In New Jersey, George Dengler, who put a 'One man, one woman' bumper sticker on a gay Long Hill committeewoman's car, was admitted into a special probation program to resolve criminal charges of harassment and bias intimidation, according to DailyRecord.com . Dengler will be supervised on probation for two years, must perform 75 hours of community service and pay about $200 in fines.
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton revealed that he was 'inappropriately touched' by a priest six decades ago, according to the Washington Post. Gumbleton made the admission as he called for state legislatures to temporarily remove the time limits that have prevented many victims of sex abuse from suing the church. He is the first U.S. bishop to admit that he was sexually abused by a member of the clergy.
The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association ( NLGJA ) announced that CNN will make a $100,000 donation to its scholarship fund endowment to support the Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award, named after NLGJA's founder, the late Leroy F. Aarons, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and editor. The $5,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to an LGBT undergraduate or graduate student who plans a career in journalism and plans to further NLGJA's mission of fair and accurate coverage of the LGBT community.
Speaking of donations, The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation announced that it has been awarded a combined gift of $3 million over three years from the Arcus Foundation and its founder and president, Jon Stryker. The award, used to organize local communities and train leaders, consists of a three-year grant for 2006-2008, of which $1 million reflects an individual contribution from Jon Stryker and $2 million from the Arcus Foundation.
In eight amicus briefs filed with the California Court of Appeal, more than 250 religious and civil-rights groups urged the court to allow same-sex couples the protections of marriage. The Court is hearing the State's appeal of San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer's March 2005 decision, which held that California's current statutory ban on same-sex marriage violates the state constitution.
New regulations passed unanimously ( 3-0 ) by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors bans unprotected sex in all county commercial sex venues ( such as bathhouses and sex clubs ) and requires each site to pay $1,088 in annual licensing fees and undergo quarterly health inspections, according to Advocate.com . Owners of sex venues also have to deny entry to anyone who appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
SonyBMG and the founder of Logo, MTV's gay television network, are launching a record label focused on gay and lesbian artists, the New York Post reported. The label, 'Music with a Twist,' will be a partnership between SonyBMG's Sony Music Label Group U.S. and Wilderness Media & Entertainment, the firm headed by Logo founder Matt Farber.
Palm Beach County will become the second county in Florida to recognize gay and lesbian relationships by providing domestic partners ( both gay and heterosexual ) various family benefits, according to a release from the county's Human Rights Council. ( Broward County was the first. ) Domestic partners will have, among other things, the same rights as spouses to visit a partner at healthcare facilities and to make health care decisions for an incapacitated partner.
LOCAL ROUNDUP
The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women Luncheon is Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at Navy Pier. Michelle Obama, wife of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, will be the guest speaker. Contact Jennifer Price at ( 312 ) 476-6673 or jennifer.price@heart.org for more info.
There will be a fundraiser for Illinois Appellate Court Justice Michael James Murphy at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, on Jan. 31, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $50 to $500. Call Sean at ( 312 ) 645-9400, ext. 24.
There will be an open forum to discuss officially forming ACT-UP Chicago at the John Merlo Public Library, 644 W. Belmont, on Jan. 31, 7-8 p.m. For more info, e-mail actupchicago@yahoo.com .
The Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association ( CMSA ) co-ed LGBT indoor soccer season starts on Feb. 3 at Windy City Fieldhouse, 2367 W. Logan Blvd., at 6:30 p.m, with registration and round-robin play. Following the session, each player will be assigned to a team. Registration is $82 and everyone must be a paid member of the CMSA. E-mail Jason at CMSA_soccer@hotmail.com or call ( 312 ) 409-7932, ext. 2.
There will be an LGBT fundraiser for Iowa gubernatorial candidate Ed Fallon on Feb. 11, 4-7 p.m., at the home of Carlos Mock and Bill Rattan, 4728 N. Malden, #1-S. The suggested donation is $50. RSVP at ( 773 ) 561-6617 or ctmock@yahoo.com .
The exhibition 'Politics on Paper: Global Tragedies/Personal Perils' will be shown until March 11 at Columbia College's Center for Book & Paper Arts, 1104 S. Wabash, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Mon.-Sat. ( The opening reception is Jan. 27 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. ) Call ( 312 ) 344.6684 or see www.bookandpaper.org .
Jewish Family and Community Service ( JFCS ) is hosting 'The Lesbian Experience: Across the Life Span,' on Feb. 2 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at 5150 Golf Road, Skokie. There is a $15 fee that is adjustable. Call Randi Schulman at ( 847 ) 568-5200 or see www.jfcschicago.org . In addition, JFCS is hosting 'Coming Out to the Movies: On Being Gay, Lesbian & Jewish' on Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Chai, 1670 Checker Road, Long Grove. Call ( 847 ) 537-1771 or e-mail Lois@templechai.org for reservations.
Members of the Chicago Foundation for Women's 'Our Voices, Our Choices' Reproductive Health Coalition are hosting 'Speak Out! for Reproductive Justice,' Jan. 22, 1-2:30 p.m., at Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan. E-mail: rsvp@cfw.org .
There will be a community forum on the AIDS Drug Assistance Program Jan. 19 from 6-8 p.m. at Test Positive Aware Network ( TPAN ) , 5537 N. Broadway. Also, individuals will be at the same location Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., to answer questions about Medicare Part D. Call TPAN at ( 773 ) 989-9400.
An education and support group for family and friends of loved ones living with HIV/AIDS will take place each Wednesday, 6-7:30 p.m., for four weeks starting Jan. 25 at Howard Brown Health Center, 4025 N. Sheridan. The group is free. Call Jillian at ( 773 ) 572-6981 or Jenny at ( 773 ) 388-8665.
Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter will offer a grief support group for LGBT individuals who have lost a spouse or partner. The group starts Feb. 1, 6:30-8 p.m., and will meet for four weeks at the Unitarian Church of Evanston, 1330 Ridge Ave. Contact Ellen Rieger, LCPC, at ( 847 ) 556-1936 to register.
The Midwest chapter of Lambda Legal will hold its 5th Annual Freedom to Marry Reception on Feb. 9, 7-9 p.m., at High Risk Gallery, 1113 W. Belmont. The event will feature a bouquet toss, music and guest speaker Rick Garcia of Equality Illinois. E-mail Catina Lowery at CLowery@lambdalegal.org .
