John is survived by his partner, “Big” Dewitte, who asks that any memorial donations be made to The Pet Project at petprojectforpets.org.

A public memorial service to celebrate John’s life will be held at John’s favorite hangout, Scandals Saloon’s back patio, located at 3073 NE 6th Ave, Wilton Manors, FL 33334, on Saturday, February 15th from 2pm to 4pm.

Whitt has been performing in drag (by the name Dominique) since he was 15 years old. He enjoyed it right away and knew that he had a future in it. His first paid drag gig in Dallas – a murder mystery dinner – was received so well that he was eventually booked at a high-end dinner club.

“In Dallas, I had my own show at Winston’s Supper Club,” Whitt told us. “It’s a straight nightclub, owned by Wade Smith of the Houston Texans. They actually hired me as a joke for Wade’s birthday. A girl came out with whipped cream on her breasts, and then I came out. It was the first time a drag queen probably walked through those doors. They loved me.”

Looking at Whitt, you’d never guess he did drag; He looks just like any other guy. But interestingly enough, when he does drag, he strives for femininity instead of over-the-top hair and makeup.

“It’s probably because I’m from Texas, but I love being ‘passable,’” he said. “When impersonating women, we should look like women, not clowns. I’ve always been more into glamor. Very ‘pageant,’ I guess?”

Whitt said the same statement in his Ru Paul’s Drag Race Season 3 audition tape. While he didn’t make the final cut, Whitt’s tape did make it to the casting special episode. His tape is still aired occasionally before the start of new seasons.

About nine years ago, Whitt began doing hair. He attended Paul Mitchell in Dallas before being hired on as an assistant at Toni & Guy. Next, he began working at The Green Peridot in Cisco, Texas, owned by Daniel Lewis of Shear Genius Season 2. Following his success there, he opened his own salon suite, and even did hair for an episode of Bridezillas.

“In Dallas, there’s a lot of celebrities,” Whitt explained. “There’s a lot of reality TV shows. I had a big local celebrity clientele in Dallas. I even had Beyonce’s vocal coach as a client. I left all of that to come down here.”

While the move was a bold one, Whitt is happy down here. He has a job doing hair at Roma 6 Barber & Salon in Fort Lauderdale, and he MCs in drag every Friday night at Johnny’s. He’s always loved MC’ing (professionally professionally for the past 10 years), where he feels he can be himself and still entertain people. He’s happy to be doing both of his passions and looks forward to a bright future in sunny South Florida.

For more information on Kevin Whitt the stylist, check out stylesbykevin.com, or visit Roma 6 Barber & Salon at 2585 E Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderale, 33304.

To see Whitt as Dominique, head on over to Johnny’s (1116 W Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, 33312) for his Friday night shows, beginning at 11 p.m.

Conway, originally born in Hunington, New York, was a 50 year resident of South Florida, living in
the Riverside area of Fort Lauderdale.

Conway was a noted graphic artist who did creative work for years for Georgie’s Alibi (in Wilton Manors and St
Petersburg), the Ramrod, Tropics Restaurant and Piano Bar, the Village Pub, Rosie’s and the former Jackhammer,
Marlin Beach Resort and David Magazine.

For 10 years he was the official photographer for the Miami Opera and a volunteer for the Poverello food bank.

“He was one of the nicest people I have ever known”, said fellow photographer Pompano Bill. “He was a prince of a
guy”, said Fort Lauderdale businessman Ron Gofrank.

Warren Conway is survived by longtime partner of 19 years, Bill Molner, two sisters and a step brother. At press
time, funeral arrangements were incomplete.

Dean Trantalis isn’t running in the Fort Lauderdale Commission race solely to represent the LGBT community, but he is running, in part, to give it representation on the commission.

Trantalis, who served as a Fort Lauderdale commissioner from 2003 to 2006 and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2009, is trying to get back on the dais, as a candidate for the District 2 commission seat. The seat was vacated by Charlotte Rodstrom, effective November 19, after she unsuccessfully ran for Broward County’s District 7 seat; coming in third against the winner, Tim Ryan, and former county commissioner Ken Keechl.

“I’m not going to run into city hall with a rainbow flag and yell, ‘gay, gay, gay,’ [but] I think it’s important to have a gay voice [on the commission],” said Trantalis, who added that with a gay commissioner, the LGBT community will be elevated beyond interest group status. “It’s a high profile position in the city the [LGBT community] can’t afford to ignore.”

Specifically, Trantalis—who serves on the Agenda Media Advisory Board—wants to add sexual orientation to the list of statuses protected under the City of Fort Lauderdale’s hiring practices.

Currently the city’s official policy is it can’t fire or decline to hire an employee based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or handicapping condition.

“The city does not practice [LGBT] discrimination,” Trantalis clarifies. “However, we still need to codify it before a non-gay friendly [commission may get elected].”

But the rest of Trantalis’ concerns involve every resident of Fort Lauderdale. One big issue is police and fire pensions and compensation.

Trantalis wants to reduce fire and police pensions and grant future raises based on the city’s fiscal ability, saying the city needs to shift its attention to creating safer, cleaner neighborhoods.

He’s also against borrowing money to shore up those pensions. In September, the commission voted to borrow $340 million and invest it in the hope that the returns would help pay for unfunded pension costs. Rodstrom and Commissioner Bobby DuBose voted against the measure.

Trantalis also wants to stop allowing police officers to take home their vehicles, a practice which increases the amount of money taxpayers spend on fuel. “That has to stop,” he said.

But before he can work on his agenda, Trantalis must defeat Chuck Black, Robert Walsh and Rodstrom herself, who was overwhelmingly re-elected in February with 78 percent of the vote. In 2009, she won her first term with the support of 53 percent of voters against two challengers. And more candidates could pop up by the qualifying deadline of this Friday, December 7.

The special election will be held January 15. If no candidate gets at least 51 percent, another election will be held March 12 between the top two vote-getters. The winner would serve the rest of the unexpired three-year term until 2015.

Trantalis says this time Rodstrom has tougher competition, and senses that many voters who supported her in the past are ready for someone new. In the battle for campaign dollars, finance reports show Rodstrom has raised the most so far with $11,100. Trantalis is in second with $7,725, and Black has $2,700. Walsh has yet to file a finance report.

Greater Fort Lauderdale lost a friend last week, as Jan D. Carpenter, respected business and community leader and loving partner of Dale Russell, passed away October 2. Carpenter, born January 17, 1949 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota (“Go Bears!”), attended Bemidji State University before accepting a management position with Target Corporation, a job that would take him to Denver for 25 years.

Carpenter spent time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before going to Houston as Senior Vice President for BankOne. While living in Space City that Carpenter met his future life and business partner, Dale Russell, who was at the time living in Dallas. “We were one of the original ‘AOL Couples,’” Russell recalls. The two would move to Savannah, Georgia, where Carpenter became a senior manager for Pitney Bowes. That company would eventually bring him to Florida, as Director of Offshore Operations.

“It was the greatest time in his life,” says Russell, who came to South Florida with Carpenter in 2003. “He travelled around the world 36 times.” He retired in 2009, although retirement for him meant going to work full time with Russell, in their Dale Russell Network (DRN) real estate firm.

The successful brand enable Carpenter and Russell (a past President of the Pride Center at Equality Park) to participate in the joys and challenges of the LGBT community of which they became such an integral part, including serving on the boards of several not for- profit and philanthropic groups.

“He was always there, no matter the cause to further the LGBT community,” remembered Carl Marzola, President of Atlantic Properties International, which serves as the broker for DRN. “He has done so much as an activist. He once said to me, Carl, I believe in Wilton Manors, because it’s a community where I—you, any gay person—can feel comfortable, safe, and not be judged. He helped make this place that reality.”

Christopher Dunham, President of Dunham Insurance Services, said that Carpenter was “a beautiful and loving man, and such an asset to our community.” Russell, his partner of 16 years— their anniversary is tomorrow, October 11—said that Carpenter “was full of life. He could walk into a room and just become its centerpiece. He had that forceful of a personality.”

To honor Carpenter’s philanthropic history, Russell has established the Jan Carpenter Fund, to benefit the Bears of South Florida (BOSFL), a charitable organization that disseminates funds to local service and non-profit groups. Russell says that friends of Carpenter’s and others who would like to remember him in the spirit of generosity should make a contribution to BOSFL, 1170 N Federal Hwy, Suite 401, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. BOSFL is a 501 (c)(3) , and donations are tax deductible.

A private memorial event in Carpenter’s honor will be held at the end of October at the Pride Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors

For more than 70 years, United Way of Broward County has acted like a kind of community glue for local non-profit and service organizations, uniting resources, donors, and volunteers to identify the community’s most pressing needs, and creating the building blocks that lead to measurable results. Some of the efforts United Way focuses on relate to such vital community issues as education, income insecurity, health services, and substance abuse treatment—many of the building blocks for a better life.

So it was natural when the service agency was looking for someone with experience and a proven record of service to others to serve as president and CEO through the uncertain Twenty-Tens and beyond, they turned to Kathleen Cannon, one of South Florida’s iconic individuals in the local notfor- profit landscape. A graduate of FIU with a Masters Degree in Social Work, Cannon served as Chief Operating Officer of Broward House—the county’s oldest and largest HIV/ AIDS community service organization for 10 years. As COO, Cannon oversaw an intricate web of services provided to residents at 13 South Florida locations. Her decade at the helm saw an expansion of Broward House services, a growth that has made it one of the region’s go-to agencies for many in need.

As she explains it, about two months ago, Cannon decided that she had done much that she had set out to accomplish with Broward House, and that it was time to set her skills, and passion, to a new task—a realization that coincided with the recent decision of United Way of Broward County officials to instill new vigor into that venerable agency. So Cannon says she took that leap of faith, and became the new CEO for one of the largest agencies in Broward County.

“I guess I am sort of a macro-practitioner, and while I loved all of the time I spent at Broward House, the United Way gave be a new opportunity, and a larger platform,” Cannon explains. “We help to fund over 60 agencies. One of my favorites—and I don’t like to choose favorites—is our Kids Literacy project. To watch these kids learning is very gratifying. Another is our mission to assist the families of our military service members who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan,” she adds.

“Our Women’s Leadership Council is coming up at the Hyatt Regency at Pier 66. We work to inspire women with their careers. On September 22, we are sponsoring Rock United at Revolution: LIVE (100 SW 3 Ave., Fort Lauderdale),” she says.

Cannon notes that the work of United Way affects people in need for a variety of causes. The community impact fund helps thousands who are struggling to survive. The consequences of local companies failing, and others cutting jobs and work hours, means that a growing number of families are facing hunger, homelessness, and other challenging, lifealtering circumstances. “United Way of Broward County mobilizes the power of local businesses and government agencies, education leaders, non-profits, faith-based groups, and volunteers to make a muchneeded impact in our community,” Cannon explains.

Like others in the non-profit field, Cannon and her colleagues have experienced the downward shift in government funding and private contributions. But she says the work—and the dream—doesn’t stop because of leaner times. “We at United Way have felt the pinch as most every charity has, so we work to make every dime count,” she says. The organization couldn’t have found someone more able to do just that.

For more information, visit unitedwaybroward.org.

Canadian-born R&B singer/ songwriter and actress Deborah Cox left rehearsals for the national tour of “Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical,” and flew from Manhattan to Fort Lauderdale last week as the special guest of the Break the Silence Campaign. The non-profit organization, founded by Logan Voxx’s Positive Young People (PYP) Foundation, hosted a cocktail event at the waterfront home of Ben Lap, raising nearly $10,000 for PYP.

The organization has earmarked the money for a grant to the Pride Center at Equality Park of South Florida, and its new pilot program providing comprehensive services to women with HIV in Broward County. Cox, who celebrated her 38th birthday at the event, pledged to make herself available at any city visited during her upcoming 26-week pre-Broadway tour with “Jekyll & Hyde,” to help publicize Break the Silence, an organization dedicated to refocusing awareness on the continuing HIV pandemic.

“As I travel from city to city, you will have whatever time you need,” she told the assembled group of 85 donors attending the “Cocktails for a Cause” event. “You already have my heart.” The PYP Foundation’s new executive director, Irwin Drucker, who introduced Cox, presented the grant to Kristofer Fegenbush, the Pride Center’s Deputy Director. The Pride Center was also represented at the function by Board President Richard Stoll, and board members Jim Walker and Chris Caputo.

Also in attendance: Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy, candidates for the newly redrawn Florida 22nd and 18th Districts, respectively, in the upcoming Democratic Congressional primaries; Michael Kennedy, executive director of the not-for-profit group Florida Together; Keith Blackburn, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce; Lee Rubin, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force board member; David Guzman and Justin Hill, of Wells Fargo Bank; Edi Mulyanato, owner of Dapur Asian Tapas, which supplied food for the event; Christopher Dunham, owner of PYP Corporate Sponsor Dunham Insurance Services; and Peter Jackson, owner of Push Fitness.

The PYP Foundation was founded several years ago by 24-year-old Logan Voxx to change the way America thinks and talks about the HIV pandemic. It is a grassroots social movement centered on creating public service announcements in a multi-media platform marketing and outreach effort. Donations may be made through the Break the Silence website at www.breakthesilencecampaign.org. Any donations made before August 16, 2012 will be earmarked for The Pride Center at Equality Park of South Florida. The Break the Silence Advisory Board consists of Nikki Haskell, Great HealthWorks spokesperson and socialite; public relations guru Gabriel Serrato-Buelna; non-profit financial development executive Steve Wozencraft; Hollywood writer Wes Ferguson; and HIV and Breast Cancer activist Gary Fowler, in addition to Voxx. For more information visit pypfoundation.org.

Although Ken Fontaine’s name may not leap out at you, as the Executive Director of Shadowood II—one of the specialized HIV/AIDS service organizations in Broward County—he is a man who leaps into action to help those in need. As its Web site notes, Shadowood II is a structured group home for homeless men and women who are living with HIV/AIDS and various life-threatening conditions.

“Shadowood II was founded in 1994 by Richard Colbert, who had witnessed so many in our community who were down on their luck—or who were literally thrown out of their homes, when their partners learned of their illness,” relates Fontaine. “I know of people who would get out of the hospital and come home to find all of their possessions on their lawn, and the locks changed. Now, here they are, on the street, ill, and no place to go.

“Richard started out with a very few apartments, but he let people know that there was a place for them to go,” he adds. Like many charitable and service organizations, Shadowood II has felt the ripples of the larger—and leaner— economy. “This has been a really rough last few years,” Fontaine acknowledges.

“Budget cuts, and of course, when Hurricane Wilma hit and we lost one of the large Banyan trees in the front of the apartments, we lost power for over a week and all of the food in the freezers and refrigerator.” Time and tide, of course, wait for no one, and the work continues, thanks in large measure to the assistance of local benefactors, who have helped support the work of Shadowood II.

“Over the last few years, we have grown to include more of the seniors in the community, and we have added more apartments,” Fontaine explains. “We work with all of those living with [HIV/AIDS],” he adds, “gay or straight.” “We now have people in Shadowood living here who are up to 80 years old. Sometimes, those who are living with HIV/AIDS may not know—for up to 10 years—as the virus has a way of hiding in the body.”

He stresses the importance of continual testing to determine one’s own HIV status. “Monitor your status,” he says, with emphasis. Fontaine is pleased to report that, following a recent inspection by Housing and Urban Development officials, Shadowood II passed with flying colors, and the facilities qualify to secure federal funding for another year.

“Our new president is Lois Westeroff, and she has done wonders in helping to put us back on track,” Fontaine says. Explaining the process for seeking assistance from Shadowood II, Fontaine explains, “Most of our clients are only with us for a year.

We bring them in from the street, and we have a notolerance policy for drugs or alcohol. We want to help them, and to get them back into society. We want to see them in their own apartment—not in an assisted living arrangement,” he says— and he means it. For more information, visit shadowoodii.org.

When was the last time you heard a Realtor tell you, “It’s an amazing time in the real estate market”?

Dale Russell— the man behind the Dale Russell Realty Network and the “face” of the Five Points intersection billboard— is “bullish” about local real estate, noting that lower inventory around town translates to increased sales.

“It’s the first time in 18 months that there has been a real decrease in inventory, and the first time prices have started to increase,” he notes. “Today, prices are up seven to 11% in Wilton Manors.”

Russell cites the Wilton Station condos as an example of the Law of Supply and Demand, and the evidence of its presence in South Florida’s gay village. He says prices there average $289,000, a jump from previous listing rates, and that just six units are currently available, compared with a year ago when 30 to 40 units were listed. Russell points to this and other markers that indicate a turnaround in the market.

Russell offers L’Hermitage on the beach as an example. The luxury oceanfront condo is now 10 years old, and very stable in terms of residents, with nothing available for sale, an almost unheard-of situation.

He also points to growth in neighboring Miami-Dade County.

“There are over 50,000 units currently under construction there,” Russell notes. “In that market, a group of investors got together and pooled their resources, and are making a huge difference there.”

Closer to home, Russell says that a lot of new growth in Wilton Manors comes from commercial ventures, with new restaurants, bars, and shops opening up along the Drive and Dixie Highway, and that rental prices are once again spiking, another indicator of economic recovery.

He also points to government programs for those with an eye on the real estate market.

“Currently, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are offering special incentives for buyers. They understand that they have to step up help restore confidence,” Russell says. Russell—the past President of The Pride Center at Equality Park and, with his business and life partner, Jan Carpenter, an active participant in local charitable activities and service organizations—was instrumental in helping The Pride Center obtain their new location on North Dixie Highway. Although he brokered the deal on the real estate side, Russell and his network refused to accept a commission for the transaction, donating their profit instead to help with The Pride Center’s renovations.

Russell said that it’s important to take what one hears about the real estate market in its proper context.

“You can’t listen to CNN or many of the local newscasts, because they are still talking ‘doom and gloom,’” he advises. “You really need to go online and look at what’s going on with the local markets. Get your facts and figures. Last year there were 11.1 million visitors to Greater Fort Lauderdale, and that exposure is huge, because so many of those people fall in love with the weather and the community, and they translate into potential buyers.”