Scientology Critical Information Directory

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Scientology library: “Florida”

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abortion • dave schlenker • david miscavige • death • fraud, lie, deceit, misrepresentation • heroes health fund - ocala detoxification project • joe childs • john travolta • judge robert e. beach • judge steven d. merryday • kennan g. "ken" dandar • kyle thomas brennan • lawsuit • lisa mcpherson • marc headley • purification rundown ("purif") • real estate • recruitment • sea organization (sea org, so) • settlement • suppressive person (sp) • the truth rundown (st. petersburg times' special report) • thomas c. tobin • tommy davis • washington post
Reference materials Wikipedia: Gabe Cazares investigates churchSt. Petersburg Times (Florida)
43 matching items found between Jan 2010 and Dec 2010. Furthermore, there are 1148 matching items for all time not shown.
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Nov 21, 2010
Scientology benefits when Miami dentist runs up patient bills — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
More: Church of Scientology's comment
Type: Press
Author(s): Joe Childs, Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
MIAMI — Rosa Hernandez remembers this about her dentist: He sure could close a deal. She and her husband, Mauricio, had gone to Dr. Rene Piedra with a host of concerns. She had sensitive gums and a paralyzing fear of dentists. He needed bonding. Piedra, dressed in a business suit instead of a dental coat, showed them computerized models of how he would fix their teeth. He offered them a discount because they came in together, and helped them with a ...
Nov 21, 2010
Scientology biographies: Piedra, Blyskal today — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Dr. Rene Piedra, 41 Dentist in Miami area since 1998. Divorced, one child. Now: His new office is a strip center in Pinecrest, just a few miles from his former office in Coral Gables. A generic sign — "The Dentist" — is mounted on the façade above the doorway. A smaller sign —no bigger than a standard street sign — juts out just above the door frame: "New Era Dentistry." A Times reporter was waiting for him on a recent morning ...
Oct 18, 2010
Louis Farrakhan renews call for self-determination among Nation of Islam followers — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Shelley Rossetter, Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Minister Louis Farrakhan urged black people to take the future into their own hands during his keynote address Sunday at the Nation of Islam's annual day of atonement. "Ain't nobody going to do something for us; we're going to have to do it for ourselves," he said to more than 8,000 people at the Tampa Convention Center. The event marked 15 years since the Million Man March was held in Washington, D.C., which Farrakhan, a polarizing figure whose remarks on Jews ...
Oct 16, 2010
Tony's Pizzeria & Ristorante moving west in downtown Clearwater — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Mike Brassfield
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Downtown Clearwater is becoming more Italian. A little more Greek, too. Four restaurants are either opening or moving to more spacious digs. That includes two Italian places, a Greek deli and an organic food and wine bar. They're making use of city grants to upgrade their buildings as Clearwater tries to transform its downtown into a gathering place. CLEARWATER — Tony and Jimmy Starova had no idea what to expect when they opened a hole-in-the-wall pizza joint on Cleveland Street five ...
Oct 15, 2010
Nation of Islam leaders in Tampa for 15th anniversary of Million Man March — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Elisabeth Parker
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
TAMPA — Leaders of the Nation of Islam are in Tampa to mark the 15th anniversary of the Million Man March. Minister Louis Farrakhan, organizer of that march, is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Tampa Convention Center's east hall, which holds up to 8,000 people. Farrakhan, 77, known as a fiery orator, has been a polarizing leader, alienating many with statements considered racist toward whites and Jews. His assistant, Minister Ishmael Muhammad, spoke about Farrakhan's message Thursday ...
Oct 13, 2010
Federal court hearing ends impasse between judges — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
TAMPA — An unusual impasse between two area judges came to a close after a hearing Tuesday in federal court. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday clarified an order he issued last week, saying he never meant for it to stop Pinellas Senior Circuit Judge Robert E. Beach from withdrawing from a case involving the Church of Scientology. Merryday said he issued the order only to prevent Beach from fining and suspending attorney Ken Dandar, who Beach determined had defied him. ...
Oct 8, 2010
It's judge vs. judge in battle over over Scientology lawyer — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Usually it's the lawyers who tussle back and forth in court. But a dispute involving the Church of Scientology has two of the area's most notable judges locking horns, each saying the other stepped outside his jurisdiction. Pinellas judge Robert E. Beach has filed a motion in federal court in Tampa saying U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday erred last week when he "permanently enjoined" Beach from carrying out sanctions against lawyer Ken Dandar, who is challenging Scientology. Merryday's order appeared ...
Sep 29, 2010
Federal judge tells Pinellas judge to back off in Scientology lawsuit — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
TAMPA — A federal judge has ordered a Pinellas judge and the Church of Scientology to halt their efforts to severely punish Ken Dandar, a Tampa lawyer who is taking the church to court for the second time in his career. The action Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday involves Pinellas Judge Robert Beach, who has said he intends to impose a $130,000 fine on Dandar and possibly suspend his license to practice law. The reason: Dandar allegedly reneged on ...
Sep 28, 2010
Fed judge to state judge: Butt out of Scientology case — Tampa Tribune (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Elaine Silvestrini
Source: Tampa Tribune (Florida)
TAMPA — In a rare clash between courts, a federal judge today said he will order a state judge not to interfere with a lawyer's handling of a federal case involving the Church of Scientology. A visibly irritated U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday granted a motion by lawyer Kennan Dandar, who is representing the estate of Kyle Thomas Brennan in a wrongful death suit against the church. Merryday told Scientology attorneys they "have forced my hand on this issue." The ...
Sep 21, 2010
Editorial // In court with Scientology — Tampa Tribune (Florida)
Type: Press
Source: Tampa Tribune (Florida)
The Church of Scientology is practicing its aggressive form of litigation management against a longtime legal protagonist who has twice represented clients whose relatives died while in the care of church members. Lawyers for the church are using a secret settlement agreement in a state case to try to remove Tampa lawyer Ken Dandar from a federal case they claim has no merit. They persuaded a state judge to order Dandar off the federal case. Trouble is, the federal case is ...
Sep 4, 2010
Federal judge suspends state judgment against lawyer in dispute with Scientology — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Craig Pittman
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
TAMPA — Scientology's most vocal local critic, Ken Dandar, faced disaster. A circuit judge had found him in contempt of court this week and assessed a judgment of $130,000 — to be paid to the Church of Scientology. Dandar might lose his car. He might even lose his law license. All of that, he told a federal judge Friday, because Dandar isn't bowing out of a federal case against the church. But the judge may have given Dandar a reprieve. And ...
Sep 1, 2010
Lawyer in Scientology case is stuck between state and federal judges — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Craig Pittman, Curtis Krueger
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
LARGO — One of the Church of Scientology's most vocal critics, Tampa lawyer Ken Dandar, is in a pickle. Six years ago, he settled a wrongful death case against the church on behalf of the family of Lisa McPherson, who died in 1995 after 17 days in the care of church members in Clearwater. Part of the settlement agreement, approved by a judge in state court, required Dandar to never again represent anyone suing Scientology. But last year, Dandar took on ...
Aug 30, 2010
Deeper look at how Wall Street's self-dealing led to housing bubble cites role of Clearwater financier — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Robert Trigaux
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Wake up and good morning. If some of you wonder why the business media is not taking a deeper "what the heck happened" look at the financial meltdown of recent years, take heart. ProPublica, an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. has begun publishing a series about how, in the middle of America's housing bubble, Wall Street bankers perpetrated one of the greatest episodes of self-dealing in financial history. And in the latest part of ...
Aug 6, 2010
Judge dismisses two lawsuits aimed at Scientology — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
More: Court ruling, Church of Scientology's response
Type: Press
Author(s): Thomas C. Tobin, Joe Childs
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
The Church of Scientology won an important victory in federal court Thursday when a judge dismissed two lawsuits that accused the church of labor law violations, human trafficking and forced abortions. Claire and Marc Headley, who left Scientology in 2005, said the church controlled them with threats of harsh punishment and other tactics that prevented them from leaving the Sea Organization, Scientology's religious order. But U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer ruled that the Sea Org is protected by the First ...
Jul 31, 2010
Scientology church finds new home in Queen Anne neighborhood — Seattle Times
Type: Press
Author(s): Janet I. Tu
Source: Seattle Times
[Ongoing censorship of critical views in the comments section, as confirmed by a Seattle Times official: "Dear readers, As many of you have noticed, many comments have been suppressed in this comment thread. This has not been due to an editorial decision by The Seattle Times, but rather has been due to other readers reporting and flagging abuse. I have gone into the problem queue and unflagged all appropriate comments. Nikolaj Lasbo Online News Producer seattletimes.com"] —– For the Rev. Ann ...
Jul 26, 2010
Getting detoxified 15 firefighters have or will complete the program funded by John Travolta — Ocala Star-Banner (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Dave Schlenker
Source: Ocala Star-Banner (Florida)
Helen Hunter recently jumped into the local roller-derby circuit. This is an appropriate footnote about the always-on-the-go Ocala firefighter. Hunter is pushing 40, and she smiles at the mere thought of derby competition. She embraces athletics, working out, fighting fires, health and the relationship between all of them. She will tell you with complete conviction the healthier she is, the better she can fight fires for the taxpayers who pay her salary. She is passionate about performing at her best, physically ...
Jun 19, 2010
Letters to the Editor // Saturday letters: The realities of Scientology are being distorted — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Once again you try to paint an ugly picture of a religious movement that has helped hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of people lead happy and successful lives. So let me address your latest falsehoods. My experience in Scientology has been incredible. I have been a member of the Church of Scientology since 1973. I met and married my husband while working for the church. I have raised two sons in the church. They are both practicing Scientologists. ...
Jun 15, 2010
Editorial: Scientology's family-friendly image contrasts with pressure for abortions — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Among the beliefs listed in the "Creed of the Church of Scientology": "All men have inalienable rights … to the creation of their own kind" and "no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights, overtly or covertly." Yet a very different picture emerges from women who became pregnant while working for the church. They relate painful stories of intimidation, shaming, shunning or outright coercion by the church until women agreed to abortions or were ...
Jun 14, 2010
She fought Scientology for the child they wanted to abort — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
More: Church of Scientology's response
Type: Press
Author(s): Joe Childs, Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Twenty years ago, when Natalie Hagemo was 19, pregnant and working for the Church of Scientology, she couldn't wait to be a mother. She was near the end of her first tri­mester, she says, when colleagues in Scientology's military-style religious order, the Sea Organization, began pressuring her to get an abortion. Two high-ranking officers said terminating the pregnancy would allow her to keep working. They berated her when she said no. Supervisors told her to hide her expanding belly lest co-workers ...
Jun 13, 2010
Inside Scientology: No kids allowed — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
More: Church of Scientology response, Church spokesman Tommy Davis' letter to the Times, Declarations from Scientology members
Type: Press
Author(s): Joe Childs, Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Laura Dieckman was just 12 when her parents let her leave home to work full time for Scientology's religious order, the Sea Organization. At 16, she married a co-worker. At 17, she was pregnant. She was excited to start a family, but she said Sea Org supervisors pressured her to have an abortion. She was back at work the following day. Claire Headley joined at 16, married at 17 and was pregnant at 19. She said Sea Org supervisors threatened strenuous ...
Jun 12, 2010
Church of Scientology: The Headley lawsuits — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Former Scientologists Claire and Marc Headley are suing the Church of Scientology in separate actions in federal court in Los Angeles. Marc Headley, 37, alleges he was the victim of unfair business practices, labor law violations and forced labor, or human trafficking, during his 15 years in the church's Sea Organization. Claire Headley, 35, alleges the church forced her to have two abortions during her 13 years in the Sea Org. She also claims working conditions at the church's international management ...
Jun 12, 2010
Scientology and abortion — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
The Church of Scientology does not take a position on abortion. However, the subject comes up in the writings of church founder L. Ron Hubbard, which the church regards as sacred scripture. Scientology counseling seeks to rid the mind of "mental image pictures" or "engrams" created during painful moments in one's past — including previous lifetimes and time spent in the womb. Hubbard expressed concern about the "prenatal child" and how the emotional traumas of "attempted abortion" can cause problems after ...
Jun 3, 2010
Church of Scientology buys historic Ybor Square — Tampa Tribune (Florida)
More: tbo.com
Type: Press
Author(s): Kathy Steele
Source: Tampa Tribune (Florida)
TAMPA - The Church of Scientology is poised to become steward of perhaps the most iconic brick-and-mortar symbol of this fabled cigar town's history — a move that could signal a greater presence for Scientologists just outside downtown Tampa. The church recently purchased Ybor Square for about $7 million, records show. The three-building complex at 1911 N. 13th St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues, is the former home of what was once the largest cigar factory in the world. Built in ...
May 18, 2010
In Rene Piedra and Associates, Debtor; Barry E. Mukamal, Chapter 7 Trustee v. Church of Scientology of Florida, Inc.; World Institute of Scientology Enterprises, Inc.; Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida, Inc.; Deborah Fraser, as Trustee of the US IAS Members; Indira Blyskal; William Alexander Carr; Second Chance Program, Inc.; Wendy L. Keene; MGE Management Experts, Inc. dba Marcus Group Enterprises, Inc.; IAS Administrations, Inc.; Church of Scientology Religious Trust
Type: Legal
[... Trustee seeks leave to amend the Adversary Complaints to include more detailed information regarding Keene and Blyskal’s involvement in a massive scheme to defraud dental patients and transfer significant sums of money to Church of Scientology ("CAS") or CAS related entities. The Trustee through proper investigation and analysis of various documents was able to unearth further information relating to this scheme. ...] —– UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA MIAMI DIVISION www.flsb.usc0urts.g0v In re: Chapter 7 RENE PIEDRA ...
May 17, 2010
Experts say city of Tampa violated zoning for Scientologists — WTSP-TV (Florida)
Type: TV
Author(s): Mike Deeson
Source: WTSP-TV (Florida)
Tampa, Florida — It is one of Tampa's most famous building complexes, dating back to 1886. Ybor Square, which houses the Spaghetti Warehouse and Creative Loafing newspaper, is owned by the Church of Scientology. As a religious building, the church will be exempt from paying almost $75,000 in property taxes. Vince Pardo, the head of the Ybor Community Development District, says that is a big concern, because the taxes generated are the budget for Ybor City. Pardo says he is also ...
May 10, 2010
10-year-old Haitian earthquake survivor dies after fall from roof — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Rodney Thrash
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
CLEARWATER — Ten-year-old Anais Jean made it out of one the world's worst natural disasters, a magnitude 7 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people and crippled her Caribbean nation of Haiti. Her father hoped they could rebuild in Clearwater, where they settled after the quake. But tragedy has stricken the Jean family once again. Anais died May 3, four days after she fell from the roof of Mike and Mary Campbell's Chateauwood Drive home, Clearwater public safety spokeswoman Elizabeth Watts ...
May 6, 2010
Church of Scientology of Tampa buys Ybor Square: It’s a done deal — Creative Loafing (Tampa, Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): David Warner
Source: Creative Loafing (Tampa, Florida)
Per a letter sent last night to Creative Loafing’s chief financial officer, CL now has a new landlord: The Church of Scientology of Tampa, Inc. We broke the story of the prospective purchase last weekend on the Daily Loaf after finding documentation of the deal-in-progress at the City of Tampa zoning office. That news was a surprise to most of Ybor, most especially to CL and our fellow tenants in Ybor Square (which include Centurion Center, an executive suite rental company ...
May 1, 2010
CL’s new landlord? Church of Scientology in negotiations to buy Ybor Square — Creative Loafing (Tampa, Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): David Warner
Source: Creative Loafing (Tampa, Florida)
Last week, as Creative Loafing was preparing to move from temporary quarters to permanent office space in Ybor Square (right), we heard the rumors: The historic former cigar factory, built in 1886 by Vicente Martinez Ybor, was up for sale — and the prospective buyer was The Church of Scientology. Whoa. We looked into it. No one could confirm. Calls weren’t returned. Then I checked with the City of Tampa’s zoning office, and there it was in black and white: In ...
Apr 28, 2010
Scientology run-ins bring warnings — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s): Joe Childs, Thomas C. Tobin
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
With two recent public confrontations, a year-long, highly publicized drama in the world of Scientology has spilled into the streets of Clearwater. The latest incident occurred Friday afternoon as seven members of the Church of Scientology — including five senior members of its California-based international management team — surrounded and screamed at a former church executive, then loudly carried the dispute into the office of an unsuspecting and startled doctor. The former executive was Mike Rinder, 55, Scientology's longtime spokesman, whose ...
Apr 5, 2010
Uncovering the secrets of Scientology // GW professor helped expose details of scandal, covered trial of church leaders — GW Hatchet (George Washington University, Washington, D.C.)
Type: Press
Author(s): Matt Rist
Source: GW Hatchet (George Washington University, Washington, D.C.)
In a sleepy beach town in the Bible Belt, a 22-year-old journalist found himself in the middle of what was then considered by some a cult - and is now known as the Church of Scientology. That young journalist was adjunct professor Richard Leiby, one of the first to unearth religious leaders' clandestine activities during his time at The Clearwater Sun in Florida. During his stay at the now defunct Tampa Bay-area newspaper, Leiby was sent to the nation's capital to ...
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