THE
GAZETTE VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 10 MAY 13, 2021
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WILTON MANORS
The Wilton Collective From bicycles to jewelry, something for everyone
By John Hayden From gorgeous works of art to a canoeturned-bookshelf to a couch so cool you wouldn’t let your best friend sit on it; Wilton Collective has eye-grabbing inventory you won’t see anywhere else. Whatever’s displayed in the windows will get your attention but that’s nothing compared to what you’ll find inside, and we’re not just talking about the merchandise. Wilton Collective is the creation of Julian Cavazos. “It’s a collection of individuals, whether it be somebody who does art on furniture to making jewelry to selling incense and shea butter,” he said. “Hence the name Wilton Collective, because it’s a collection of individual artists.” However, what truly makes the store thrive is its mission to change the lives of LGBT youth. What began as Cavazos’ desire to hold a fun, all-inclusive prom for South Florida LGBT teens became Julian’s Fountain of Youth (JFOY). “People start reaching out going ‘I have a youth that needs glasses. Is there any way you can help us out and maybe get a doctor?’ So I started getting youth eyecare,” he said. “We
have a trans youth who did a documentary on transitioning. So we funded the documentary.” What makes JFOY’s latest project special is that it builds community among vendors and the foundation’s youth. The kids learn business and creative skills by staffing the store and spending time with the artists. Carvelle Estriplet opened Carvelle Bikes in the back. As proprietor of the city’s only bike shop, she does everything from fixing flats to assembling new bikes. She’s also starting to teach her skills to the young staffers. “They’re very engaging,” she said. “I taught one of them how to change a flat tire so he can start getting more hands-on and I can get my little mechanical assistant right here.” Steve Behar, who splits his time between NYC and Wilton Manors, has an art collection he’s ready to sell. Being from New York he looked at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, but then he met Cavazos. “I went into Wilton Collective and I knew it was the right home for my artwork and a place I would feel proud to be part of,” Behar said. Like Estriplet and other contributors, Behar buys into the mission wholeheartedly. “I am seeing the kids that come in coming out
What began as Cavazos’ desire to hold a fun, all-inclusive prom for South Florida LGBT teens became Julian’s Fountain of Youth (JFOY).
The mural outside of the Wilton Collective. Photo via the Wilton Collective, Facebook.
of their shell. Julian helps them evolve into individuals with a new sense of purpose,” he said. “The whole thing has an ‘anything is possible’ atmosphere.” Fridays at 6:30 p.m. you can start your
weekend and check out the store. “I like to call it a mix and mingle,” Cavazos said. “We have champagne or wine, cocktails. Free drinks for anybody who comes in the door.”
Wilton Collective is at 2365 Wilton Drive. You can learn more about JFOY at jfoy.org and check out Carvelle Bikes at CarvelleBikes.com.
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WILTON MANORS
OPINION
Powerline Road Needs Our Help — Again
2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305
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Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Oakland Park Editor • Christiana Lilly Wilton Manors Editor • John McDonald
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Christiana Lilly• Sal Torre • James Oaksun
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and a more pleasing roadway environment was music to the ears of so many. Residential neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors that border the speedway for motorists also known as NW 9th Avenue might actually be transformed into a neighborhood thoroughfare where families could walk and ride bikes alongside a narrowed roadway. Then something started to change. The band stopped playing, the party came to an end, and dreams began to fade. The promise of Complete Streets turned into nothing more than a bargain basement road restriping project along this stretch of Powerline Road. FDOT left us with no clearly marked bike lanes, no streetscape enhancements, no new pedestrian lighting, no enhanced crosswalks to schools and park facilities, nothing but a re-striped roadway that left bicyclist and pedestrians at the mercy of speeding vehicular traffic, now ever more dangerous due to unmarked bike lanes, lack of signage, and no safety apparatus in place. But hope never dies and neither did the surrounding community’s dreams of a better Powerline Road. Many residents were vigilant in requesting more action be taken to address the missed opportunities in the original road narrowing project by FDOT back in 2017. Calls for safer pedestrian crosswalks, clearly marked bike lanes, road safety enhancements,
better lighting and streetscaping have been given a second chance, a new opportunity for dreams to become reality. Many new concerns have also been raised for the current project underway from NW 29th Street to Oakland Park Blvd. by local residents affected by traffic patterns. This week FDOT has joined with the cities of Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors along with members of the surrounding communities to conduct what is being called a “Safety Audit” to address the various concerns raised by so many in the community. Unfortunately the naysayers are plenty, including some in our city government, that have not yet embraced the vision of stopping vehicular traffic from dominating our neighborhoods. Traffic calming techniques, pedestrian and bicycle safety, crosswalks, traffic lights and speed control will make Powerline blossom into what FDOT describes as a Traditional Neighborhood Development. This stretch of roadway is mainly single family and multi-unit residential, has school zones, three city parks and tremendous potential to be transformed into a shining example of urban thoroughfare renewal leading to transformative change to the communities that surround Powerline Road. Let us hope that regional and local officials take the necessary action to bring about this much needed change. Stay engaged, remain positive about a better tomorrow, and keep the power of Powerline Road alive by shouting as load as you can to cheer over the naysayers that life is just better here…
www.WMGAZETTE.com • 5.13.2021
May 13, 2021 • Volume 8 • Issue 10
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com
Then something started to change. The band stopped playing, the party came to an end, and dreams began to fade.
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GAZETTE Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
By Sal Torre Events along the stretch of road called Powerline have for many years served as the source of my civic involvement here in our Island City. Beginning over 10 years ago Powerline called out for help to deal with the boarded up, county owned multi-family Como apartment building and the derelict under-utilized city owned Mickel baseball field. Today Powerline is calling out once again in an attempt to have this stretch of roadway from Sunrise Blvd to Oakland Park Blvd transformed from the cold decayed vehicular speedway of yesteryear into a thriving residential thoroughfare that can safety be used by vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Back in 2012 we witnessed the vacant, boarded-up 2-story 16-unit Como Apt building transformed from a blighted structure into a wonderful community asset that provides affordable housing to residents. Local efforts by many in our community facilitated our county leadership to take action and supply the necessary funding that allowed South Florida Community Land Trust to bring about this Powerline success story. The power of Powerline continued on in 2014, when our city made the historic decision to completely fund the renovations to Mickel Field at a cost of $1.27 million. In just over a year’s time this under-utilized, outdated and dangerous city owned park facility was transformed into a city gem that now serves as a showpiece for our entire city. Once again local efforts by many in our community gave our city officials the support needed to bring about yet another Powerline success story. This success story continued on,when in 2016 our County Commissioner Tim Ryan secured the necessary funding for the much-needed Children’s Playground area for this park — bringing about the completion of a dream for many in our community. Continuing on in 2016 and 2017 it seemed like the Powerline success story would keep on rolling along at full speed. News of area Complete Streets projects, which included the stretch of Powerline Road from Sunrise Blvd to NW 29th Street, hit the news headlines. Promises of lane reductions, more room for bicyclist, greater safety buffer for pedestrians
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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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Out of the Closet in Wilton Manors. Photo credit: Carina Mask.
NEWS
WILTON MANORS
NEWS
WILTON MANORS
Oakland Park Appoints 5 New Members to Planning & Zoning Board By Christiana Lilly
Ted Deutch. Photo via Facebook.
Ted Deutch Requests Water Infrastructure Funding for Local Cities By John McDonald Congressman Ted Deutch is requesting funding for water infrastructure improvements in the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park and Wilton Manors. Deutch (FL-22) requested $900,000 from the House Committee on Appropriations for water infrastructure projects in the three cities for fiscal year 2022. “The funding will be used to upgrade, improve and make more efficient portions of the three cities’ wastewater systems that provide connectivity between their respective systems to deal with sea level rise, rising temperatures and extreme weather,” Deutch wrote in his funding request letter to the committee. Heavy rainstorms last fall saturated the ground and created intense pressure on the system which resulted in breaks to wastewater pipes. Deutch also requested $400,000 for stormwater
drainage projects in Coral Springs. Representatives can request funding for as many as 10 community projects each fiscal year. In addition to water infrastructure improvements, Deutch requested funding for peer mentoring programs in Broward Public Schools ($500,000), mental health diversion project for Broward Sheriff’s Office ($562,385), Sanborn Square renovation project for the City of Boca Raton ($285,000), security technology enhancements for the City of Deerfield Beach ($595,000), Dixie Hwy. corridor improvements in the City of Pompano Beach ($600,000), independent living and workforce readiness programs at Covenant House in Fort Lauderdale ($300,000), telemental health programs at Rales Jewish Family Services in Boca Raton ($385,848) and suicide prevention programs at the United Way of Broward County ($646,762).
Heavy rainstorms last fall saturated the ground and created intense pressure on the system which resulted in breaks to wastewater pipes.
Oakland Park City Hall. Photo via Oakland Park Florida, website.
The Oakland Park City Commission appointed five new people to the city’s Planning & Zoning Board Wednesday night. All members are brand-new to the board, but a sixth alternate has served on the board for five years. The Planning & Zoning Board meets once a month, where they review and make recommendations on comprehensive plan amendments, conditional use requests, plat approvals, rezoning requests and more. Their first meeting is May 10 and they will serve oneyear terms.
THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS ARE:
CHRISTOPHER FISCHER
A broadcast journalist for 20 years, Fischer is now an estate agent at Florida Luxurious Properties in Fort Lauderdale. He is a member of the Corals of Oakland Park Neighborhood Association, Neighborhood Coalition of Oakland Park, and the Florida Board of Realtors. Appointed by Commissioner Matthew Sparks.
JASON KING
King and his husband moved to Oakland Park in 2019, where they purchased their first home. He is the legislative affairs manager for the city of Delray Beach and has also worked as the assistant to the city manager of Homestead, campaign manager for Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, and various positions with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Appointed by Commissioner Mitch Rosenwald.
WALLIS PETERSON
The founder and artistic director of The Girl Choir of South Florida, Peterson is a member of the Broward Music Educators’ Association, Florida Music Educators’ Association, National Association for Music Education, Chorus America and the American Choral Directors’ Association. She was a graduate of the 2019 Local Government Academy class. Appointed to the board by Commissioner Aisha Gordon.
SCOTT RIVELLI
For 25 years, Rivelli has been a self-employed realtor and consultant. He moved to Oakland Park in 2015 and was a part of the 2016 Local Government Academy class. He is the co-founder of the Corals of Oakland Park Neighborhood Association, where he serves on the board. He also serves on the Oakland Park Business Group. Appointed by Vice Mayor Michael Carn.
JOSEPH VAN DE BOGART
The president of Van de Bogart Law for five years, his focus is on complex commercial and property litigation and business law. He graduated from FIU Law School in 2010. Is a member of the Florida Bar as well as the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Court for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida; the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the 2018 Local Government Academy class, the Knights of Columbus, Code Enforcement Board, Broward County Bar Association and more. Appointed by Mayor Jane Bolin.
TOBY LAWRENCE (ALTERNATE)
The president of Water Wise Landscape Solutions, the South Florida local earned a degree in business and building construction from the University of Florida. He was appointed to the board by Commissioner Matthew Sparks.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
WILTON MANORS
Stop Attacking Tourism in Wilton Manors Reader blasts Sal Torre’s stance on vacation rentals By Marc Martorana In an article in the Gazette on May 6 titled “Short-Term Rentals Must Go” by our local “curmudgeon” Sal Torre, Mr. Torre really missed the mark on this one in his “Attack on Tourism” article. Let’s be very clear, an attack on tourism in Wilton Manors is an attack on the LGBT community. I can’t help but think the reason for Sal’s continual “Attack on Tourism” is because he himself does not have an investment property. I’m sure his views would be very different if he did. Mr. Torre seems to resent and continually attack residents and investors who choose to invest in our city, support our budget and provide a desperately needed service. Mr. Torre’s article also indicates that vacation rental owners do not pay taxes — they do! It is important to note that vacation rental owners typically pay four to five times more in Real Estate Taxes than most “homesteaded” residents, like Mr. Torre. These tourism rentals are literally subsidizing the lower taxes that Mr. Torre benefits from. Taxes for vacation rentals generally increase 10% annually vs 3% for homestead owners. If these tourism rentals chose to leave our city, taxes for year-round homeowners would skyrocket and be unaffordable for many of our residents. It’s important to note that Commission Members Paul Rolli and Gary Resnick have also been vocal and instrumental against tourism, including adopting City Code, to deter tourism from Wilton Manors. The vacation rental ordinance supported by Rolli and Resnick (adopted with three previous commissioners) was a clear attempt to deter and force tourism out of Wilton Manors. If you read the Vacation Rental Ordinance, it actually encourages vacation rentals in our single-family neighborhoods, by providing a total exemption if the owner resides there. Mr. Torre failed to mention this in his article.
Wilton Drive. Photo credit: Carina Mask.
Vacation rentals and AirBNB’s in our singlefamily neighborhoods is a direct result of the ordinance supported and voted for by Resnick and Rolli. Also, our current City Code DOES NOT PERMIT a smaller Boutique Style Hotel as a “Permitted Use” on Wilton Drive or any of our main corridors, further fueling the need for vacation rentals. If you look at Rolli and Resnick’s voting record, it encourages and supports vacation rentals in our singlefamily neighborhoods. They should have read the ordinance before they voted to adopt it. Mr. Torre could have provided these facts in an attempt to have our city support a hotel and support tourism, rather than to support Rolli and Resnick’s attempts to attack tourism in Wilton Manors. The complete lack of support for tourism in Wilton Manors by Mr. Torre and these city leaders makes sure “Life is NOT Just Better Here.”
These tourism rentals are literally subsidizing the lower taxes that Mr. Torre benefits from.
— Marc Martorana
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
WILTON MANORS
COMMUNITY
WILTON MANORS
It’s Time To Talk About A Postal Service Denies One Wilton Manors Zip Code Request Rainbow Crosswalk By Chris Caputo
By John McDonald
You haven’t been a Wilton Manors resident for long if you haven’t heard the question,“When are we going to get a rainbow crosswalk?” As a city commissioner, I have responded to this question at least once every week since I was elected. The beautiful “Love Always Wins” bridge reinvigorated interest in the rainbow crosswalk and demonstrated how beautifying our hardscapes can excite our community and become part of the fabric of our city’s culture. Hardscapes are the hard surfaces like bridges, crosswalks, retaining walls, etc., throughout our community. Creating public art on hardscapes is a little more complex than one might imagine. For example, when it comes to our roads and bridges, the city doesn’t own a lot of them! Wilton Drive is owned and managed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), who has been unwilling to budge on many of our beautification requests. Remember the Love Always Wins bridge? That’s owned in part by Fort Lauderdale, meaning we need to get Fort Lauderdale’s approval now to paint the other side. Broward County owns the bridge on NE 26th Street near Federal. As our city’s representative In the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), I am incredibly inspired by their new BTactical program. The BTactical program is focused on making transportation safety, especially for bicycles and pedestrians. One approach to this is art installations (i.e. a rainbow crosswalk perhaps!) which can be quickly implemented at a relatively low cost and may improve pedestrian safety as vehicular traffic slows to observe the visual changes in the road. Improving the safety of our roads is a top priority for me! Now, let me be clear: we probably aren’t going to change FDOT’s mind and get a rainbow crosswalk on Wilton Drive. However, there is nothing to stop us from getting a rainbow crosswalk in front of the Pride Center. Dixie Highway, near the Pride Center, is owned and managed by the city. Personally, I think having a rainbow crosswalk that might slow traffic around that corner on Dixie Highway would be a great benefit to our community and having it in front of the Pride Center seems like a perfect choice! I have added hardscapes to the agenda at
Attempts to consolidate Wilton Manors into one zip code have been returned to the sender. In 2017 commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to petition the United States Postal Service to combine the city’s four zip codes into one. Brought forward by the Westside Association of Wilton Manors, the petition sought to designate 33305 as the city’s one and only zip code. The Postal Service, however, denied the request, said City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson. “They were unable to identify any operational need, substantial savings or service improvement,” Henderson said. At the time of the petition, Commissioner Gary Resnick was serving as mayor. Resnick cited the higher cost of car insurance on the westside as a reason for consolidation. In 2018, Henderson said the city enlisted the assistance of Congressman Ted Deutch’s office to appeal the Postal Service’s decision. Another denial was issued leaving Wilton
A rainbow crosswalk. Credit: Sukkoria, via Wikipeda.
the next commission meeting, in hopes of convincing my fellow commissioners that we should empower our Community Affairs Advisory Board to come up with a policy for considering hardscape improvements and perhaps bring forth their own recommendations. I hope, with the commissions’ approval, CAAB might be able to take this project on. CAAB leadership has been a key driver being the public art you see in the city, and therefore, the most likely group to see this project through. I’d love to see a rainbow crosswalk at Pride Center, and I’d love to think much bigger and outside of the box. We have a diverse community and representing it through art is exciting. If you support the idea of beautifying our city-owned hardscapes, please email me at ccaputo@wiltonmanors.com as well as publiccomment@wiltonmanors.com prior to our next commission meeting on Tuesday, May 25. As a commission, we have been elected to represent you and your wishes for our city, so we would love to hear your ideas! Your comments will be read out loud at the meeting, ensuring your voice is heard.
Photo via Pixabay.
Manors with four zip codes (33305, 33306, 33311, 33334) and no brick-and-mortar location for its estimated population of 12,756. Henderson said another appeal is unlikely. “The response from the USPS to the city’s appeal indicated that it was the final decision,” Henderson said. “It cited the cost of implementing the zip code change, the lack of office space in the existing USPS offices to accommodate the change, and the fact there is no operational benefit to the local Post Office as deciding factors.”
We have a diverse community and representing it through art is exciting.
— Chris Caputo
WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSIONER
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
WILTON MANORS
Candy Hearts, Orange Slices, and a Rainbow Bridge Wilton Manors needs a true vision for public art in the city
By Thomas Paul Severino Art is evocative. It stands for something bigger than itself. Art feeds the mind and nourishes the soul. It entices the observer or participant, coaxing the individual into a more profound, conscious, and unconscious experience. Artistic creations operate on the level of meaning, bringing together thoughts and feelings to expand both the individual and the community’s wonder and imagination. Public Art should symbolize the hopes and aspirations of a community. Urban murals and sculptures are meant to reflect a community in dialogue, searching to express who we are and what we aspire to be as a human family in this place, in this time, and into the future. Concerts, dance performances, theater, and street festivals have the dynamic ability to challenge participants’ hearts, minds, and souls, expressing underlying identity principles — this is what we uphold. Our arts environment can be a key to the transforming human family — for example, a city’s enlightened imagery for creating change amid a tide of increasing discrimination. Wilton Manors takes pride in being a very diverse community standing for freedom, acceptance, and the empowerment of all members who desire to thrive and live in harmony. “With a large percentage of the population identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, Wilton Manors has been a progressive place to live, work and play for many years.” (wiltonmanors.com.) Art in Wilton Manors must operate on various levels of meaning and attain the community buy-in so vital to be an authentic expression. Our city art and arts offerings should reflect our most noble values to keep the work of attaining social justice within sight. “The Stop
and Look Up” street lamp sculptures on The Drive are an excellent example of the thoughtprovoking nature of artistic renderings expressed within a light-hearted perspective. Across the globe, inspiring urban murals stand out as creations that extend beyond themselves to represent and evoke themes that open members of an individual community and touch the hearts of countless neighbors. Indeed, Wilton Manors has the potential to create unique artistic expressions comparable to “Fearless Girl,” the bronze Wall Street sculpture by Kristen Visbal. Installed in New York in anticipation of International Women’s Day, this iconic art piece depicts a girl four feet high, promoting female empowerment, staring down the “Charging Bull” near the Stock Exchange Building. I suggest candy hearts at the crossroads of our entertainment district at Sixth and The Drive do not have the same impact that a true diversity challenge captured as a work of art can have. Wilton Manors has a wealth of resources to actualize our community’s commitment to the winning power of love and acceptance. The South Florida Symphony Orchestra is headquartered on Wilton Drive. The Stonewall National Museum and Archives and the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale are located nearby. Many local theater companies such as Island City Stage, New City Players, and Empire Stage are literally within steps. These institutions can be engaged to maximize a wealth of well-coordinated and talented productions expressing our home community’s ideals to instruct, motivate, and inspire. University arts students and programs are plentiful — young arts abound. There are many local businesses with the capacity for community outreach in arts sponsorship. Investors appreciate well-
Indeed, Wilton Manors has the potential to create unique artistic expressions comparable to “Fearless Girl,” the bronze Wall Street sculpture by Kristen Visbal.
Photo via Adobe.
planned partnerships. We are a city of world-class arts potential, and to that end, I would like to offer the following suggestions: • The City of Wilton Manors should create a process to articulate a City Vision Statement for the arts. This should be an inspirational expression of the Wilton Manors Community’s idealistic future, describing the basic human emotions that our community intends to be experienced by the people whose day-to-day interactions find a home on “The Island City.” This should be reviewed and updated regularly. • With the potential to have some existential impact on the world, this guiding philosophy should be the touchstone for all public art projects, especially those funded by taxpayers. • A multi-faceted arts development plan should be created for the City of Wilton Manors to maximize our resources and attract visitors, donors, and additional artists. This plan should be
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an opportunity to partner with our neighbor cities and communities for maximum benefit. • A design competition for all murals, architectural designs, and sculptures that attract local artists’ participation should be put in place. • As much as possible, plans, designs, and decisions related to public art in Wilton Manors should be accomplished within an open environment in a coordinated attempt to secure buy-in from the community. While the Rainbow Bridge on the Drive project has some merit, it lacks the expression and depth of meaning required to be true community art. The Wilton Manors Community, with dedicated leadership, comprehensive planning, and the potential of attaining authentic community support, can do much better.
— Thomas Paul Severino WILTON MANORS RESIDENT