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September 3, 2020 • Volume 11 • Issue 35
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Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com
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T
hanks to a $25 million federal funding package, Broward County will begin offering rental assistance for those impacted by COVID-19, the county announced Wednesday. With shutdowns and COVID-19 leading to businesses cutting back, countless Broward County residents have been unable to pay their rent since March. With the funding provided by the federal CARES Act, those who are unemployed or underemployed because of the pandemic will be able to apply for rental assistance for the months of April, May, June, July and August. “Our residents are hurting,” Broward County Mayor Dale Holness said in a statement. “This $25 million rental assistance program can provide much needed financial assistance to many, many families who need our help, and help protect landlords and small businesses who need to collect rents to pay mortgages and other expenses related to property ownership.” Applications will be accepted Aug. 31 to Sept. 6 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. In order to apply, applicants must be Broward County residents and unemployed or underemployed due to the pandemic and therefore unable to pay
IN ORDER TO APPLY, APPLICANTS MUST BE BROWARD COUNTY RESIDENTS AND UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THEREFORE UNABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT.
Senior Feature Columnists
Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo
Correspondents
Dori Zinn • Donald Cavanaugh Christiana Lilly • John McDonald Denise Royal • David-Elijah Nahmod
Photo via PxHere.
their rent. The funds will pay for 75% of the amount due for the first and second month of owed rent, and then 60% of the third, fourth and fifth months of owed rent. The applicants’ landlord must agree to participate in the program, as the money will be paid directly to them. Those not eligible for the funds include people who are not Broward County residents, those whose loss of income was not a result of COVID-19, or if the household had the funds to pay rent but chose not to. The application will require the following documentation: · Copy of a valid government-issued ID · Rental lease agreement or tenant verification form, completed by the landlord · Late, past due or eviction notices · Paystubs · Proof of unemployment or loss of income
The applications, which will be reviewed by the county’s Family Success Division, must be done in one sitting. County officials encourage applicants to have all their documents ready before they begin the application. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a moratorium on evictions in the state of Florida at the beginning of the pandemic and has continued to extend it through Sept. 1. This has protected Florida residents who were out of work or making less money than normal from being evicted. However, in the governor’s latest extension, the verbiage was changed to be vaguer and many have interpreted it to mean that landlords are now able to file eviction notices, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The Broward County rental assistance program is a part of the federal CARES Act, or Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which had bipartisan support and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020. It created a more than $2 trillion economic relief package for Americans during the COVID-19 crisis.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CARES ACT RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, CALL 954-831-2380 OR VISIT BROWARD.ORG/CARES.
Associated Press • 9. 3. 2020
Associate Photographers Carina Mask • Steven Shires
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FOUNDED, DECEMBER, 2009 BY PIER GUIDUGLI AND NORM KENT South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2020 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.
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3
NEWS LOCAL
SNAPSHOT
NEWS NATIONAL
OF THE
WEEK
GAY MAN DEFEATED IN MASS. HOUSE CAMPAIGN John McDonald
Wilton Manors Realtor Mike Trottier, the former SFGN Sales Manager with a nose for news, celebrates Truman’s 15th Birthday on Sunday, August 30. Photo via Facebook.
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• 9. 3. 2020
W
ith the aid of a brutal homophobic smear campaign, U.S. Congressman Richard Neal won his re-election to the United States Congress on Tuesday. The race was called by the Associated Press with Neal holding a 60-40 advantage in the vote counting over Holyoke, Mass. Mayor Alex Morse, an out gay man. The Victory Fund condemned tactics deployed against Morse during the primary campaign. “The efforts to sensationalize and weaponize Alex’s sexual orientation certainly influenced the outcome of this race, but the backlash it engendered should give pause to those considering similar tactics in the future,” said Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “We are grateful Alex stayed in the race and took the body blows necessary to expose the double standards too often placed on LGBTQ candidates. His campaign contributed to a larger conversation about how candidates of color, women candidates and LGBTQ candidates face a level of scrutiny and Mass. Mayor Alex Morse. Photo via Facebook. sensationalism that straight white cisgender men simply do not.” In his concession speech, aired live on Allegations of questionable conduct Zoom, Morse said, “I don’t have a single with students via online dating apps were regret when I think about everything we part of a finely-tuned political hit job, The fought for,” adding, “the fight continues.” Victory Fund said in a press release. The Morse said Neal, chairman of the House UMass Amherst College Democrats attacked Ways and Means Committee, had access to Morse using the old stereotype of gay men as multimillions from “corporations that are pedophiles. The allegations were disproven, not looking out for you at all.” Parker said, but that didn’t stop Lee Fang, an investigative “survey calls” to voters further journalist with The Intercept, “WE ARE GRATEFUL said the Democratic pushing this tired old troupe. ALEX STAYED IN THE establishment smear campaign Parker said the attacks was a factor in this western Morse suffered would not go RACE AND TOOK Massachusetts district. unanswered going forward. THE BODY BLOWS “The establishment “LGBTQ candidates are NECESSARY TO successfully smeared Bernie facing a growing number of EXPOSE THE DOUBLE out of the 2016 primary w/lies homophobic and transphobic about him being a sexist w/ a attacks this year and whether STANDARDS TOO ‘race problem,’” Fang tweeted. they succeed or fail will set OFTEN PLACED ON “The same tactic gets recycled an important precedent for LGBTQ CANDIDATES.” w/ Alex Morse, slandered by the future. While Alex’s loss partisans as a sex abuser. Easy is disappointing, it proved - Annise Parker to manipulate liberal voters w/ our community and our allies PRESIDENT & CEO OF LGBTQ VICTORY FUND these defamatory woke tactics.” can respond forcefully in Morse also addressed the exposing the dog whistles and stereotypes that too often haunt LGBTQ attack ads on his personal life. “We have to send a message loud and clear candidates. We will not allow attacks on LGBTQ candidates to go unanswered during that these kinds of tactics in our community are unacceptable.” the final two months of this election cycle.”
9. 3. 20 20 •
5
NEWS NATIONAL
Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.
CHER RAISES $2 MILLION FOR BIDEN AT LGBT VIRTUAL FUNDRAISER Chris Johnson
Washington Blade
“S
o ask yourself, do you believe in life after Trump?”
That was the question asked by Cher, paraphrasing the title of her iconic song, at the virtual LGBT fundraiser she headlined for Joe Biden on Monday evening, according to a pool report. “Hi, it’s me,” Cher said at she appearing at end of the 30-minute fundraiser on screen wearing a black leather biker jacket. “Your poster girl since I was 9 years old. I walked into our living room and met two of the most adorable gay hairdressers ever.” Also appearing at the event was Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), the most senior openly gay member of Congress, lesbian Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Pete Buttigieg, who made waves in the Democratic primary as a gay presidential candidate. Cicilline said at the beginning of the event that it had raised nearly $2 million, surpassing its original goal. The campaign said there 500 attendees on the Zoom call. Cher said she had known Biden since 2006 when she invited herself to his office: “He thinks he invited me but really I invited myself. I saw a speech Joe had given and it was love at first speech.” “So I went to his office to grill him and I asked him really pointed questions and unlike most politicians, Joe actually listened to me and cared [about] what I had to say,” Cher said. “He was honest and kind and smart.” Drawing a distinction between Biden and Trump, Cher said, “Joe is smart enough, he’s kind enough, he’s strong enough. I also know that the person, woman, man, camera, TV, in the White House is an idiot. I mean it. No, the guy is really an idiot.” Cher — who has a transgender son, actor Chaz Bono — pointed to the Trump administration’s policies negatively affecting transgender people, namechecking the military ban as well as regulations abolishing protections for transgender people in health care and homeless shelters. “After all this, Trump has the audacity to say he supports - Joe Biden Americans he calls, quote, ‘the PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE gays.’ I’m surprised he doesn’t call them his ‘gay generals,’” Cher said. Biden, dressed in the same blue suit he wore earlier in the day at the event in Philadelphia, joined the call and noted
“I’LL MAKE SIGNING THE EQUALITY ACT ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES OF MY FIRST 100 DAYS.”
6
• 9. 3. 2020
Cher raised $2 million for Trump at a Biden fundraiser. Photo by Machado Cicala; courtesy of the Karpel Group.
gay Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) was there. “I tell you what, you’re dragging in New York to make sure we get things done,” Mr. Biden said in jest. “Is that the idea?” Biden recommitted himself to signing the Equality Act into law within 100 days as president, lamenting Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has refused to bring up the legislation for a vote. “When I’m president, that changes. I’ll make signing the Equality Act one of the top priorities of my first 100 days,” Biden said, adding he’d seek to “build a nation where everybody, everybody is finally not only created equal, but treated equally as well.” Biden then recognized Mr. Buttigieg, citing his “enormous integrity,” and “physical courage as a naval officer and moral courage as a leader.” He also thanked “from a distance, Cher. She first supported us way back last winter when it took some guts to do so. Fortunately, guts are something Cher has in abundance.” Repeating his remarks from earlier in the day at the Philadelphia speech, Biden said reiterated “rioting is not protesting. All it does is hurt the communities, businesses
and families that are already reeling from the injustices that existed as the reason for the protesting. It doesn’t advance the cause. It makes things worse, not better, and it’s wrong.” Cher also spoke of Biden’s record on LGBT issues such as gay marriage and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” predicting progress would continue if he were the candidate were elected president. “As president, Joe will build on this progress, reversing destructive policies of the Putin, I mean, Trump administration,” she said, making a joke about Trump’s perceived affinity for the Russian president and refusal to condemn him. Other speakers at the event also denounced Trump and praised Biden. Among them was Baldwin, who said Trump was stoking divisions, “especially in my home state of Wisconsin where we have seen tragedy and heartbreak in Kenosha, Wis., that this current president has only tried to stir it up and make it worse.” “We need at this moment Joe Biden’s leadership, his compassion and empathy and his unity and hope,” Baldwin said.
12th annual exhibition & fundraiser
EXP
SED Aug. 29 - Sept. 25, 2020
The Art and Culture Center/Hollywood’s 2020 Exposed Exhibition and Fundraiser features more than 80 contemporary artists. Ticket buyers at the closing-night draw on September 25th will take home an exhibited work of art!
To learn more about the artists visit
artandculturecenter.org/12th-annual-exposed
for the online catalog
Aug. 29 THROUGH
Oct. 25, 2020
OPEN DIALOGUES:
Dr. Cunningham and his office are available for your needs during this crisis. Please call or email at OPdental@aol.com
Stories From the LGBTQ Community This exhibition features a short documentary film directed by award-winning filmmaker Freddy Rodriguez, artifacts from the Stonewall Museum & Archive, and text by Broward-based author Julie Marie Wade.
ROSA NADAY GARMENDIA:
Not So Far Away - No Tan Lejos Aug. 29 - Oct. 25, 2020
Comprised of a large-scale mural, documentary work, photography, and objects, Not So Far Away - No Tan Lejos remarks on the longstanding historical divisions between Cuba and the United States and is relevant to larger conversations about the shared experiences linked to the global dispersal of refugees and asylum-seekers.
Visit ArtandCultureCenter.org Open Dialogues: Stories From the LGBTQ Community is funded by the following Funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Richard Frisby and Edward Burkhart Fund, Leonard & Sally Robbins Fund, Frederick W. Jaqua Fund, James Bell-Greenbaum Charitable Fund. Rosa Naday Garmendia: Not So Far Away - No Tan Lejos is funded by a grant from the Mauer Family Foundation.
1650 Harrison Street Hollywood, FL 33020 954. 921. 3274 ArtAndCultureCenter.org
9. 3. 20 20 •
7
NEWS NATIONAL
GAY MAN TAKES CENTER STAGE AT
GOP CONVENTION Ignores LGBT Community Lisa Keen
Keen News Service
T
here was no mention of LGBT people during night three of the 2020 Republican National Convention Wednesday night, not even by implication. Though an openly gay speaker was given time in the spotlight, he did not discuss equal rights for LGBT people or even mention his role as the newly appointed leader in the Trump campaign’s outreach to LGBT voters. That newly appointed leader, Richard Grenell, who is also Trump’s former ambassador to Germany, was identified through the on-screen caption only as “Former Acting Director of National Intelligence,” a role he held for three months. Grenell spoke of how he saw President Trump “charm” German Chancellor Angela Merkel and insisted Germany pay more to finance NATO. He said President Trump has been unfairly blamed for the coronavirus pandemic. And he said President Trump’s calling himself a “nationalist” has been misunderstood. What it means, said Grenell, is simply that Trump will always base his policies on America’s national interests. “America first is simply the belief that politicians should focus on the quality and dignity of every American,” said Grenell. Given Grenell’s recent appointment to lead the Trump campaign outreach to the LGBT community, many expected he would make the case to the convention audience that Trump supports equal rights for LGBT people.
In a video released by a Log Cabin Republicans’ website Aug. 20, Grenell declared Trump to be the “most pro-gay president in American history.” He unloaded an attack on Democrat nominee Joe Biden’s record on LGBT issues, noting that Biden had voted for several anti-LGBT pieces of legislation. But on stage Grenell did not. The whole third night of the convention passed without any inclusion of LGBT concerns. Grenell’s speech came late in the convention, just before the final address by Vice President Mike Pence. And Pence used his speech, before a large live audience outside Fort McHenry in Baltimore, to praise President Trump’s “toughness, energy, and resolve” to tackle the nation’s challenging issues. Other speakers throughout the night repeatedly referred to the “mobs,” “violence” and “chaos” in some American cities, saying that such problems represent what life in the country would be like under a President Biden. They did not acknowledge that the problems erupted under President Trump.
THE WHOLE THIRD NIGHT OF THE CONVENTION PASSED WITHOUT ANY INCLUSION OF LGBT CONCERNS.
8
• 9. 3. 2020
Richard Grenell. Photo credit: Gage Skidmore.
The convention on Wednesday also continued its focus on trying to secure the votes of women, particularly those in suburbs, and evangelical voters. The convention focused on women through speeches and videos recognizing Aug. 26 as the 100th anniversary of when the 19th Amendment was officially certified. Other speakers talked about breast cancer and Trump’s promotion of women to senior positions. Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump mentioned Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, and Sally Ride as women who have helped shape history. (Though it does not seem widely known beyond the LGBT community, Ride’s companion for the 27 years following her marriage was a woman.) Speakers focusing on the evangelical vote included a nun who spoke out against abortion and political correctness, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn who condemned the closure of churches during the coronavirus epidemic, and former Notre
Dame football coach who said Biden was “a Catholic in name only.” Trump needs to hang onto his base of evangelical voters, and that likely accounts for why Grenell did not identify as a gay man supporting Trump, or mention his role in soliciting LGBT votes, or praise Trump as the “most pro-gay president in American history.” The convention ended with President Trump arriving on stage to stand with Pence as a country singer sang the national anthem acapella. He then walked down off the stage to approach a short wall that separated the stage from a line of wounded warriors. While it appeared the president and First Lady Trump stayed six feet from the wall, no one had masks on and the other audience members soon crowded together at the wall to get photos and call out their support. The last night of the convention will include a formal acceptance speech by Trump.
9. 3. 20 20 •
9
PA L M B E A C H
news
PBCHRC BOARD MEMBER RECOGNIZED FOR LEADERSHIP SKILLS Kim Swan
Chauncey Graham. Photo via the PBCHRC.
CHAUNCEY GRAHAM, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE PALM BEACH COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP FLORIDA CONNECT FOR 2020-2021. “Chauncey’s innate leadership skills are clearly evident,” PBCHRC President Rand Hoch said in a press release. “What impresses me most is Chauncey’s eagerness to develop those leadership skills through training and mentorship.” Leadership Florida’s mission is to inspire and educate the state’s top young leaders. Graham also represents PBCHRC on the
Graham’s achievements include being a graduate of Leadership Central Palm Beach, and a fellow of New Leaders Council Palm Beach. 10
• 9. 3.2020
Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office LGBT Liaison Unit. At Leadership Florida Connect, Graham will participate in Florida’s only leadership program which spans industry boundaries and focuses on developing leaders. The program is a nine-month institute and is limited to professionals between the ages of 25 and 39. Graduates of Leadership Florida programs serve as chief executive officers of some of Florida’s top corporations, elected officials, executives of non-profit organizations, and leading academicians, according to the Leadership Florida website. Graham’s achievements include being a graduate of Leadership Central Palm Beach, and a fellow of New Leaders Council Palm Beach. He also volunteers as a program mentor for Take Stock in Children, a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for low-income youth/students to escape the cycle of poverty through education. According to the press release, Graham also chairs the Civic Engagement and Advocacy Committee of the Urban League of Palm Beach County’s Young Professionals Network, a network of young professionals that provides leadership development for other young professionals.
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WMG Volume 7 • Issue 17 September 3, 2020
Wilton Manors Gazette FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE
COMMUNITY
WICKED MANORS CANCELED ‘Breaking this tradition is truly breaking our hearts’ The revelry may be gone but the Pride Center still needs your support By Sallie James
What’s been dubbed the largest The ongoing pandemic killed the crazy, fun-filled, costumed debauchery Halloween Party on Halloween night in of Wicked Manors this year but devotees the Southeast United States has been of the popular Halloween bash can still rescheduled to Halloween 2021. It put Wilton Manors and Fort support Pride Center programs through Lauderdale on the map, Roa said. The donations. Your donations will go further than cancellation is a big gut-punch to the Pride Center as far as funding. you think: An anonymous That’s why the donation donor has agreed to match drive is so important. all donations up to $10,000. MONEY FROM More than 30,000 Money from Wicked WICKED MANORS WAS people attend the event Manors was used annually annually, which pumps to support everything from USED ANNUALLY TO money into the local HIV outreach to active SUPPORT EVERYTHING economy and provides aging activities. “We have a gracious FROM HIV OUTREACH support for businesses, Pride programs and more, donor who has provided TO ACTIVE AGING Roa said. a matching opportunity The decision to cancel up to $10,000 and we are ACTIVITIES. didn’t come easily. asking everyone to please Organizers reviewed help us in this endeavor by donating any amount to the Wicked the changing COVID-19 regulations, Manors Fundraiser,” said Roger Roa, increasing cases, and current CDC and Director of Development for the Pride Florida Department of Health guidelines Center. “We will be accepting donations and recommendations before deciding to and have set a goal of $25,000 that will go cancel. The decision didn’t come easily: the event has been held for more than 12 back to our community,”
Some creative outfits at Wicked Manors in 2019. WMG file photo.
years and the Pride Center has produced it for the last eight years. Before Wicked Manors was officially canceled, would-be festival-goers flooded the Pride Center with emails, phonecalls and social media messages inquiring about the popular event. Many participants travel from other states to participate, and would have had to plan far in advance due to travel restrictions, Roa noted. “We could not provide a safe, socially
distant event to over 40k attendees,” Roa said. While Event Co-Founder and Chairperson Doug Cureton added: “No one is more upset about this decision than the Wicked Manors event planning team. Since this requires months of planning, we have to go with today’s information and projections. Breaking this tradition is truly breaking our hearts. Rest assured, we will be back stronger than ever in 2021!” WMG
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
9. 3. 20 20 •
13
OPINION
Trump’s Profane-nation By Sal Torre Photo credit: Pete Linforth, via Pixabay.
Most of us growing up were taught that American democracy, our institutions, and our shared values had somewhat of a sacred character. Americans, no matter if you were Conservative, Liberal, Republican, Democrat, Catholic, Protestant, White, Black, Hispanic, Male, Female, no matter your background, we were all still part of a special place called the United States of America. Two weeks ago, watching the Democratic National Convention, that message of optimism, of shared sacrifice, of community, of working together for a more just society rang out across the four nights. Unfortunately as we witnessed Trump’s roadshow in Charlotte, their message could not be shockingly more different. Profanation, the desecration of our sacred values. This is what Donald Trump’s Republican Party stands for today. Division, lies, needless suffering, unemployment, pandemic, voter suppression, collusion with foreign powers, blame game, narcissism, and hatred are the new norms. This is not America. This is not what makes America great. We simply cannot survive four more years of Donald Trump. Profanation, the endless disrespect and violation of American values. Values and aspirations guided by fairness and respected leadership throughout the world. The Republican Party will cast away their soul this week as they coronate Trump and his band of thieves. The carpetbagger Steve Bannon arrested for defrauding millions of dollars from American citizens. Jerry Falwell Jr. exposed for his hypocrisy. Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos, and Roger Stone — all convicted criminals. They say you can tell a lot about a person by the friends they keep. Donald Trump is not the person this great nation deserves to have as our president. That we are even discussing the possibility of this national mistake being elected to four more years should be a wake-up call that we all have much work to do as a nation and as a community.
WMG September 3, 2020 • Volume 7 • Issue 17 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kimberly Swan
Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • Sallie James
Correspondents
Christiana Lilly• Sal Torre • James Oaksun
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Turning attention back to more local concerns comes Election Day, residents of our great Island City will have a very talented pool of candidates to choose from. Tough choice for Mayor between Scott Newton and Julie Carson, both veteran public servants deserving to lead our city. Third candidate in that race, Josie Smith-Malave, is a very energetic newcomer to city politics and hopefully will stay involved once the election is over. The field for City Commission seats has a crowd of six candidates. Looks like it will be a three-way race for the two seats between Mike Bracchi, Doug Blevins and Chris Caputo. The other three candidates, like Chef Josie, hopefully will remain involved in the city after the election. Looking to serve on city boards, to participate in local organizations, and getting involved serving one’s community, is something one might do before running for election to public office. Just to be clear, showing up for Public Comments at a City Commission meeting for just a few minutes is not really being involved in local politics, just as owning a uninhabitable house in Wilton Manors does not satisfy the city’s residence requirements to run for elected office. I guess what is good for Trump is good for local candidates as they create their own delusional reality. Our current City Commission returned this week from their summer break and had a
THIS IS NOT AMERICA. THIS IS NOT WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT. WE SIMPLY CANNOT SURVIVE FOUR MORE YEARS OF DONALD TRUMP.
long commission meeting on Tuesday night. Code rewrite and changes usually bring lengthy tedious discussions on signage, right of ways, non-conforming usage, enforcement and so much more stimulating topics. However, serving in public office is more about dealing with such issues than basking in the spotlight. Unfortunately for me, the one item of interest for me on the evening’s agenda was under New Business and toward the end of a long night. That item brought up by Acting Mayor Tom Green, had to do with the renaming of Jaycee Park. Many residents would like to see this park renamed to honor our late Mayor, Justin Flippen. Unfortunately the Recreation Advisory Board recommended naming the park, ‘The People’s Park” using Justin’s tagline, “The People’s Mayor.” Justin deserves to have this park named for him and not, in my opinion, some catchy phrase that many in town poked fun at Justin for. Justin Flippen was a unique individual who enriched this city in extraordinary ways during his short time with us. What better way to honor his memory, his love of parks, and his commitment to our Island City than to rename the park located across from City Hall, Justin Flippen Park. This topic will be discussed further at two City Commission meetings, allowing for public comments before Commissioners will make their final decision. Help make Justin Flippen Park the choice to memorialize our own great public servant, a vibrant community leader and a special friend — Justin Flippen. Commitment, leadership, and empathy are values we need in a president for the next four years. Justin Flippen lived by such values and is what makes life just better here… WMG
Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com
Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. MEMBER
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Orchids are a popular — albeit difficult to grow — flower in South Florida. Photo via PxHere.
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• 9. 3.2020
2 •
September 3, 2020
REAL ESTATE
WilMa Real Estate: Sales and Inventory By James Oaksun When last I joined you, I took a look at Island City single family home pricing trends. In this segment, we will see what’s been happening with overall sales and inventory levels over time. Take a look at Chart One, where I have shown the changes in overall Wilton Manors sales going back to the fourth quarter of 2013. When I look at sales, I look at them on a rolling 12-month or four-quarter basis. Because sales here have a pronounced seasonality (sales from March through mid-summer are usually higher than in the rest of the year), it can be misleading to do otherwise. For the 12 months (four quarters) ended June 30, there were 173 single family home sales in Wilton Manors. That’s a decrease of four percent from the same period last year. You can see from the chart that sales have been gradually slowing from a peak of 201 sales in the 12 months ended March 31, 2018. Now, you may ask, are sales abnormally low? I would have to say, no – not at this point. Over the six-plus year period covered here, aggregate sales have fluctuated and were as low as 168 in the third quarter of 2014. Still, the average over the period has been 187 sales per 12 months. In other words, sales have softened a bit, but are still
within normal expectations through the second quarter of 2020. Finally, a word on inventory. The seasonality in sales plays havoc with the traditional inventory calculation. Sales are not constant throughout the year (at least not in WilMa), but the traditional inventory calculation used in Official Realtor World implicitly assumes that they are. As a result, the traditional measure is usually too high at the beginning of high season, and too low toward the end. For years I’ve been experimenting to find a statistic that treats the level of inventory at each interval as a leading indicator of expected sales. I still don’t have a measure with which I’m totally comfortable. The best I have come up with so far is shown in the second chart. Even this method generally shows inventory peaks in the first quarter and troughs in the third quarter. (Consider the scale as an index, not precisely “months.” I would consider a reading between 6 and 9 as meaning “inventory is balanced.”) In my opinion, the long-term trendline is most important. That shows inventory in Wilton Manors to be relatively balanced over the study period, perhaps trending up in the most recent timeframe.
IN MY OPINION, THE LONG-TERM TRENDLINE IS MOST IMPORTANT.
James Oaksun, Florida’s Real Estate Geek(SM), is BrokerOwner of New Realty Concepts in Fort Lauderdale. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).
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3 •
September 3, 2020
9. 3. 20 20 •
15
Publisher's Editorial
CONVICTIONS
THE HOAX THAT IS FOX NEWS CNN Journalist Exposes Hypocrisy and Harm at the Network
x
Norm Kent
norm.kent@sfgn.com
L
ast April, I wrote a column entitled “Fox News is Fixed News.” I am updating the column with this issue. The lies they pollute the air with daily are no longer politicized. They are poisonous. Their words are no longer fixed. They are fatal. From Tucker Carlson to Judge Jeanine, they have hosts who are still more interested in demeaning and degrading their adversaries then in broadcasting truthful facts. Their lies allow the COVID-19 crisis to be downplayed repeatedly instead of described truthfully. A line from last April’s column still bears repeating today. The management team of Murdock and his madmen running this station are more interested in image than ideas. If they were captains of the Titanic, they would go on the sound system to tell the passengers, “We are making a brief stop to pick up ice.” Normally an editorial does not endorse books. But last week CNN’s Brian Stelter released an award winner, exposing the fraud that is Fox News. A great read, go get it today. The book “Hoax” details the morally bankrupt media personalities at Fox who have sold their souls by faithfully promoting the president’s propaganda in public while savaging him relentlessly in private. Even they know that President Trump is no stable genius. The reviews have been forthright and sensational. The New York Times wrote that Stelter’s book is a “thorough and damning exploration of the incestuous relationship between Trump and his favorite TV channel.” The MSNBC host Rachel Maddow got an early copy of the book to review. On the air, she said it was “a Rosetta Stone for stuff
about this presidency that doesn’t otherwise make sense to normal humans.” The duplicity and deception poisoning the Fox Network is starkly reminiscent of a North Korean news network praising the holiness of their leader. They have become America’s state network, protecting the president at all costs. Tragically, during a pandemic which is taking lives daily, this deception is costing lives hourly. People listen to their media heroes. They follow their lead; swear by their word. As a radio host, I know this. I don’t care what I say on the air. If I went on as a frog, after 20 minutes, I will find at least one caller to say I have the best “ribbet” of any host on AM radio. Journalism is a calling. It requires the truth and transparency. We do that here at SFGN. I do it on the Norm Kent show. Our job is not to cover up a story. It is our job to cover the story, righteously and religiously. Fox shamefully reports fictions and fantasy instead of facts. It is interested in ratings not reporting. They prostitute the truth. This book reveals the deceptions and distortions. Rome could be burning, and Fox will tell you that nobody plays the fiddle like Donald Trump does. For four years, they have teamed to hold the right and alt-right on a very tight string Fox can look at 1,500 rally goers without masks as “heroes celebrating freedom.” But if Nancy Pelosi comes out of her office without a mask on she will be accused of treason, around the clock. They color the news, distort the facts, and cover up the truth. As Brian Stelter reports, Fox News is the
TRAGICALLY, DURING A PANDEMIC WHICH IS TAKING LIVES DAILY, THIS DECEPTION IS COSTING LIVES HOURLY.
16
• 9. 3.2020
real fake news. Like the president, they project onto others their own sins, ones they have covered up for a decade. “The tweets of the president daily are simply the same misinformed and misspelled rants of an elderly Fox fan,” Stelter writes in his book. Fox is a private corporation with a public responsibility. When you see that being a Fox News host is a pathway to an administrative position on the West Wing, you realize how tainted and corrupt the relationship is. Most recently, we need look no further than the stupid and sudden elevation of Dr. Scott Atlas to the coronavirus national task force. A frequent guest on Fox News who
has downplayed the pandemic, with no infectious disease credentials, the man is now religiously counseling the president. It should be no surprise to you that Dr. Scott Atlas is now preaching “herd immunity.” Trump wants no more than to lead a flock of sheep who dutifully obey his commands. Rise up. Don’t be fooled by the lies and the deception. Fox News has become a tool of Donald Trump’s criminal conspiracy to sabotage freedom in the United States of America. Brian Stelter’s book reveals the systemic corruption at their network. Fox News has become a pandemic of its own making.
CONVICTIONS
Editorial Cartoon
EDITORIAL CARTOON By Mike Luckovich
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CONVICTIONS
Off The Wall
WHAT IF OBAMA… Pier Angelo
A
hypocrite, according to the dictionary, is “a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion and who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.” It looks as if hypocrisy has engulfed the GOP. I wish I could sit with any of them and say: “Don’t lie to yourself. You know your defense of the current president comes down to one thing only: partisanship. Not morality. Not justice. No ethics. No empathy. Nothing but a void.” After that I would give them a very simple test, a series of questions that start with: “What if Obama…”
LET’S PLAY THE GAME: 1
What if Obama was caught on video describing his attempt to seduce a married woman and indicating he might start kissing a woman that he is about to meet by saying, “I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything ... Grab ‘em by the pussy. You can do anything.” 2
What if Obama had paid a porn star $130,000 in hush money to hide an extramarital affair? Does anyone remember Gary Hart?
4 If President Obama had ever withheld military
aid in a poorly hidden attempt to pressure said foreign government into helping his reelection, Republicans would have outright revolted.
• 9. 3.2020
about POW Sen. John McCain: “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”
6 What if Obama bragged he could get away
with murdering someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and not lose a single voter? (But can he get away with letting tens of thousands die of the Coronavirus on Main Streets across America?) 7
What if Obama mocked a reporter with a disability on national TV?
WHAT IF OBAMA BRAGGED HE COULD GET AWAY WITH MURDERING SOMEONE IN THE MIDDLE OF FIFTH AVENUE IN MANHATTAN AND NOT LOSE A SINGLE VOTER?
3 What if Obama had ever asked a foreign government on a transcribed call to dig up dirt on a Republican political rival during his presidency? There’s no doubt Republicans would have called for his impeachment.
18
5 What if Obama had said the following words
8 What if Obama had agreed to let Turkey invade Syria and massacre our Kurdish allies? 9 What if Obama had promised to release his tax returns before being elected, but then actively refused to divulge his financial records well into his third year in the White House? 10 What if Obama ignored the
intelligence report that Russia secretly offered Afghan militants bounties to kill U.S. troops?
11 And so on and so forth, extending executive power, repressing efforts to hold the government accountable, equating dissension to treason, manipulating elections, firing those who disagree, you can fill the pages of this newspaper.
In the meantime the silence from the GOP is deafening,
Barack Obama at the Las Vegas Presidential Forum in 2017. Photo credit: Center for American Progress Action Fund, via Flickr.
and Foxymoron News cheers him on. Remember he also said he wouldn’t mind being president for life. His malfeasant miscalculations have already burdened our health care system with over one quarter of the entire world’s COVID-19 cases. The sad irony is that he wants all the power but no responsibility. And in closing here is one more of Donald J. Trump’s gems: “You know, it really doesn’t matter what [the media] write as long as you’ve got a young, and beautiful, piece of ass.” This is your president. P.S. WHAT IF GOV. ANDREW CUOMO HAD BEEN PRESIDENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK? IMAGINE.
Pier Angelo was born in Italy, moved to England at the age of 17 and learned English at the Nelson School of English. He attended college and graduate school in Manhattan. In 2009 he founded SFGN with Norm Kent. Now he’s retired with his husband Tom and his Affenpinscher Cabbage. He still enjoys writing his column Off The Wall for SFGN.
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COVID separates us. Let KAVOD - honor, seriousness - bring us back together in ways that honor all of our contributions, unique origins, and identities. May we merit this greeting in our homes, cities and lives: Gladness and joy shall abide there, thanksgiving
and the sound of music.
Shabbat service Friday 8pm Our Facebook Page Live
Congregation Etz Chaim
2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, on the Pride Center campus www.EtzChaimFlorida.org / RSVP HERE: info@etzchaimflorida.org
Church of Our Savior, MCC 2011 s. Federal Hwy., Boynton Beach, FL 561-733-4000 www,churchofoursaviormcc.org
SPIRITUALITY
SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNEWS.COM
Until further notice: Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, our worship services are streamed on Facebook Live every Sunday at 10 AM, rather than held at our church property. https://www.facebook.com/ ChurchofOurSaviorMCC. Visit our web site for more details & updates.
Join us for masked, socially distanced in person worship. 11 AM Sundays. Services also LIVE-streamed on Facebook and posted on website for safe at home viewing.
“Love without judgement” Holy Angels National Catholic Church 1436 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors. 33305 Facebook.com/HolyAngelsFL www.HolyAngelsFL.org
954-633-2987
A home for your spirit. Mass Schedule: Sabado 6:00 PM misa en español • Sunday Mass at 11 AM in English • All are welcome!
LISTINGS CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM 2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors 954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org RabbiNoahKitty@etzchaimflorida.org Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m. HOLY ANGELS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 2917 NE 6th Avenue Wilton Manors 954-633-2987 - HolyAngelsFL.net Sunday Mass at 11AM
CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR, MCC Church of Our Savior, MCC 2011 S. Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach. churchofoursaviormcc.org | 561-733-4000 Sunday Service 10AM TEMPLE BAT YAM 5151 NE 14th Ter Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 954-928-0410 Friday Night & Saturday Morning Streaming Online at templebatyam.org
9. 3. 20 20 •
19
LIFESTYLE TWO GUYS AND A DOG
ACCEPTING LOSS WITH GRACE Brian McNaught
T
Photo via PxHere.
here is a Buddhist meditation that says, “Just like everyone else, all that is mine, beloved and pleasing, will change, will become otherwise, will become separated from me.” The mantra is intended to help prepare us for loss, and for our death. I remember first becoming aware of loss when I realized as a youngster that Tippy, our dog, wasn’t to be seen. “Where’s Tippy?” I anxiously asked my mom. “We took him to a farm where he’ll be happy,” she said. How many children were told the same story about their dogs being taken to the same farm? Then came the truth about Santa. “Are you saying there’s no Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy?” Those felt like huge losses for me. I write this being fully aware that many children my age experienced far more excruciating losses, such as that of innocence, health, home, and parents. I had a very privileged childhood. The most difficult loss, initially, was HOW IS IT POSSIBLE moving away from neighborhood friends. That was followed by the death of my THAT A SOUL WHO youngest sister. “Why do things have to change?” ONCE TOTALLY We moved again when I was going OCCUPIED YOUR into the eighth grade, which felt like a catastrophic loss of friendships, not to HEART AND MIND mention magical spaces that I had created for myself. This life lesson of letting go COULD NOW NOT ONLY caused fear and tears. And yet, for every BE OUT OF YOUR LIFE, loss there was gain, such as new pets, new friends, new magical places. However, BUT ALSO SOMEONE it’s hard not to wish you could keep everything together, both the lost and the YOU COULDN’T gained. That is particularly true for me COMFORTABLY all that is beloved change, become separated from It’s also what’s necessary in order to experience new sources when it comes to friends. me? Because that is the way of life, and those are of increased joy. The ability to be completely comfortable The most difficult part of going through RUN INTO? the rules. in the person you’ve become, to see your connection to our photo albums is to see pictures of Trying to cling to that which has changed only all of humanity, and of life, to experience yourself living people who are no longer friends. It’s sadder for me than seeing the faces of beloved people who causes suffering. That’s true not for just friendships, but in abundance when the world sees you as poor, requires have died. With the estranged friends, there’s always the also careers, traditions, physiques, beauty, importance, and embracing loss as a means to an end. Even letting go with influence, among endless other aspects of being human. gratitude of your beloved is part of meeting your own death unanswered question of, “What happened? Why the loss?” Once you witness and accept the inevitability of change with peace, and anticipation. Since we first got together 44 years ago, Ray and I have “Just like everyone else, all that is mine, beloved and been taking photos of our lives with family and friends, and and loss, and see it not as a personal failure, but rather as an Ray has patiently assembled them chronologically. They fill opportunity to grow and shine, then everything makes sense. pleasing, will change, will become otherwise, will be 43, leather-bound albums, all of which we’re donating to It’s a sign of maturity and wisdom when you understand that separated from me.” We say these words over and over again to minimize the the Cornell University Human Sexuality Archive. I’ve been the death of that which is beloved and pleasing is the price of annotating each one so that a researcher 100 years from now loving, and of growth. It is part of the plan, a part that must sadness, anger, and depression that can overwhelm us if we’re not prepared to accept the contract of living, and the will understand the setting, and the characters. They will be played, and best played with grace and gratitude. Acceptance for loss with grace is the ticket to awareness. end of our human lives. notice the appearance of people who occupy many pages of photos, and who then disappear. How is it possible that a soul who once totally occupied your heart and mind could now not only be out of your life, but also someone you couldn’t comfortably run into? I have Brian McNaught has been a leading educator on LGBTQ issues globally since 1974. He has made his some extraordinary lifelong friends. I feel really fortunate in many books and DVDs available for free at Brian-McNaught.com. The New York Times named him “The that regard. But why do friendships have to end? Why does Godfather of gay diversity training.”
20
• 9. 3.2020
f o t s Be 2020
NOMINATE YOUR
FAVORITES! IT’S FINALLY TIME...
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IT’S BEEN RUFF LIFESTYLE FOOD
Places to dine outdoors with your dogs
Rod Stafford Hagwood South Florida Sun Sentinel
T
he one thing that coronavirus hasn’t managed to shut down is outings with our dogs.
And now that restaurants have expanded When they are in the park they are very, very their outdoor seating in order to comply with excited.” social distancing and 50% capacity rules, The dog days of the pandemic many South Florida eateries have become the Before COVID-19 some restaurants were a place for pups and people to enjoy some time regular puppy palooza. out of the house. “The big difference that we’ve seen [is] in “This is our first outing,” says Jodi Moro, the past, pre-pandemic, guests coming in looking down at Tula, her 3-year-old Dogo all the time [with their dogs],” recalls Peter Argentino sitting beside a courtyard table at Lopez, the director of operations at Shooters the Blue Fish in Boca Raton’s Mizner Park. Waterfront in Fort Lauderdale. “Now what “I’m super careful. She hasn’t been able to we’ve seen ... they are not coming back in big mingle.” groups.” She isn’t the only one; Peyton has missed But he adds that while the clusters of mingling, too. The Old English sheepdog people and pets sharing a table alongside is holding court at Kapow the 340 feet of dock space at the Noodle Bar on the other Intracoastal restaurant may be OVER AT CASA SENSEI smaller, the tail-wagging just might side of Mizner Park. He eagerly greets passersby ON FORT LAUDERDALE’S be more enthusiastic. at a sidewalk table at the “The dogs are getting to see each LAS OLAS BOULEVARD al fresco shopping/dining/ other for the first time and they THEY’VE SEEN AN entertainment enclave. have a little extra pep in their step,” “He loves happy hour,” Lopez says. INCREASE OF GUESTS says Jessica Gray-Patterson, Brian Bagley, the director of BRINGING THEIR FUR who is enjoying fries with operations for the company that BABIES TO ENJOY her husband Jesse and, of owns Loch Bar restaurant in Mizner course, Peyton. “It’s good to Park, notes that the pandemic THE DINING AT THE get him out of the house and and the summer heat is giving the OUTDOOR DOCK socializing. He’s so excited.” outdoor seating new emphasis. SEATING ALONGSIDE As more people stop and “We are seeing people arrive admire Peyton, Jesse adds, earlier than normal to catch the THE HIMMARSHEE “Yeah, we couldn’t hold happy hour specials,” he says in CANAL. him on a leash. He likes the an email to the South Florida Sun attention. I like the attention. Sentinel. “It is very common for She likes the attention.” the majority of our patio tables during happy Todd Lawrence, the general manager at hour to have dogs at them.” Blue Fish, thinks that dogs have cabin fever, The Ben West Palm, on the waterfront of too. He’s seen it with his own two pets, a the bustling downtown area, sees the patio Boston terrier and a poodle/shih tzu mix. at its Proper Grit restaurant as a draw for dog “I just know when the dogs are outside of walkers. their home they always seem to be happier,” “There are two beautiful parks across the he says. “My dogs love to go for car rides. way, the Jose Marti Park and [Flagler] Banyan
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Photo via PxHere. Square,” general manager Bernardo Neto explains. “We have a beautiful patio at Proper Grit. We’re tying that in with people going to these downtown parks by the water where a lot of our guests walk their dogs. You can come in and have brunch and you don’t have to go home and put your dog away before you meet your friends.” Over at Casa Sensei on Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard they’ve seen an increase of guests bringing their fur babies to enjoy the dining at the outdoor dock seating alongside the Himmarshee Canal. “I would say 50% more,” estimates coowner Patricia Lara. “I think everybody is looking for dog-friendly places and kid friendly places, a place outside. Instead of going out to dinner at night by themselves, they choose to come for brunch with their kids and bring their dogs. I think people appreciate being able to sit outside and have fresh air and feel safe. Outdoor [seating] has doubled on weekends. Our brunches have probably tripled.” Lara, who also owns Wonder Paws animal rescue, says that the restaurant has enacted all of the safety protocols from the CDC and
have added large fans outside to help keep guests cool. WHO’S A GOOD DOGGY? Back at Boca Raton’s Kapow, co-owner Vaughan Dugan says while he has seen the numbers starting to return, he hasn’t seen much of a difference in doggy dining attitudes from before the pandemic hit just short of six months ago. Cleveland’s Old Fashion Ice Cream, from Jaxson’s longtime ice cream maker, opens in Miramar “I think it has a lot to do with everyone’s level of comfort,” says Dugan. “It’s whether people are comfortable as humans on whether they are or not going to bring their dogs out. Wherever everyone is with what’s going on with COVID, that’s where they are.” Dugan, who also co-owns the Dubliner Irish Pub next door, says he thinks seeing the tables spread six feet apart, staff wearing masks and gloves, paper menus and other safety measures is allowing guests to start venturing back into the restaurant scene.
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hile most performing arts organizations and venues remain dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilton Manors-based Island City Stage recently announced steps to safely reopen on a video conference held on Monday, Aug. 31. The 40-minute briefing was convened by managing director Martin Childers with a special appearance by drag personality Dixie Longate, star of the Off-Broadway hit “Dixie’s Tupperware Party,” to promote her new show, “Dixie’s Happy Hour.” Longate will give a special benefit performance for the company on Tuesday, Sept. 8 in the Imax theater at the Museum of Discovery and Science in downtown Fort Lauderdale. “All my performances have been shut down due to the corona … I was like, ooh, I could stay home with my kids, but that’s gross … so I came up with this,” said Longate in her signature Southern drawl. Dr. Deborah Mulligan was also on hand to discuss the science behind the new safety precautions and answer both previously submitted and live questions. At the fundraiser, attendance has been limited to 100 and all seating will be socially distanced throughout the theater. Masks will be required throughout the performance. There will be no concessions sales before the show and during intermission. The theater will also be thoroughly sanitized before the performance. The museum’s safety plan was endorsed by the Broward County health department. Island City Stage is scheduled to resume productions at Wilton Theater Factory in Wilton Manors on Oct. 29 with Drew Droege’s one-man comedy, “Bright Lights and Bold Patterns,” but will wait out the pandemic before staging larger cast productions until next June. Island City Stage is not the first local company to attempt reopening this summer. Intimate Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale quickly abandoned its limited schedule of comedy and improv performances featuring
Drag personality Dixie Longate will headline a fundraiser for Island City Stage at the Museum of Discovery and Science on Sept. 8. Photo via Facebook.
Sheba Mason due to weak ticket sales. Producer Ronnie Larsen has successfully presented two shows in the adjacent Wilton Theater Factory Foundry space since July and is also offering private performances for patrons who remain concerned about novel coronavirus exposure, despite the increased safety measures. Childers admitted Island City’s strategy was not without risk: In a survey of current subscribers and past ticketholders, approximately 60 percent expressed concern about attending live arts events before an effective vaccine was developed and available. He and the company’s board of directors remain optimistic that audiences are ready to enjoy live theater again and will do so in the safe environment they have committed to creating. A recent fundraising campaign to cover operating expenses during the shutdown exceeded goals. Childers told the video chat audience, “We’re surviving, we’re doing well and we’re grateful to still be here,” at a time when many other nonprofit theater companies remain uncertain about their futures.
Tickets for “Dixie’s Happy Hour,” a benefit for Island City Stage on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at the Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW 2nd St. in Fort Lauderdale, are $100 at IslandCityStage.org. Individual tickets and subscription packages for the company’s 2020-21 season are also on sale.
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