The Gazette 1/14/21 V8iss1 by The Gazette

THE

GAZETTE VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 1 JANUARY 14, 2021

Wilton Manors & Oakland Park FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE

COMMUNITY

Peter Jackson To Lead Rebranded Wilton Manors Entertainment Group By John McDonald Wilton Manors Entertainment Group which sparked the modern-day gay rights is bringing in a familiar face to lead the movement. Keeping Wilton Manors a gay destination is organization during strenuous times. Peter Jackson, a longtime Wilton Manors the group’s chief mission. “We desperately need to promote Wilton businessman, has been appointed WMEG’s first-ever president. The group announced the Manors as the prime LGBTQ destination that it is,” said Jeff Sterling, CEO of decision in a press release and WMEG, in a press release. “The also revealed a rebranding way to do that is through events effort under the title WMEG that give people a reason to Community Marketing and visit as well as through strategic Events. local and national marketing “I am excited by this of the people and businesses opportunity,” Jackson said, that make our Island City so in a press release dated Dec. welcoming and special.” 11. “Promoting the paradise Jackson presently serves as that Wilton Manors is to vice president of the Wilton the LGBTQ community far Manors Business Association. and wide is a great objective His previous business ventures and benefits every resident include owning a couple of and business owner. Doing gyms, a yoga studio and a so through multiplatform corporate officer the nowmarketing and fun events defunct Florida Agenda. that allow our community “This is a challenging time to come together in a post- Jeff Sterling for non-profits as traditional COVID world makes the job CEO OF WMEG funding sources evaporate even sweeter.” — but we see this as a time to Formed as a non-profit in 2014 to serve in partnership with the city and innovate and grow in new and exciting ways,” its development alliance, WMEG is primarily Jackson said. In addition to the Stonewall, WMEG tasked with operating special events designed to attract visitors and tourists. Its marquee produces three monthly events: Art Walk, event is the Stonewall Pride Parade & Street Vibes on the Drive and Pride Skate Night. Festival, a tribute to the New York City riots WMG

“We desperately need to promote Wilton Manors as the prime LGBTQ destination that it is.”

www.WMGAZETTE.com

Peter Jackson. Photo via Peter Jackson, Facebook.

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THE

OPINION

And the band played on…

Copyeditor • Kimberly Swan

Editorial

Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • John McDonald

Correspondents

Christiana Lilly• Sal Torre • James Oaksun

Staff Photographers

J.R. Davis • Carina Mask • Steven Shires

Sales & Marketing For ad placement in the Wilton Manors Gazette, contact 954-530-4970

Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com

Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping

Photo via Pixabay.

Going out for a night of fun might have to wait a little bit longer. Bringing the virus into your home, your workplace, or to social gatherings should be a major concern for us all. Locally, many are still becoming seriously ill and dying from this pandemic. We would like to think that the worst is behind us, but I fear what lies ahead in the coming months. Hopefully the new administration taking over in Washington next week will start our nation down a different path, one that is ready to deal with this pandemic scientifically and honestly, unlike the failures of the outgoing administration. A national strategy is not too much to expect from our government instead of the ramblings of a president who told us to inject bleach or to ingest Lysol disinfectant. As we wait for the cavalry to arrive in just the nick of time, we must continue to follow CDC guidelines, social distance, and wear our masks.

Discussions at this week’s City Commission meeting validated the rising surge locally here in Wilton Manors as well as throughout Florida and the nation. While our governor, Ron DeSantis, pretends that all is wonderful and all should return to life as usual, many are still suffering, becoming infected, spreading the virus and yes, dying in crowded hospitals. With Florida’s lax restrictions due to the governor’s executive orders limiting local government control and as people continue to visit Florida from colder climates with snow birds arriving by full flights at area airports, it will not be long till a new variant strain of the coronavirus will be identified here in our community as already seen in places such as California and Colorado. Islanders, now is not the time to let our guard down, we must become even more diligent and focused. We need to wear our mask, practice social distancing, take precautions and look to get vaccinated as additional supplies become available. We have been through so much this past year; we need to be patient and we need to stay safe. By continuing our efforts to keep ourselves, our neighbors, our co-workers and our families safe, we ensure that life in our Island City will continue to be just better here… WMG

www.WMGAZETTE.com • 1.14.2021

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com

We would like to think that the worst is behind us, but I fear what lies ahead in the coming months.

January 14, 2021 • Volume 8 • Issue 1 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

By Sal Torre This past Saturday night as I drove home from work, having finished the evening shift, I was somewhat surprised to see a well-known private club open with parking lots near full capacity. Many other businesses were equally thriving at this wee hour of the morning. Thoughts brought me back to the 1980s when many continued with high-risk behaviors at bars, bath houses, and nightclubs even as the dangers of a new epidemic were starting to become known. Back then as well as now, all the warning bells were going off. Reports of the increase in numbers becoming infected, the increase in the death count, increase in transmission and yet the band played on … with many who did not heed the warnings, who did not want to hear the dire news or to stop having so much fun. Looks like the band is still playing on today as many people all across the nation are casting aside similar warnings while heading out and about, going to crowded bars, going to the gym, to social events and nightclubs. Not sure how much social distancing and mask wearing is going on at such clubs, I would think not much, if any. Recent photos in the Sun Sentinel showing packed nightclubs during New Year’s weekend along Las Olas, South Beach, Wilton Drive and other regional night spots show the extent of the many who are not engaging in safe activity. Back when I was a younger lad, social distancing was not what I was looking to do when frequenting such establishments and wearing a surgical mask in a nightclub would have been viewed as having some strange sexual fetish. Preferred masks back then were of the leather or rubber variety. All joking aside, as infection rates continue to rise drastically here in Florida and across the nation, a surgical mask is a must-wear item in the struggle against this pandemic and for the need to protect others as well as ourselves. The recent failure to roll out a strategic vaccination plan has left many first responders, seniors and many of us frustrated with no idea of when we might be able to receive the much-needed vaccine. Still months away from mass vaccinations, we need to be ever more concerned about the rising infection rates.

GAZETTE

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JANUARY 14, 2021

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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Remember to wear a mask and practice safe social-distancing. It’s a new year, let’s make it a good one! Photo via Adobe.

POLITICS

HEALTH

Oakland Park Commission Gets Update on Vaccinations By Christiana Lilly

Carvelle Estriplet. Photo via Carvelle Estriplet, Facebook.

Wilton Manors Commissioners Appoint Black Trans Woman To CAAB By John McDonald Wilton Manors Commissioners took a big step toward fulfilling some of their civic engagement diversity goals at Tuesday night’s meeting. The commission made five board appointments, including Carvelle Estriplet, a Black trans woman and small business owner. “I’m ecstatic,” said Estriplet, when reached by telephone Tuesday night. Estriplet owns a Wilton Drive bicycle shop where she offers repairs, rentals and sales. She was one of two appointments to the Community Affairs Advisory Board. “As a resident, engaged volunteer and now small business owner in Wilton Manors — Carvelle will be a tremendous asset to our community and CAAB,” wrote Commissioner Chris Caputo in a Facebook post. “As a proud Black trans woman, I am certain Carvelle’s unique background, ideas and perspective will demonstrate the benefits

of diversity in governance.” Estriplet said she hoped to be a part of change and inclusiveness in the city and bring fresh views to CAAB. The other CAAB appointment went to Paul Smith, a Black man and retired U.S. Army officer and psychotherapist. Commissioners made three appointments to the Budget Review Advisory Committee. They are William Hayden, Michael Kalb and Van Gosselin. Vice Mayor Paul Rolli said the city is getting more qualified applicants for board positions. Commissioners voted to eliminate their ranking procedure for board appointments in favor of a more neutral check mark selection. “We didn’t feel the rankings served any purpose,” Rolli said. At Rolli’s request, commissioners approved a plan to light up city hall on Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the colors of red, white and blue to signify a change in administrations in Washington, D.C. WMG

Estriplet said she hoped to be a part of change and inclusiveness in the city and bring fresh views to CAAB.

With coronavirus cases tracking at a rate of about 300 new cases per month in Oakland Park, the city commission received an update on vaccines from Holy Cross Hospital during its meeting on Jan. 6. The first meeting of 2021 occurred in the middle of Phase 1 of the vaccination rollout. “This week has been a very big week for the county of Broward and for the hospitals in the area,” said Dr. John Cunha of Holy Cross. “We will be ramping up vaccine distribution greatly this week, and predominantly next week there will be a huge increase in the number of vaccines given out throughout the county.” For the last three weeks, the state has been in Phase 1 of the vaccination process, which gives priority to residents and employees of long-term healthcare facilities and direct frontline care providers. Phase 1B will include non-healthcare essential workers, first responders, U.S. postal workers, and those who work in manufacturing, grocery stores, public transportation, teachers and support staff, and childcare workers. Phase 1C will go to those 65 to 74 years old, those 16 to 64 with medical conditions, and other essential workers. Finally, Phase 2 will have mass vaccination clinics. Two vaccines are currently in use throughout the country: one from Pfizer and another from Moderna. Both are MRNA vaccines with up to 94% efficacy and require two doses of the vaccine over a 21- or 28day time period. Most of the vaccines from Holy Cross Hospital have been from Pfizer, Cunha said, and they have vaccinated more than 5,000 people. County data shows that almost 26,500 people 65 or older have received the vaccine. Vaccination sites have opened throughout Broward County: Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, Vista View Park in Davie, Markham Park in Sunrise, and Central Regional Park in Lauderhill. The public can visit browardcovidvaccine.com for an appointment. At the time of this article, all appointments were filled. According to the state, as of Jan. 6, the city had 1,988 cases of coronavirus, up from 1,607 on December 6, 2020. Since October, each month has seen about 300 new cases of the virus. As for the county, there have been 146,201 cases of coronavirus — 7,586 people have been hospitalized and 1,897 have died. “We have had a recent increase both locally

Oakland Park City Manager David Hebert. Photo via Twitter.

as well as statewide and a significant increase nationally,” Oakland Park City Manager David Hebert said of coronavirus cases. “Vaccines are on the horizon, they are being distributed … but the trend again remains disturbing.” Hebert also noted that a Holiday Park vaccination site will open next week. Oakland Park has joined up with the cities of Wilton Manors and Pompano Beach to assist Fort Lauderdale with the site. Cunha also addressed frequently asked questions from commissioners:  Vaccinations are covered. Patients are asked to bring their insurance cards. Those without insurance may have to pay an administrative fee depending on where they receive their vaccine.  The current guidelines from the FDA are to have patients receive two doses of the vaccine in the timeline provided by the drug company. Other countries, such as Scotland, are staggering it to allow more people to be vaccinated.  The vaccine does not mean the patient is now “in the clear.” It takes five to six days for your body to start creating proteins to protect your body from the virus, and like any other vaccine, it’s not bulletproof.  Side effects are minimal, such as soreness at the injection site, headache, or flu-like symptoms for a day.  Those with serious allergies that can lead to anaphylaxis are encouraged to receive their vaccine in a medical setting, such as a hospital. WMG

For more information about the coronavirus vaccine, visit floridahealthcovid19.gov or contact your doctor.

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BUSINESS

Wilton Manors Welcomes New Head of Sales By John McDonald In its quest to diversify and build for the future, Wilton Manors has hired a new economic development manager. Kimberley Allonce was introduced to the city commission at its Dec. 8 meeting. Allonce, a native of Haiti, holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Georgia and has worked as an economic development coordinator for the City of Orlando. “With the anticipated changes to our land use and zoning regulations, an important part of Kim’s role will be acting as the city salesman, marketing our city to bring in those developers to take advantage of the new land use and zoning regulations so that we can attract that high-quality development that we know is critically important to maintaining vital, resilient, sustainable community,” said City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson. Allonce told commissioners he looked forward to fostering economic development

between businesses and community stakeholders and had already “hit the ground running” with 25 meetings under his belt. In Orlando, Allonce managed incentive programs to implement several high-impact projects for the city’s downtown development. For Wilton Manors, Allonce’s focus will be on outreach and implementing the city’s economic strategic plan, Henderson said. “We are thrilled Kimberley has joined our team,” Henderson said. “His expertise in collaborating with residents, businesses, and community stakeholders will help us ramp up our efforts to foster economic growth, promote our commercial districts, and attract new businesses to Wilton Manors.” Allonce’s ties to Haiti will aid in addressing the city’s concerns about diversity. He is an active volunteer in the Haitian community where he serves on the board of Edikasyon Ayiti and teaches social welfare policy at

Kimberley Allonce. Photo via Facebook.

Haiti’s Episcopal University. He also reviews scholarships for the National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals. “Life’s Just Better Here!!!” Allonce posted on Facebook. “I am beyond excited to have joined the ‘Island City.’ I look forward to working with the business community to bring economic growth to Wilton Manors.” Henderson said the salary range for the economic development manager position is $64,966 to $97,965. In November, the city’s general fund was amended to add $13,804

to the economic development division. Any appropriation over $20,000 must come back to the city commission for approval, said Pennie Zuercher, city finance director. “I think we need to re-evaluate what our priorities are today as opposed to what they were when this budget was approved a year and a half ago,” said Commissioner Mike Bracchi. The commission begins its budget review process with a goals and objectives workshop on Feb. 2, 2021. WMG

COMMUNITY

Wilton Manors Commissioner Asks For Review of City’s Bridges By John McDonald How many bridges does an island city claim responsibility for? That’s a question Wilton Manors Commissioners must consider as the budget review process approaches with infrastructure a priority. The city’s comprehensive plan notes there are 16 bridges in the coastal planning area. Maintenance is distributed among other municipalities, Broward County, the State of Florida and Florida East Coast Railroad. “Bridges are important when the water rises and you’re stuck on an island and can’t get off,” Commissioner Mike Bracchi said. Commissioner Gary Resnick knows what

that is like. Resnick brought up the issue at the end of the Dec. 8 commission meeting. “We also own a couple of bridges that we are responsible for and with the water that we had in October and November they were almost impassable including the Jenada Bridge,” Resnick said. The Jenada Bridge is located on NW 29th Street in the city’s northwestern tip and is part of the only road on and off Jenada Isles. The bridge spans a canal that connects the North and South forks of the Middle River. It is of particular interest to Resnick who lives on the island. “We need to talk about what we’re going

The city’s comprehensive plan notes there are 16 bridges in the coastal planning area.

to do to see what capital work is necessary and have staff evaluate the bridges we own,” Resnick said. David Archacki, Wilton Manors emergency management/utilities director, said the city owns half of three other bridges. The South Dixie Hwy. & NE 15th Ave. bridges are shared with Fort Lauderdale. The NE 16th Avenue bridge is shared with Oakland Park. Archacki said his department receives regular inspection reports from the Florida Department of Transportation and there are no structural deficiencies in the city’s bridges. Meanwhile, if there is another extreme weather event, Resnick said there are other options for shelter. “I talked to FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] in respect to flood insurance if there is flooding over a bridge they will pay for people to stay in hotels until they can get back to reach their houses,” he said. WMG

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A resident enjoys the abundance of water in Wilton Manors. Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Wilton Manors Appoints Trans Community Member to Community Board By Chris Caputo Less than a month ago, SFGN’s coverage of the Wilton Manors City Commission’s desire for its city boards to be more inclusive, explicitly including the trans community in its board diversity policy. As a City Commission, we recognized that one important way to attract a more diverse set of candidates was to explicitly identify the types of diversity we were seeking. On Tuesday, Jan. 12th, the City Commission demonstrated its commitment to diversity on its city boards by appointing Carvelle Estriplet to its Community Affairs Advisory Board (CAAB). The Community Affairs Advisory Board provides a vehicle to maintain a high quality of life through greater citizen participation by providing a conduit for cooperation and communication between the city commission and community, by making recommendations to the commission as appropriate of ideas for community improvement, civic projects and supporting various community events. This is exactly the type of city board that will benefit greatly from diversity. While Carvelle self identifies as a proud Black trans woman, she was hardly a “token” choice to purely address the city’s desire to attract more diversity to our boards. Carvelle has proven to be a tremendous asset to our community already as an active, engaged community volunteer as well as a small business owner. During her applicant interview at Tuesday’s meeting, Carvelle expressed her desire to work with CAAB members to bring new ideas and events to the city. As a Lead Director with the Florida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus, Carvelle played a critical role in Get Out The Vote activities in our city. You may recognize Carvelle from her time volunteering at the LGBTQ Democratic Vote Center which operated in the space which now serves as the Wilton Collective.

Carvelle Estriplet. Photo credit: Carina Mask.

Carvelle has proven to be a tremendous asset to our community already as an active, engaged community volunteer as well as a small businessowner.

You can still find her in that place today. Her new business, Carvelle Bikes, just set up shop inside the collective. Carvelle, a bike mechanic by trade, opened her new bike repair and sales store inside the Wilton Collective in hopes of serving as a role model for trans youth who volunteer at the Collective. “I am grateful honored for the opportunity,” remarked Carvelle on Facebook. As a city, we are grateful for the diverse residents that make our city a melting plot and an ideal place to call home. WMG

— Chris Caputo

WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSIONER