Wilton Manors Gazette June 20, 2018 by The Gazette

WMG Volume 5 • Issue 11 June 20, 2018

Wilton Manors Gazette Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette

community

Pride Center Neighbors Still Unhappy With Noise as Gym Files Appeal By Damon Scott Residential neighbors of The Pride system volume lowered about a week Center in Wilton Manors and its tenant and then continued. At the May 2 hearing the magistrate – Challenge Fitness – say it appears an ongoing dispute over loud noise will judge also informed attorneys for the Pride Center and Challenge Fitness that continue, at least in the short term. Challenge Fitness has filed an appeal to a plat restriction on the property did not a “special magistrate final order” issued allow a commercial business to operate May 2 that assessed administrative there, bringing the business license and costs of $150 to the Pride Center after tax certificate into question. The order a hearing on noise complaints and gave representatives until September 5 to resolve the matter. a commercial platting When asked why issue regarding the gym. Challenge Fitness Challenge Fitness filed an “Challenge Fitness decided to appeal the appeal to the order June 1. magistrate’s order, the The residents allege will exercise all gym’s attorney Paula the gym often has J. Campione said there large garage style doors remedies available were two reasons. open with loud music “First, we believe the emanating from the by law should testimony, affidavits of open air atmosphere, as complaint and incident well as noise from the the HOA continue reports presented use of a public address at the hearing failed (PA) system. Challenge with baseless as a matter of law Fitness is described to demonstrate any as a “group personal complaints” violation,” Campione training” concept owned said in an email to and managed by Jorge - Matthew Dreger SFGN. “Specifically, Delgado. all were devoid of The noise complaints sufficient information began in early April, led by Matthew Dreger, the home for which a legal finding could be made. owners’ association president of the Second, we believe the ‘plainly audible’ Townhomes at Riverside Place. He said standard of the Wilton Manors [noise] initial attempts to convince the gym to ordinance for which The Pride Center keep the garage door closed and the PA was cited is overbroad and vague and

therefore unconstitutional.” Campione said she believes the “plainly audible” standard of the noise code is subjective. “Thus, any condo commando can claim to be personally disturbed when there is no legal disturbance at all,” she said. Last month, Pride Center Chief Operating Officer Kristopher Fegenbush said they were working with Challenge Fitness and the city of Wilton Manors to resolve “any music or other noise issues” and “technical platting requirements.” Fegenbush did not immediately respond to a follow up inquiry by SFGN. Campione said the Pride Center has been “nothing but supportive” of its tenant. “Challenge Fitness remains cautiously optimistic that an amicable resolution can be reached with their neighbor. However,

Challenge Fitness will exercise all remedies available by law should the HOA continue with baseless complaints,” she said. Meanwhile, Dreger continues to initiate noise complaints to the city on behalf of the HOA. He said he’d been in contact with Wilton Manors Chief of Police Paul O’Connell, who encouraged him to continue to make the complaints so there was an ongoing record of them. “My understanding is that the city is meeting with the Pride Center to find some common ground,” Dreger said. “Our patience is running thin over here … now taxpayer dollars are going to be used to defend the city of Wilton Manors on the appeal, from an illegal and unlicensed business located in the city,” he said. Challenge Fitness is located at 2036 North Dixie Highway. WMG

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June 20, 2018

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Opinion

Pride and Honor

June 20, 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 11 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

By Sal Torre This past week here in Wilton Manors has left me worn out and ready to get some rest. Hopefully any photos taken of me will not be too harsh, since I looked a bit ragged by the time I got home Saturday night. The festivities started on Thursday evening with the city’s Kick0ff Party at Hagen Park Community Center. The event was very well attended by local elected officials along with volunteers from our city and from the Wilton Manors Entertainment Group. Good food and drink were supplied by Beefcakes Grille, thanks to Victor Zepka and his wonderful staff. Community members Anthony Logrande and Claudia Castillo were honored for their amazing commitment to our Island City. The awards were presented by Vice Mayor Justin Flippen, who did a great job presiding over the festivities. Friday it was on to The Manor for the official Friday Night Stonewall Pride Party held in new Crystal Ballroom. Let me say that this new addition to The Manor is just fabulous. Great job Paul Hugo! The show was billed as “Our Night Out” An LGBTQ Arts Celebration. Headlined by Monet X Change of Ru Paul’s Drag Race fame, the show did not disappoint and neither did Miss Monet. Unfortunately, not being a lady of leisure, I had early wake-ups each morning, a full work schedule, and a week of dog sitting to deal with between all the festivities. By the end of my work shift on Saturday, I could have easily come up with an excuse to stay home and not march in the parade. Thankfully, I decided to haul myself out to Wilton Drive by 4 p.m. as promised for the parade line-up. Seeing the Drive packed with people is always a wonderful sight. Seeing the parade staging area so full of volunteers, parade marchers, floats and many good friends instantly put me in a reinvigorated mood. On the parade route, the mise-en-scene before us was one of colorful banners, happy faces, festive music, and a seemingly endless human corridor of rainbow-beaded revelers welcoming us further and further along as we marched down Wilton Drive. Marching behind our city’s elected officials were two U.S. Congressional members, Ted Deutch and Debbie Wasserman Shultz along with State Senator Gary Farmer. I also spotted our Broward County Commissioner, Tim Ryan, greeting revelers. Mayor Dean Trantalis of Fort Lauderdale and many officials from the City of Oakland Park joined in the festivities. Local residents Paul Rolli, candidate for Wilton Manors City Commission, and David Walker, candidate for statewide Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, took part along with many of their supporters from the community. Various service organizations, area businesses, and social organizations had a large presence. The dreaded afternoon thundershowers stayed away, and the parade goers moved on to enjoying a wonderful evening of celebrating Pride in our great Island City. Many thanks to the Wilton Manors Entertainment Group for their endless dedication and year-long efforts to make this wonderful event possible. Their efforts, along with those of so many others, make this event better and better each year. Unfortunately, last week we lost a fierce advocate for LGBT rights, a great chef and a fellow Culinary Institute of America alumnus, Anthony Bourdain. His roguish culinary adventures and his tellall book, Kitchen Confidential, launched him to almost cult-like reverence to many, like myself, in the culinary field. Bourdain’s suicide, along with that of designer Kate Spade, serves as a harsh

WMG Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington

Editorial

Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Designer • Adam Turner Digital Content Director • Brittany Ferrendi Webmaster@sfgn.com News Editor • Michael d’Oliveira

Correspondents James Oaksun

Staff Photographers

J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires

Photo by J.R. Davis.

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Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Senior Advertising Associate • Clark Rogers clark.rogers@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Kewan Smith Kewan@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

Anthony Bourdain via Facebook reminder of the destructive power of depression and other mental health issues for so many in our community. In the spirit of Pride celebrations this month, the LGBT community needs to demonstrate a strong acceptance of mental health problems in the same way we would about our sexuality or gender identity. Please seek help if you are experiencing depression, anxiety or any kind of addiction. Actively encourage others to seek help and work to promote an environment that fosters a sense of community and understanding. SunServe, Broward House, and many other local organizations are ready to assist. In closing, I leave you with Anthony Bordain’s words from a 2014 Human Rights Campaign video as part of its Americans for Marriage Equality campaign, “I’ve met many people in my life, all over the world and a common thread that people I admire whoever they are, are people wo are proud to do things with love and feel a sense of responsibility to others. What sensible person would be against that? The desire to love and to commit to another human being- these are virtues. It’s why we need nationwide marriage equality now.” Thank you, Anthony Bordain for making life more entertaining, more honest, so much more delicious, and just better for so many others. WMG

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Real Estate

Buy? Or Lease? By James Oaksun Well, folks… it is Story Hour. And Daddy James (I am writing this on Father’s Day, after all), is going to deliver an impassioned “Reading.” There are certain things that keep me awake at night. (No, not those sorts of things. Not any more, anyway.) One of them is real estate valuation, and delivering the best information I can to my clients and to all of you. It goes without saying that we have had a great run of real estate prices since the market hit a trough in mid-2011. As I have written before, prices in most neighborhoods have doubled. In some locales (such as where I live), they have tripled. Now, what does all that have to do with the topic of today’s Reading? Well, often you hear members of my profession (and I think, at our best, it is a profession) discuss how it is much better to buy a home than to rent. Typically they will cite information from the National Association of Realtors in support of this assertion. My question – and one I will be considering in more depth in the next few weeks – is whether

that is always true, across all geographies, and all property types. My focus since I entered the profession has been single family homes in select neighborhoods. I will concentrate my research there. But for now, let me make some general observations – really hypotheses that my initial work seem to bear out. First, as I have said here many times before, all real estate valuation is hyper-local. Certainly presentations from NAR that may be applicable in Missouri, may not be relevant to the Florida market. Even more discretely, observations for central Florida or the Panhandle may not work here in the southeastern part of the state. Second, recent changes in the tax law (remember that big tax cut that just passed?) may well make assertions about the preference of purchase less valid. (I must say that even though I have an MBA and was also once awarded a Chartered Financial Consultant designation, I am not a tax accountant, and strongly advise people to consult an accountant for assessment of their personal situations.) With changes in the standard

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deduction and limitations on certain popular deductions, previous rules of thumb may not work for everybody. The most important thing has to do with where in the pricing cycle we find ourselves. Typically the buy-versus-lease assessments I have seen assume that real estate is fairly valued and that prices will increase at some constant amount over a certain time frame. Now, I get in trouble with many people when I suggest that certain types of properties in certain areas may be overvalued. But as many remember, over-valuation has happened in our market before, and not that long ago. In a highly leveraged transaction (which would describe most real estate purchases where a buyer borrows more money than they use as a down payment), any significant

June 20, 2018

reduction in valuation could make you upside down (and not in the good way). Still, my hypothesis remains that, in certain circumstances, for most people, buying is a better bet than leasing. I believe this statement is most likely true over the intermediate and long term… but probably not in the short run. However, there are things you can do to tip the odds more in your favor. More on this topic in a future column. WMG James Oaksun, Florida’s Real Estate Geek(SM), is Broker-Owner of New Realty Concepts in Oakland Park. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).

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BRIEFS

news

Gazette Hires Veteran Reporter Sallie James to Cover Wilton Manors She takes over for Michael d’Oliveria

Check out what’s happening

Around Town By Michael d’Oliveira

By Staff The Gazette has hired Sallie James, a veteran reporter, to take over for Michael d’Oliveria, who was recently hired as the new Editor in Chief of the Pelican. James has decades of experience covering municipal government. In the past she’s worked for the Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post. She currently freelances for multiple publications, is a blogger for the automotive industry, and a writer for Miami Jewish Health. “While we are sad to see Michael leave us, we are excited to bring Sallie on board,” said SFGN Executive Editor Jason Parsley. “Her experience covering local government is perfect for the Gazette. We’ve already discussed new ways to broaden our coverage.” James will start later this month. WMG

Summer Book Fair The Friends of the Wilton Manors Library will host its Summer Book Fair on Saturday, July 14 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will be held inside the Hagen Park Community Center, 2020 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. Money generated from the sale of books is used to purchase books, DVDs, audio books, e-books, magazines, and the cost of children’s programming at the city’s library. The Friends of the Library are also looking for volunteers to help with the book fair and other activities and programs. Call Paul Kuta at 954-566-9019.. WMG

Sallie James

community

Gazette Launches Community Facebook Group By WMG Staff The Wilton Manors Gazette recently launched a Facebook group to keep readers up to date with the latest happenings and news in the city and to distinguish itself from its parent company, South Florida Gay News. “What started out as a supplement to SFGN has really taken on a life of its own. Because of that we felt the Gazette needed a voice of its own, separate and apart from SFGN,” said Publisher Norm Kent. “We realize there is a community here in Wilton Manors that does not necessarily want all of SFGN’s news, from around South Florida and the world, so the Gazette will focus on just hyper local news.” By targeting just the Wilton Manors community SFGN’s staff will be able to highlight even more relevant news, stories and events geared towards locals. For instance, the city recently stopped live streaming its commission meetings over concerns about a lawsuit happening elsewhere in the state.

The Gazette decided to start uploading the meetings to its YouTube page and posting a link to it in its Facebook group so readers will still be able to have easy access to the city’s meetings. In another hyper local example the Gazette recently assigned a photographer to capture the city’s annual canoe race. An event like that would not appeal to the broader SFGN audience and so the Gazette would not have assigned it. But the Facebook group gives the Gazette a place to highlight local events such as the canoe race. “We hope this Facebook group will provide a new way for readers and residents to interactive with our newspaper and their community,” Kent said. WMG

Visit Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette to join the discussion. The Gazette welcomes feedback for its new community initiative. Email Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com with comments, suggestions, etc.

Flippen presents Harvey Milk book to library, Stonewall At the June 12 Wilton Manors Commission meeting, Vice Mayor Justin Flippen presented the Wilton Manors Library and the Stonewall Library & Archives each with a copy of “Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk” and The Rainbow Flag. Flippen said he wants the books to be read by children “to give them hope and to remind them that these colors mean that you are welcome in Wilton Manors and beyond.” Flippen also talked about the inscription Wilton Manors resident Stuart Milk, the nephew of Harvey Milk, wrote which described the pride and hope the rainbow flag gives to LGBT individuals. In the words of Harvey Milk, “you have to give them hope,” said Flippen. WMG

Award renamed for Skip Stadnik A month after his death, the Community Spirit Award has been renamed in honor of Skip Stadnik by the Community Affairs Advisory Board [CAAB]. A longtime volunteer with his now widow, Ruthanne, Stadnik died in May at age 84 and was a member of CAAB. Resident Kat Campbell celebrated the decision in a Facebook post. “What a great move. I didn’t have the pleasure to get to know Skip personally but his work and energy is everywhere in this city. Ruthanne Stadnik thank you for sharing him with our city.” According to the city, “Community Spirit Awards recognize one outstanding volunteer and one business in Wilton Manors for exemplary volunteer service.” At a city commission meeting in May, community activist and former CAAB chair, Michael Rajner, called for the award to be renamed in Stadnik’s honor. WMG

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Our Night OUT

Photos

The Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Festival kick-off party

On Friday, June 15, the official kick-off party for the Stonewall Pride Festival was held at The Crystal Ballroom in Fort Lauderdale. Many including the Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 10’s Monét X Change, as well as many from the local community such as Dean Trantalis, the mayor of Fort Lauderdale, came together to warm up for Saturday's proud festivities all along Wilton Drive. By Carina Mask

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community

Man offers $10,000 reward after hit and run By Michael d’Oliveira

Timothy Sweat was severely injured when case and his thoughts, and I await his return he was struck by an SUV late at night/early response. We have evaluated potential morning of May 19/20. The time was about investigative leads and will look for more via our conversation with him, as holding this 12:40 a.m. Sweat, a Wilton Manors resident, said he hit & run driver accountable is the goal of was walking home from a bar along Wilton any incident like this.” Sweat wants Wilton Manors to do more to Drive and was hit by the SUV as he was using improve safety along Wilton Drive, a concern the crosswalk at Northeast 8 Avenue. By the time it was over, the unknown that has been expressed by others for years. driver of the SUV had fled the scene and left “No one seems to care. It’s gay pride and no Sweat with a dislocated hip, severe injuries to one wants to discuss the subject. If I were his face and side, and medical bills that have a teenaged person with a gun this would get national attention. But I’m just a dude now risen to over $40,000. “There was one camera [at Island City walking home.” Over the past several years, there have been Lofts, next to where I was hit] but it faced towards the parking lot. So, there was multiple pedestrians injured and killed along Wilton Drive. City officials nothing captured on and residents have talked camera.” He added that about making the street witnesses saw the hit and safer. Crosswalks and stop run and called the police. “I lights have been installed to have no memory of it at all.” do just that. The city is also in He’s offering a reward the midst of a state-led and for information leading to funded project to reduce the the arrest of the individual number of lanes, from two responsible, but he’s not in each direction to one in very confident the guilty each direction, along Wilton party will be caught. “They Drive. need to be off the street and Advocates of the project I need to pay these bills off. I say it will improve safety and realize at this point I’m kind help businesses. Opponents of fighting against the tides. say it will cause traffic The community at least - Timothy Sweat problems and end up costing needs to know it’s not safe. the city money. Asked It’s a shame.” recently about the cost, state And while Sweat praised the police and EMS response to the hit and officials reiterated a previous statement that run, he’s critical of the police department’s the state would fund changes to the road. Some of the landscaping and other aesthetic attempt to find the person responsible. Assistant Chief of Police Gary Blocker costs will be funded by the city. Anyone with information about Sweat’s told the Gazette: “I have reviewed the report authored by the investigating officer and hit and run can contact him at tsweatfl@aol. have reached out to Mr. Sweat to discuss the com. WMG

“The community at least needs to know it’s not safe. It’s a shame.”

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Photos

The Pride Center Flea Market By Carina Mask

On the first saturday of every month, The Pride Center campus transforms into a local vendor bonanza of local goods and great deals. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and houses treasures that range from locally-sourced honey to handcrafted arts.

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Photos

2018 Stonewall Festival Mayor’s Ball On Thursday, June 14, the Stonewall Street Festival held its annual Mayor’s Ball as a prelude to the festivities on Wilton Drive. The VIP and Sponsors gave updates for the upcoming Street Festival, as well as honored individuals for their contribution to the festival itself.

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By J.R. Davis

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