Here are SFGN's "Best of 2018" winners in the Groups category in Broward County.

Rose-colored lights and chandeliers hung over the heads of guests as they walked into this year’s Diversity Honors Award Ceremony. Every guest had the opportunity to have their picture taken before mingling with the crowd inside, hors d'oeuvres and drinks making their rounds. 

For many local consignment shops and retailers in and around Wilton Manors, the Christmas shopping season isn’t a make or break time of year.

The murders of Michael Miccio, 60, and Guy Eargle, 68, aren’t linked by police. But friends say the two men shared a generous spirit, and it may have been beneficiaries of that generosity that murdered the two gay men. Police are still investigating their deaths.

Niki Lopez is the founder of “What’s Your Elephant,” a movement that provides a safe space so that people can create art as therapy and have an open discussion.   

Over a dozen SFGN distribution boxes in the Victoria Park and Greater Fort Lauderdale area were compromised this past week, with anonymous pamphlets containing nothing but Biblical quotes warning against homosexuality.

In the year 1977, geeks around the nation were created with a wave of technology and media. Atari released the first popular gaming console, the Atari 2600, and the gaming revolution began. Sick of playing silly “Pong,” the system promised eye-popping graphics and insane fun. 

With all the holiday shopping competition from big box stores and online giants like Amazon, retailers in and around Wilton Manors say they compete by offering something else – better customer service and merchandise not easy or impossible to find elsewhere.

There are probably only a handful of people still alive today that remember Danny and Doc’s Club Jewel Box. One of South Florida’s earliest known gay bar/club, it was only around from the late 1940s until around the mid-1950s when it was demolished to make way for the Jordan Marsh department store at NE 15th street and Biscayne Blvd in Miami.

Zoetic Stage, the regional theater company in residence at Miami’s Arsht Center, is honoring local gay playwright and theater patron Tony Finstrom with the first annual Finstrom Festival of New Works, debuting online next week with streamed readings of five new plays.

With so many gay and lesbian travelers visiting South Florida at this time of year, it is time for me to switch hats, play the role of criminal defense attorney, and publish my annual cautionary guide to tourists.

Trump Picks Pence As VP

Rob Bullock: I lived in Indiana. He is a homophobic, anti-women's rights, slashed money from 4-year state colleges and ignored the states failing roads and infra-structure while bragging about building a $2 billion surplus. He and his cronies gave millions in tax-credits to companies for jobs that never materialized and have done everything than can to hide this fact.

Barry Davis: Well Pence had to do something. He certainly wouldn't get reelected in IN...he's only got a 39% approval rating. Trump & Pence...now the race is twice as creepy!

James Smith: TP for your bunghole 2016!

GOP Platform Most Anti-LGBT Ever

Warren A. Baxter: Lincoln would never be a republican today. At least not this corrupt Republican Party.

Joe Lagana: they are no longer the party of Lincoln. They haven't been for a while now.

Steve Johnson: nothing new here.

Letter Writer Takes Issue With Progress Bar Towing Cars

Tommy Peek: I would almost agree with the letter...EXCEPT... The parking lot is clearly marked and as per the letter, already known that they will tow. So, bottom line.. The rules DO apply to you. As you obviously discovered. Sucks to get towed, but I'd bet you won't let it happen again. Sometimes life lessons can be quite expensive.

Joel S. Slotnick: It stinks beyond stink. But in general days of the bars working in tandem are long gone. It has become so cut-throat. Everyone tows, there are meters everywhere. And from what I understand, one of the lots that is free during the day and charges you to park at night will be having meters or a pay machine installed in the not too distant future. Wilton Drive is going to put itself 6 ft under and wonder why..........The friendly is slowly going away. Sad.........

Tz Terri: Rudest bar on the drive and I'm not referring about the towing issuer.

Steven William Talbert: I've only been to Progress Bar twice. Both times it became obvious that their servers ignore patrons over the age of 40.

Steven AlanAlan: Sad, crying, and memorizing does not justify parking in a private lot without consequences.

A week after being busted for meth, porn star Matthew Rush announced he is “laying low.”

In September we asked you, our readers, to vote for your favorite restaurants, hangouts, and charities — from your favorite burgers and desserts to the Best Guesthouse, Business and Realtor. We received more than 5,000 votes in more than 100 categories. This year the contest was a two-step process. In August you nominated your favorites and then in September you voted on the top 5 in each category.

In September we asked our readers to vote for their favorite restaurants, hangouts, and charities — from your favorite burgers and desserts to the Best Attorney, Business and Realtor.

After moving here from the Midwest seven years ago, there were two differences that immediately struck me. People are friendlier and grocery stores are completely different.  

Looking for something fun to do in South Florida?

On Aug. 2 between the hours of 8:25 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., two men attempted to break into a safe at the Wilton Manors 7-Eleven located on the corner of Andrews Avenue and Oakland Park Boulevard.