See Story See Story Interview with ‘The L Word’ We’ve Got on Back on page Q2 Star Katherine Moenning Sonny & Cher, Babe Cover White Party Revenue Falls Slightly Short of Goal Care Resource Programs will not be Affected by Shortfall January 12, 2004 Volume 5, Number 2 See story on page 10 Center of Controversy Plan to Sell GLCCSF Property Stirs Storm of Criticism By Phil LaPadula But critics say that the new space would Managing Editor be too small to accommodate big events and “Save Our Center!” says the e-mail other community needs. They point out that circulated late last week by Doug White, the plan includes only 46 parking spaces, president of the South Florida Social Circle. compared with the current center’s 100-plus White is one of several prominent members spaces. Furthermore, they object to the of the local gay and lesbian community who center’s board proceeding with the sale are speaking out against the proposed sale without consulting with the community, of the gay community center’s property on including the donors who support the center. Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale to a “The community center is not just a piece developer. But some other high-profile of concrete, it is the living, breathing and community members say that the sale may growing heart of our community,” White told be the best—or only—option available to The Express. White pointed out that the new the financially troubled center. center would have a capacity of only 200 Last month, Bill Peters, executive director people compared with 430 people in the of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of current center. The lack of parking would South Florida (GLCCSF), announced that the make it “almost impossible for multiple groups center’s board had voted to proceed with to meet,” White said. negotiations with Terragon Realty to develop White was also critical of the plan to the property. The mixed-use plan includes have the center own the new building but condominiums but also a new two-story not the land it sits on. “It’s like owning a building for the gay center. Although smaller, trailer in a trailer park,” he said. Peters says the new 10,000-square-foot Furthermore, White said that two board Photo by Steven Shires building would offer more “usable space” members told him that the negotiations are Bill Peters, executive director of GLCCSF, says the proposed new center would be than the current 16,000-square-foot building. See GLCCSF on page 2 more efficient in its use of space. Tampa Gay Community on Edge Activists Mobilize in Response to Murders, Missing Persons By Phil LaPadula activists, at least two other gay men have unknown males. The 6-foot, 185-pound man Managing Editor disappeared in the Tampa area since 1995, has not been seen or heard from since. Equality Florida, a statewide gay rights and a transgender person was murdered in “Both men went missing on the same organization, hosted a town hall meeting Jan. Largo in early December. Local community day, but there is no other connection 10 at its Tampa office to address growing leaders are concerned that a serial killer may between the two men that we are aware worries in the local community after a dead be targeting gay men in the Tampa area. of,” said Joe Durkin, spokesperson for the body found in the back of a Jeep Cherokee Members of the Tampa Bay police Tampa Police Department. was identified as a missing gay man. department attended the town hall meeting. On Friday, Jan. 9, Tyler Hall, who has been The apparent murder victim is Michael “We’ve gotten dozens of e-mails from a friend of Galehouse for the past seven years, W. Wachholtz, 26, who went missing on Dec. members of the community wanting to help was preparing to lead a search of the 20. On the same day, another local gay man, and to separate fact from fiction,” said Brian Hillsborough River and nearby area. Hall said Jason R. Galehouse, also 26 years old, Winfield, communications director for he was disappointed in the police response so vanished after leaving a gay bar with two Equality Florida. The organization posted far, but he was hopeful that the town meeting unidentified men. According to local gay information about the missing persons cases would produce some positive results. and the photos of the two men on its Web Hall described Galehouse as a “very site, www.eqfl.org. outgoing, artistic person” who worked at a Michael Wachholtz worked at Bahama flower shop and was majoring in interior Jason R. Galehouse was last seen Breeze, a nightclub on the Courtney Campbell design at Hillsborough Community College. leaving the 2606 Club in Tampa with two Causeway. According to his roommate, “He had no enemies,” Hall said. unidentified men on Dec. 20, 2003. Anyone who has seen him or has Wachholtz left their home in Rocky Point on Equality Florida has sent a letter to information about the case should call Saturday evening, Dec. 19. According to Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist asking the Tampa police at 813.276.3200. Equality Florida’s Web site, an eyewitness him to respond to a rash of anti-gay violence reported talking to Wachholtz late Saturday incidents in the Tampa Bay area in recent 21-year-old attacker in that assault, Devon evening or Sunday morning when he requested months. Besides the murders and Angus, cracked the victim’s skull and a tooth, a jump start for his maroon Jeep Cherokee. disappearances, there have been two gay- he was sentenced as a youthful offender and The witness reported seeing Wachholtz and a bashing incidents in the past 16 months. received no jail time. “couple of other guys” working on his vehicle The latest incident occurred in Jason R. Galehouse has brown hair and around 3:30 a.m. Dec. 20. November 2003 when a gay couple and their green eyes. Anyone who has information Galehouse was last seen at the 2606 friends were attacked and brutally assaulted about the case is asked to call Det. Chip Michael W. Wachholtz, who went missing Club, a gay bar located at 2606 N. Armenia at a Tarpon Springs restaurant. In July 2002, DeBlock at 813.276.3575 or Det. Jerry Keith on Dec. 20, was found dead in his Jeep Ave. in Tampa, on Dec. 20 at about 2:45 a.m. three people were assaulted after a gay pride at 813.276.3507, or call Tampa Police Cherokee, an apparent murder victim. He told friends that he was leaving with two event at the Florida Aquarium. Although the Information at 813.276.3200. www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 12, 2004 1 January 12, 2004 Volume 5, Number 2 Issue 163 Center of Controversy Managing Editor Phil LaPadula Plan to Sell GLCCSF Property Stirs Storm of Criticism [email protected] GLCCSF from Front Page Arts & Entertainment Editor over. “The sales agreement has been signed, Mary Damiano and they are moving ahead with the sale,” [email protected] White wrote in his e-mail. “Did anyone ask our community what we thought or wanted?” Features Editor Andy Zeffer White also pointed out that the center will [email protected] be receiving a substantial sum of money from EDITORIAL John Graves’s estate and that Broward County Sales and Marketing Manager recently gave a grant of $200,000 to the center. Kevin Hopper “These people are crying wolf,” White said. [email protected] White, who organized a fundraising cruise Account Executives for the center in 2000, said he was considering Craig Combs becoming a “founder” (donor) “until all this [email protected] happened.” He questioned why the center didn’t Anthony Verrico do a national search for a developer. “Why didn’t [email protected] Daniel Wasinger they put it out to bid?” he asked. [email protected] Ed Nicholas, who was executive director of the center from April 2001 to April 2002, Classifieds Manager blamed the current board of director’s for the Ralph Lankford [email protected] facility’s plight. “My understanding is that the board has been so inept at fundraising that the National Sales Representatives center is in horrible financial shape, and they Rivendell Media now have little choice but to sell the property. 212.242.6863 The sale is symptomatic of an organization that Publisher has lost its direction, that doesn’t know where Unite Media LLC. it is going, that’s growing smaller instead of Steven Guerrini, President bigger. They’re grabbing at straws.” [email protected] BUSINESS Nicholas, who did not draw a salary when he served as the center’s director, contends that News & Features the facility was financially solvent during his Jennifer Trovato • Paul Harris • Dan Aiello tenure, but he said his successor, Sandra Norton, Business & Finance Daniel M. Pye • Michael Wilke was an ineffective fundraiser and “ran the center Syndicated Columnists Photo by Steven Shires into the ground.” “When I left in April 2002, they Mike Alvear • Mubarak Dahir were paying the mortgage on time, they had a Doug White, president of the South Florida Social Circle, has sharply Paul Varnell • Deb Price • M.Signorile criticized plans to sell the GLCCSF property to a developer. He says positive cash flow, and it was so substantial as a Timothy J. Critzer • John D. Siegfried the proposed new center would be too small to accommodate the Jennifer Vanasco • Marc Acito nonprofit that the Community Foundation of needs of the community and would have inadequate parking. Health & Fitness Columnists Broward invited the center to be one of a very Stephen Fallon select group of nonprofits to participate in the Kresgee now, we have to cool an entire hall, with an 18-foot-high Advice & Counseling Challenge to build an endowment.” At one point, Nicholas ceiling,” he said.