the House lit up in rainbow colors filters on them or whatever. Grounds following the Supreme Court staff probably did that. But Obama did decision that legalized marriage say afterwards that it was “pretty cool.” equality nationwide? Yeah, well so does Because it was. Tony Perkins, and he’s still mad about it. “I believe it is time that we see the spirPerkins, president of the Family itual leaders of this nation step forward,” Research Council, spoke at a summit of Perkins said. Watchmen on the Wall, an organization And this time he means it! I know that of right-wing pastors that took place Aug. Perkins has been imagining this wave 24-25. For two days, Perkins and his ilk of conservative pastors and their flocks raged against the gay machine. standing up to the giant rainbow tyrant “I believe we are at a moment of of equality for decades now and getting urgency unprecedented in the history LGBT people back to where they belong of this coun(in leprosy colonies try,” Perkins said probably). But the before launching force just doesn’t into a Bible story seem to be with the about King Uzziah haters any more. lighting incense “I know many in the temple have talked to even though he me, saying, ‘As wasn’t, like, holy. pastors, are we But King Uzziah going to face thought he was all prison, are we that and the priests going to face were like, “Uh, jail, are we going no you don’t,” to be forced to and then God was do same-sex like, “I’m with marriages?’ That the priests on this may come if we one,” and God fail to act today,” gave King Uzziah Perkins warned. leprosy and he (P.S. No it won’t). died. Aren’t Bible “But the greater stories fun? threat is to the men The whole point Tony Perkins photo: frc.org and women sitting of this story was in your pews every to point out that Sunday morning,” King Uzziah had tried to “turn the sacred Perkins continued. “It’s to the business into the secular,” according to Perkins, individuals, it’s to the public servants which, wouldn’t ya know, is exactly what who will be forced to check their faith King, er, President Obama is trying to do at the door of public service. We cannot in the United States of Christmerica. allow that reverse religious test to take “What struck me was that on the eve place in this nation and so you must of this Supreme Court decision, on June encourage your people to stand firm in the 26th, if you watched the news you the faith.” saw that the president had bathed the Yes, people of faith. Stand tall against White House in the colors of the so-called the tyranny of secular life. The separagay pride,” Perkins said. “The parallel tion of church and state my foot! Oh, the between the pride of Uzziah and the pride horror of public servants having to do of our national leader in shaking his fist in their god damned jobs! Or florists having the face of God was stark and alarming.” to bake gay wedding photos or whatever. Never mind the fact that Obama is a Thanks a lot, Obama! He’d best not light Christian and goes to church, I highly up the White House in rainbow colors doubt he was personally responsible for again or God is gonna know exactly the rainbow light display. Like, I don’t where to send the leprosy.

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Was it right to jail Kim Davis for contempt of court?

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STREET BEAT After multiple failed attempts to have religious Kentucky Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in her county, Federal District Judge David L. Bunning held her in contempt of court on Thursday, September 4, 2015 and ordered her to stay in jail until she agreed to comply with the law.

Answers ! s

Neil De La Flor Eric Lumb Bridgette Wynn

Geoffrey Vanco “I’ve got young people who were ignorant of the law serving ﬁve years in prison for drug possession partially due to their circumstances,” said Geoffrey Vancol, a substance abuse counselor. “Why not put this grown woman in jail for purposeful discrimination and breaking the law?”

RJ Hadley “Yes it was,” says RJ Hadley, an activists and blogger. “Anyone for personal reasons who hides behind a cloak of religious beliefs, externalized fear or ignorance would do better to learn A: their job, B: let peace prevail over all.

“When elected ofﬁcials don’t do their job, they should be punished within the rights of the law,” commented Bridgette Wynn, a higher education administrator. “If she was unable to uphold her duties based upon her faith, she should have resigned prior to this incident.”

What’s your opinion?

The Florida Agenda welcomes signed Letters to the Editor, up to 400 words in length, on topics of general interest to our readers. You may e-mail submissions to Editor@mmplgbt.com. We welcome comments on our Facebook page also.

September 09, 2015

“In my opinion, no one should be forced to do anything that is against their faith, their spirituality or their religion,” confessed Eric Lumb, a restaurant manager in West Palm Beach. “If any law violates a person’s belief then they have every freedom in the world to resign. However, to be jailed for your beliefs is not a proper action.”

“Kim Davis, like Donald Trump, is trying to destroy the wonderfully diverse and complex nature of American culture by using bigotry to remake this country in their vision,” replied Neil De La Flor, a professor and writer. “Davis swore an oath to carry out the duties of the government ofﬁcial. In her capacity, her duty is to her boss, which is our government, not God. Resign.”

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NATION The move came down just before Davis received jailhouse visits from Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz. They were ushered into the building shortly after the judge’s order was issued, as was Davis’ husband, Joe Davis. Davis was thrown in jail on Thursday for the boldest act of resistance by a public ofﬁcial yet to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that effectively legalized gay marriage across the nation. The timing of her release order came as something of a surprise. Last week, Bunning said that he might reconsider his decision to jail her in a week. Citing “God’s authority” and her deeply held belief that gay marriage is a sin, Davis, an Apostolic Christian, stopped issuing marriage licenses in June after the Supreme Court said gay

couples have a constitutional right to marry anywhere in the U.S. Two gay couples and two heterosexual ones sued her. Bunning ordered Davis to issue the licenses, and the Supreme Court upheld his ruling. But she still refused, and was held in contempt of court and hauled off to jail in handcuffs, igniting protests from members of the religious right. They have rallied for days outside her ofﬁce, at the jail, even outside the judge’s home. Five of Davis’ six deputy clerks - all except her son, Nathan Davis - agreed to issue licenses to gay couples with Davis behind bars. In lifting the contempt order, Bunning asked for updates on the ﬁve clerks’ compliance every two weeks. Davis’ jailing has offered some of the many GOP presidential candi-

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GRAYSON, KY (AP) - The county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples was released Tuesday after five days behind bars that helped make her a hero to the religious right. Kim Davis emerged in the afternoon to hundreds of cross-waving supporters outside the jail. They sang “Amazing Grace” and “God Bless America” as her lawyers refused to say whether she would defy the courts again. The federal judge who ordered the Rowan County clerk hauled off to jail lifted the contempt order against Davis, saying he was satisfied that her deputies were fulfilling their obligation to grant licenses to same-sex couples in her absence. But U.S. District Judge David Bunning warned Davis not to interfere any further.

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Kentucky clerk released from jail; ordered to not interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses

Kim Davis (Photo: mmc-news.com)

dates an opportunity to appeal to the party’s evangelical Christian wing, which opposes gay marriage and casts Davis’ imprisonment as an issue of religious freedom.

Oregon judge refuses to perform same-sex marriages

Vance Day (Photo: abcnews.com)

Korten said. He declined to detail any of the allegations, saying he didn’t want to defy the commission, which considers complaints conﬁdential until it is ready to make them public. The investigation of Day’s conduct comes amid heightened na-

In an email, Day declined to comment and referred questions to Korten. The issue of same-sex weddings is “the weightiest” of several allegations against Day that are being investigated by the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability,

tional attention to the responsibilities of public officials who oppose same-sex marriage. Kim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky, went to jail Thursday because of her refusal to issue marriage licenses to samesex couples. Last month, the Ohio Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Conduct said judges can’t refuse to marry same-sex couples on personal, moral or religious grounds. Judges who stop performing all marriages to avoid marrying samesex couples may be interpreted as biased and could be disqualified from any case where sexual orientation is an issue, the Ohio board ruled. The investigation of Day came to light Thursday when the Oregon Government Ethics Commission a separate entity from the judicial fitness commission - approved the judge’s request to create a legal defense fund to pay his lawyers.

September 09, 2015

SALEM, OR (AP) - Marion County Judge Vance Day is being investigated by a judicial ﬁtness commission in part over his refusal to perform same-sex marriages on religious grounds, a spokesman for the judge said. When a federal court ruling in May 2014 made same-sex marriage legal in Oregon, Day instructed his staff to refer same-sex couples looking to marry to other judges, spokesman Patrick Korten said Friday. Last fall, he decided to stop performing weddings altogether, aside from one in March that had long been scheduled, Korten said. “He made a decision nearly a year ago to stop doing weddings altogether, and the principal factor that he weighed was the pressure that one would face to perform a same-sex wedding, which he had a conﬂict with his religious beliefs,” Korten said.

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Your Progressive Community Synagogue Welcoming All to Worship with Us High Holy Day Services

Rosh Hashanah Eve 9/13 and Morning 9/14 Kol Nidre 9/22 and Yom Kippur Morning 9/23 Tickets Required Yizkor, Healing & Music Service, Ne’ilah 9/23 Open to All Rosh Hashanah Luncheon 9/14 and Yom Kippur Break the Fast 9/23 Reservations Required For information about tickets, service times and reservations please call 954-564-9232 1501 NE 26th St, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-9232 ● www.EtzChaimFlorida.org

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Shabbat services every Friday night at 8pm

September 09, 2015

Shabbat services every Friday night at 8pm– all are welcome!

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NATION

Plan targets health care bias against transgender people

Photo: suff.co.nz

An email to immigration ofﬁcials for comment on the ruling was not immediately returned. The 9th Circuit sent the case back to the Board of Immigration Appeals with instructions to grant Avendano-Hernandez’s application for relief under the Convention Against Torture. “She’s ecstatic,” Avendano-Hernandez’s attorney, Munmeeth Soni, said. “The fear was constantly hanging over her head that she might have to one day turn herself in to return to Mexico. She no longer lives under that fear.”

Avendano-Hernandez was born male and grew up in a rural town in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, suffering homophobic slurs and abuse at the hands of her family, according to the 9th Circuit ruling. She first came to the U.S. illegally in 2000 and began taking female hormones five years later. She was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol and deported in 2007. In Mexico, she said, she was raped by police officers and sexually assaulted by a member of the military while trying to flee to the U.S., according to the 9th Circuit.

Five percent of North Carolina magistrates ﬁle marriage recusals

LITTLE ROCK, AR (AP) - A state judge has ruled a northwest Arkansas city can vote next week on a proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Washington County Circuit Judge Doug Martin on Thursday denied a motion to block next week’s special election on the Fayetteville antidiscrimination ordinance. Opponents of the ordinance had sought a temporary restraining order and had argued, among other things, that the ordinance violated a state law aimed at preventing local anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Martin said in his ruling the motion was moot since it was ﬁled a day before early voting began for the special election. Martin cancelled a hearing he had scheduled for Friday on the effort to halt the election.

RALEIGH, NC (AP) - The number of North Carolina magistrates recusing themselves from performing civil marriages under a new law has more than doubled in recent weeks. The state court system says it’s received 32 notices from magistrates since the law took effect June 11. That’s up from 14 in early July and represents nearly 5 percent of the state’s magistrates. The law exempts court ofﬁcials with sincerely held religious beliefs opposing gay marriage. The law also gave the recusal option to some register of deeds workers issuing marriage licenses. Elected ofﬁcials would perform the duties as a last resort. Sen. Phil Berger sponsored the bill. Berger says the law is probably preventing situations like the one in Kentucky, where a clerk has refused to issue licenses. Utah has a similar recusal law.

Judge: Arkansas City can vote on anti-discrimination measure

September 09, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration proposed Thursday to ban discrimination against transgender people throughout the health care system, carrying out anti-bias provisions in the president’s health overhaul. The new protections are part of a much broader proposed regulation by the Department of Health and Human Services. In a ﬁrst, the overhaul speciﬁed that “sex” is a protected category under federal law, and the regulation carries that a step further, clarifying that “gender identity” is included within the Affordable Care Act’s protective umbrella banning sex discrimination. The new policy comes at a time when social attitudes about sexuality and gender are undergoing a major shift. The Supreme Court recognized a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry, and the gender transition of Olympian Bruce Jenner from male to female.

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Transgender people can be especially vulnerable to harassment and attacks and shouldn’t be equated with gays and lesbians by U.S. immigration officials determining whether to grant asylum, a federal appeals court said Thursday. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the ruling in the case of a transgender Mexican woman who sought shelter in the U.S. on the grounds that she would likely be tortured if returned to Mexico. Edin Avendano-Hernandez said she had been sexually assaulted by uniformed Mexican police and a military official for being transgender. The Board of Immigration Appeals wrongly relied on Mexican laws protecting gays and lesbians to reject Avendano-Hernandez’s asylum request, the ruling states. The 9th Circuit said transgender people face a unique level of danger and are specifically targeted in Mexico by police for extortion and sexual favors. “While the relationship between gender identity and sexual orientation is complex, and sometimes overlapping, the two identities are distinct,” Circuit Judge Jacqueline Nguyen wrote. “Significant evidence suggests that transgender persons are often especially visible, and vulnerable, to harassment and persecution due to their often public nonconformance with normative gender roles.” Avendano-Hernandez dresses like a woman and takes female hormones, the 9th Circuit said.

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Transgender asylum seekers can’t be equated with gays

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Scott Roman (Photo:scottroman.com)

Ryan Uhler from Facebook post

Photo: advocate.com

MICHAEL D. BECKER Attorney at Law

September 09, 2015

Criminal Defense Federal and State Trial and Appeals Two Decades of Experience

BECKER-LAWYER.com 201 NE 2nd St. Fort Lauderdale 33301

Healthcare Insurance Fraud, Internet, Child Porn and Sex Crimes Financial Fraud Drug Trafficking, Delivery, Possesion DUI, DUI Manslaughter Violent Crimes, Murder, Homicide Assault, Burglaries, Theft Domestic Violence Bond Hearings Probation Violations

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SUNSHINE STATE Beach. The 2015 honorees include Jonathan Plutzik, Caridad Moro-Gonlier, Milan Rodriguez and Leo Lam Haines. “Through the annual recognition, we bring the community together to focus on the similarities rather than the differences we all share, and

LEO LAM HAINES

As owner of The Betsy-South Beach, Jonathan and his sister Deborah Briggs-Plutzik have established a climate of ﬁrst rate lodging within a creative paradise. From their successful Writer Room Program to partnerships with UC|CU on Celebrate ORGULLO, TransArt, ArtNights & more, The Betsy and Jonathan have been a vital resource for the Arts & LGBT community. “Our partnership with Unity Coaltion/ Coalición Unida is an important part of The Betsy’s programming in the LGBT space…” said Jonathan.

(Unsung Hero Award)

CARIDAD MOROGRONLIER

(Educational Leader Award)

Caridad is a mother, wife, author, community leader & teacher at G. Holmes Braddock Sr. High School and also their GSA program director. Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals, she is the recipient of a Florida Individual Artist Fellowship in poetry, and twice nominated for a Pushcart prize.

St. Pete officers receive training on transgender issues ST. PETERSBURG, FL (AP) - The St. Petersburg Police Department is launching a new transgender sensitivity training program. The training comes two months after a Tampa transgender woman’s murder - and law enforcement’s handling of it - captured national attention. After 25-year-old India Clarke’s body was found in a Tampa park July 21, law enforcement identified her by the name and gender she was born with even though she had identified as female for years. Backlash from across the country followed, surfacing a discussion about how law enforcement handle the identities of transgender people. Officers can’t rely on anatomy or what is on a person’s driver’s license to identify them and generally they should use pronouns based on a person’s outward appearance - or avoid them if unsure.

Born in Cuba, Milan migrated to Miami in the 80’s and started a whole new life. Focusing on her talents in graphic design, photography & promotions, she has built a nightlife promotional empire (milancita.com), is a devoted wife, mom to her loving dogs, and always tirelessly working on behalf of her Trangender & Hispanic LGBT community. Milan is an inspiration to all who meet her.

”As a transgender high school student, support has always been difficult to find, Leo said. “I joined Pridelines halfway through my freshman year after having been harassed by school staff, teachers, and students. I felt isolated and anxious, and finding a community at Pridelines contributed towards a huge improvement in my life experience. Eventually I created “Beyond the Binary,” a Trans and Gender Nonconforming support group there. This experience transcends a traditional LGBT meeting since it is not uncommon to encounter transphobia within the cisgender LGB community.“

TALLAHASSEE (AP) - Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga has cancer and is expected to undergo kidney surgery. Labarga made the announcement in a statement released Friday. He says he is scheduled to have a kidney removed this month. The chief justice says doctors told him his prognosis is “very good after surgery.” The cancer was detected early through blood tests during a routine medical exam. Labarga says doctors expect he’ll spend seven days in the hospital. He says he’ll resume his duties remotely as soon as possible after surgery. Under Florida’s Rules of Judicial Administration, Justice Barbara J. Pariente will assume the role of acting chief justice because she has the longest service time. Labarga became the state’s 56th chief justice and the ﬁrst of Hispanic descent in 2014. He was instrumental in granting a lesbian visitation rights to her former same-sex partner’s birth child.

September 09, 2015

MILAN RODRIGUEZ (Photo: ﬁle)

MILAN RODRIGUEZ

(Youth Leadership Award)

LEO LAM HAINES (Photo:facebook)

JONATHAN PLUTZIK (Photo: azureazure.com)

JONATHAN PLUTZIK (Community Visionary & Ally Award)

how we can inspire others to do good, excel, be proud of who they are & just be better people,” according to board president Herb Sosa. The honorees have an assortment resume of accomplishments, both civic and political. Tickets available at unitycoalition.org.

CARIDAD MORO-GRONLIER (Photo: facebook)

MIAMI BEACH—Unity Coalition, Miami-Dade County’s leading Hispanic LGBT activist group, hosts it seventh annual Leaders, Legends & Lovelies Ball this Friday, September 11. The event takes place at the historic Hotel Victor, 1440 Ocean Drive in Miami

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Unity Coalition to honor four at Leaders, Legends & Lovelies Ball

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Pro LGBT Florida supreme court chief justice to undergo cancer surgery

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Market Place /floridaagenda

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ACCOUNTING

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Center for Spiritual Living 1550 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-2868 / cslftl.com Holy Angels Catholic Community 2917 NE 6th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33334 954-633-2987 / holyangelsﬂ.org Etz Chaim 1501 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-9232 / etzchaimﬂorida.org The Parish of St Francis & Clare 101 NE 3rd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-731-8173 / stsfrancisandclare.org

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September 09, 2015

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FOOD / GROCERY

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REAL ESTATE Galleria International Realty 945 Las Olas Boulvard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-234-8759 / galleriarealtors.com

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HEALTH

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September 09, 2015

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September 09, 2015

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September 09, 2015

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What Are Probiotics?

September 09, 2015

Balancing the digestive system: good bacteria to the rescue

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HEALTH & FITNESS As a physician, I’m regularly asked about the benefits of probiotics. Scientists have understood for some time that our bodies are full of both good and bad bacteria, but how to use that information has been our job as doctors.

Probiotics are tiny, live organisms that live in the body as “good bacteria.” This good bacteria is present in our digestive sysBy tem and works Dr. Ferdinard to break down Cadrera food and pass waste. When I have a patient who suffers from digestive issues or other gastrointestinal problems, like IBS, Chronic Diarrhea, Constipation and Autoimmune Disorders, I think of Dysbosis ( unbalance or lack of good bacteria).

I have my patients reintroduce good bacteria to help with the natural flora of the gut. They usually find what scientific research had deduced, that probiotics have a positive effect on digestive health. Often, these people also tell me that other aspects of their health has improved, like less abdominal distention and better digestion. Bacteria in the Digestive System And, in truth, that doesn’t surprise me. The human digestive system contains more than 100 trillion types of bacteria which work to digest food and convert it into energy. So far, various research has shown that good bacteria in the human gut is responsible for: Enhance Immunity--70% of our immune system is coded on our digestive

track. The gut is our first line of defense. Weight Control--Researchers found that obese people tend to have less of a diversified mix of digestive bacteria. Certain species of bacteria seem to have a link with obese people and are more prevalent in the digestive system. Heart Health - Recent studies found that when bacteria in the digestive system is exposed to certain food, like eggs, beef, and gluten, the byproduct of digestion can increase inflammation that leads to increased risk of heart disease. Neurological Effects - A study conducted in 2011 reported that when mice were given antibiotics, which kill off good and bad bacteria, they experienced more anxiety. Therefore, researchers believe that bacteria in the digestive system is somehow linked to

neural chemistry. It’s a fact that serotonin is produced in the gut. Using Probiotics to Balance the System My medical opinion is that taking probiotics, whether in pill form, in foods, or in other forms, is beneficial to your body. When bad bacteria isn’t able to proliferate, the good bacteria can do its job. We live in a world too sterile. Natural foods, raw vegetables and probiotics offer a natural way to restore balance to our digestive systems. Dr. Ferdinand Cabrera has 33 years of experience as a General Internist. He is the founder and president of Genesis Health Institute which specializes in Functional and Anti-Aging Medicine. He can be reach at 954-561-3175, or via the Internet at www.ghinstitute.com.

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FAST FIT

Rest and healing are major factors to muscle growth. It is essential to overcome the impulse to exercise every day. Give yourself permission to rest two days a week at minimum.

Lack of sleep can cause multiple health issues including a drop in body temperature, irritability, depression, lack of concentration, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, decreased immune function, mood vacillations, balance disorders and loss of memory.

September 09, 2015

Copyright © 2015 The Werks Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Werks, LeatherWerks, PaddleWerks, Lifestyle Club, BootWerks and “Where Leather is a Lifestyle” are Registered Trademarks of The Werks Company, LLC

A recent stidy at UCLA reported that 71% of women and 40% of men were either interested or might be interested in having some form of plastic surgery.

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The liver can process a maximum of 9 grams of protein an hour. Excess protein is eliminated via urine.

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By Richard Hack and Andy Kress from their book Baby Boomers’ Guide to the Fountain of Youth

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First Nude Scene

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PUZZLE

September 09, 2015

Across

1 I ___ Andy Warhol 5 Singer k.d. 9 Cartoon skunk Le Pew 13 Sounds of approval from Oz? 14 Reed in a Ned Rorem work 15 “June Is Bustin’ Out All ___” 16 Mrs. Doubtfire attire 17 It’s left on a map 18 Baptism or bar mitzvah 19 Trans actress who had her first nude scene with 55-Across 22 British peer 23 One with a tricky tongue 24 55-Across in drag? 29 Tat word, often 32 Spread about, as rumors 33 Newt, to Candace 36 Palindromist?s exclamation 37 Character played by 19-Across 38 Like Abner, before Viagra? 39 The feminine side 40 Comes down hard in showers 41 Versatile vehicle 42 Reactions to seeing a hottie 44 Morales of` Jericho 45 Zipper problem 46 To some extent 48 Rank of von Trapp of Aust. 50 When to have sex 52 Dull finish 55 Title character of 33-Down 60 Phillippe of Gosford Park 61 Film that exposed Treat Williams 62 NY Met or LA Dodger 63 Hankerings 64 Response to Brut?’s “How many hot dogs did you have?” 65 Actress Ione

Down

1 Like McCullers’ cafe 2 Chronicler of Poker Flat 3 Tara name 4 1982 title role for R. Williams 5 Rob of The West Wing 6 Genesis brother 7 Sticking in one’s proboscis 8 Catches on to 9 Wife of Ellen 10 Madonna title role 11 Pan handle? 12 Before, to the Bard 20 Sounds in “The Trolley Song” 21 Uses a slur 25 Slaved away 26 Responds to yeast 27 “___ little silhouetto of a man ...” 28 Highlands language 29 It goes on a hero’s meat, maybe 30 Birth state of Langston Hughes 31 Setting of 33-Down 33 TV show of the nude scene 34 Beatles’ meter maid 35 Jackie’s designer 43 Rears to your first mate 45 Gives rise to 47 Singer DiFranco 49 Verlaine’s soul 50 _Aida_, to Gomer? 51 Mommie Dearest star Dunaway 53 Deuce taker 54 French I verb 56 Broadway role for Antonio 57 Cabaret’s Kit-___ Klub 58 Pose for Mapplethorpe 59 Capote bio For the solution to this puzzle, go to www.floridaagend. com/puzzle

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September 09, 2015

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DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD

Kristen Stewart’s Personal approach

By Romeo San Vicente

September 09, 2015

Romeo San Vicente’s Time Square experiences resemble those captured in Madonna’s “Open Your Heart” video. He can be reached care of the Florida Agenda.

photo: sugarpop.com

risten Stewart is having an interesting post-Twilight moment. Sadly, her latest film, the weird stoner action-comedy American Ultra, was ignored at the box office, but it’s not slowing her down at all. Her recent interview that amounted to, “Whatever, dude, I’m dating a woman now,” was Millennial for, “I’m coming out.” And her acting career is moving in a very interesting direction, as she avoids mega-franchises in favor of the arthouse. She’s already gotten the best reviews of her career for this spring’s Clouds of Sils Maria, and now she’ll reteam with that film’s director, Olivier Assayas, for the upcoming Personal Shopper. She’s also currently making the next, asyet-untitled Woody Allen movie. You may have to work a little harder to see these upcoming projects – they’re more or less destined for less-than-wide release, but it’s going to be worth the effort.

Dianna Agron’s Hollow choices

photo: celemafia.com

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fter co-starring on Glee, which may have been the single gayest television series in broadcast history, what’s an actor to do? If you’re Dianna Agron, who played heterosexual cheerleader princess Quinn, you dig into indie lesbian roles. She’s already appeared in the sexy, queer film-fest-favorite Bare, and now she’s taken a role in the debut feature from filmmaker Scooter Corkle, Hollow in The Land. The low-budget drama sees Agron playing a butch young lesbian who works at a pulp mill. Her father has been imprisoned for murder, which is bad enough, but life takes a turn for the worse when her brother goes missing. That’s when she turns detective to find him. Shooting gets underway soon, so look for this one sometime in 2016, most likely, wherever you find independent cinema.

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s we mentioned before, all Tom Ford had to do was waltz into the Cannes Film Festival, announce that he had decided to make another movie, and producers would make it rain to the tune of $20 million, which they did. That means Nocturnal Animals is a go, and the cast has expanded from the original announcement of Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal to include Armie Hammer, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor Johnson, and now Kim Basinger. Adams will play a woman who receives a book manuscript in the mail, one that instigates her own journey, and Basinger will play Adams’ mother, a wealthy Texas socialite. The rest remains shrouded in rightful secrecy, a rare thing in these times of leaked footage, trailers and superhero plot details.

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Tom Ford gathers up his cast

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September 09, 2015

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THE WEEK: FORT LAUDERDALE .

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9/14 Bed and Sofa

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The show is set in 1926 Moscow as a housing crisis rages. Ludmilla, a put-upon housewife, lives in dreamy complacency with Kolya, her cheerful despot of a husband, in a cramped apartment. When Kolya’s friend Volodya stays with them, a love triangle commences and Kolya must protect his relationship from this handsome man. 8:00 p.m. Broward Center for the Performing Arts. 201 SW Fifth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. 33312.

9/10 Zappa Plays Zappa

Grammy-winning guitarist Dweezil Zappa honors his late father Frank with tonight’s Culture Room performance. Frank Zappa was one of the ﬁrst alternative rockers, known for his work with the group the Mothers of Invention and, later, as a solo artist. Dweezil carries on his tradition, playing a set full of his music.. 7:30 p.m. Culture Room. 3045 N. Federal Highway. Fort Lauderdale. 33306.

photo: hauteliving.com

9/16 Fine Food and Wine Festival

photo: dweezilzappa.com

September 09, 2015

By Patrick Robert

photo: miamiherald.com

This annual fundraiser for the Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce brings over 25-30 of South Florida’s finest chefs from the best restaurants to prepare fine food on-site. Confirmed restaurants include Bobby Rubino’s, Sicilian Oven Pizza, Papa Hughie’s Seafood World, Bragozzo Osteria, Café Maxx, Farrady’s Steak House, and Edible Arrangements. 6:30 p.m. Hillsboro Club. 901 Hillsboro Mile. Hillsboro Beach. 33062.

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THE WEEK: MIAMI

9/11 Purity Ring Canadian electronic music duo Purity Ring have been riding high since the release of their critically and commercially successful debut album Shrines. The tracks “Ungirthed,” “Bellspeak,” and “Fineshrine” became indie hits, and the album was a nominee for the Polaris Music Prize. Their newest album Another Eternity has received the same critical kudos and features the singles “Begin Again” and “Push Pull.” 8:30 p.m. The Fillmore Miami Beach. 1700 Washington Ave. Miami Beach. 33139.

photo: nbclatino.com

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The Central Florid Film Tito Puete Jr. has very large shoes to ﬁll. His father, Tito Puente, is heralded around the world as one of the greatest salsa musicians and Latin jazz composers. Known as “The King of Latin Music,” Tito Puente endured a 50-year career, guest starring often on Sesame Street, The Cosby Show, and quite memorably on The Simpsons. Tito Puente Jr. follows quite literally in his father’s footsteps, performing almost exclusively Tito Puente’s signature songs. 9:30 p.m. Ball & Chain. 1513 SW Eighth St. Miami. 33135.1575 Maguire Rd. Ocoee. 34761.

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“Damn Gina,” it’s been twenty-three years since Martin Lawrence burst onto the scene with his hit Fox sitcom Martin. Before that, Lawrence had appeared on Star Search and Def Comedy Jam, honing his comedic chops. After Martin’s ﬁve season run, Lawrence started a successful ﬁlm career, starring in such hits as House Party, Boomerang, Big Momma’s House, and A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. 8:00 p.m. American Airlines Arena. 601 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. 33132.

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9/12 Tito Puente Jr.

9/11 Martin Lawrence

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Mmmmm -panadas

September 09, 2015

2037 Wilton Drive ~ Wilton Manors, FL 954.565.8550 ~ 13-even.com

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THE WEEK: JACKSONVILLE .

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9/11 The Bobcat Goldthwait Show

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Known for his oddly high-pitched yet still very deep voice, Bobcat Goldthwait has been a master of black comedy since he rose onto the stand-up scene with his 1980s comedy specials An Evening with Bobcat Goldthwait—Share the Warmth and Bob Goldthwait—Is He Like That All the Time? From there he became a ﬁxture in the Police Academy series and even had his own starring vehicle, Shakes the Clown. 8:00 p.m. Comedy Club of Jacksonville. 11000 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville. 32246.

9/10 Danny Gokey

The third place ﬁnisher from the eighth season of American Idol has found success in contemporary Christian pop music, having inked a deal with BMG for his second fulllength album Hope in Front of Me. The album has charted well, helping secure a Christmas album due out in October. Tonight, his beautiful voice will be on display at Salem Centre. 6:30 p.m. Salem Centre. 7250 Bonneval Rd. Jacksonville. 32256.

September 09, 2015

By Patrick Robert

photo: billboard.com

9/12 Scream Back 2 School Fest

photo: twitter.com

This touring fest promotes the new school year through music from some of the hottest radio hit makers and hip-hop superstars working in the industry. Up and coming rap artist Rich Homie Quan headlines. Quan’s singles include “Type of Way,” “What Thru,” and “Flex.” 7:00 p.m. Veterans Memorial Arena. 300 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. Jacksonville. 32202.

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THE WEEK: ORLANDO

Juan Luis Guerra specializes in a style of merengue and Afro-Latin fusion that has garnered him ﬁfteen Latin Grammy Awards and helped him sell over thirty million records. The internationally renowned singer and producer just released the album Todo Tiene Su Hora last year. Tonight he performs at the Amway Center. 8:00 p.m. Amway Center. 400 W. Church St. Orlando. 32801.

The 4th Annual Maker Faire Orlando features local scientists displaying their art, rockets, robots, crafts, and technology. This all-ages science fair lasts for the entire weekend and will showcase the wares of the inventive and creative folks living in Orlando and the surround areas. Make magazine sponsors the festivities. 10:00 a.m. Orlando Science Center. 777 E. Princeton St. Orlando. 32803.

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9/12 Maker Faire Orlando

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9/11 Juan Luis Guerra

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9/12 The Marvelous Wonderettes

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An homage to high school Songleader squads of the 1950s, The Marvelous Wonderettes uses pop songs from the ‘50s and ‘60s to tell the story of a group of Songleaders performing last minute at their high school’s senior prom. The show is a jukebox musical, featuring such hummable tunes as “Lollipop,” “Stupid Cupid,” and “It’s My Party.” 7:30 p.m. Winter Park Playhouse.711 Orange Ave. Winter Park. 32789.

photo: makerfaire.com

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THE WEEK: PALM BEACH .

9/13 5 Seconds of Summer

photo: ﬂoridarambler.com

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By Patrick Robert

The Australian pop punk band were once only the headliners for One Direction’s Take Me Home Tour but have recently been holding their own. Last year’s self-titled debut studio album reached number one and included the singles “She Looks So Perfect” and “Don’t Stop.” Opening is Hey Violet. 7:30 p.m. Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre. 601-7 Sansburys Way. West Palm Beach. photo: rollingstone.com

9/12 Florida Nautical Festival

September 09, 2015

The seventh annual Florida Nautical Flea Market and Seafood Festival caters to ﬁshers and boaters from across South Florida. Over 200 marine-themed vendors will be offering items for all different types of ﬁshing and boating needs. The Seafood Festival includes musical entertainment along wide a wide array of seafood, including lobster rolls, clams, oysters, and more. 6:00 a.m. South Florida Fairgrounds. 9067 Southern Blvd. West Palm Beach. 33411

9/15 Van Halen

photo: billboard.com

Songs like “Jump,” “Panama,” and “I’ll Wait” made David Lee Roth and the crew the darlings of early MTV rock music. Later stints with lead vocalists Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone were just as successful, leading to Van Halen’s status as one of the most successful bands of all time. Their 2015 tour continues tonight at Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre. 7:30 p.m. Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre. 601-7 Sansburys Way. West Palm Beach. 33411.

THE WEEK: TAMPA / ST. PETE .

Ethan Coen has been a part of blockbuster screenwriting duo the Coen brothers for decades, helping to write the scripts for such beloved ﬁlms as Fargo and No Country for Old Men. In Almost an Evening, a series of three one act plays, Ethan writes without his brother, for the stage, creating mini-comedies with the same bizarre ideas his ﬁlms are known for. 8:00 p.m. Shimberg Playhouse. 1010 N. Macinnes Place. Tampa. 33602.

American Idol’s original winner has recently gone through a lot of changes: she’s a new mom of a one-year old, she just announced that she’s also newly pregnant with a second child, and she recently released her latest album Piece by Piece in March. The “Since You’ve Been Gone” singer is currently on tour with singersongwriter Eric Hutchinson and a cappella group Pentatonix. 7:00 p.m. MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre. 4802 U.S. 301 N. Tampa. 33610. Lollipop

photo: katu.com

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9/15 Kelly Clarkson

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9/11 Almost an Evening

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9/12 Christopher Titus

photo: americantheatre.org

His critically acclaimed and highly controversial 2000 series Titus may have only lasted for two seasons, but it still left its mark on the pop culture landscape. The comedian has been loved ever since. Lately he’s been hosting a Pawn Stars spin-off titled Pawnography and returning to his ﬁrst love— stand-up. 8:00 p.m. Ferguson Hall. 1010 N. Macinnes Place. Tampa. 33602.

photo: twitter.com

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