Well, I’ll be off to Seattle next week, then San Francisco and Oklahoma. I recently spoke at a women’s conference and Texas activists and fundraisers from throughout the Midwest in Houston. But I’m here in San Diego this weekend … hooray … as I’ve gotten to hate flying.
Last week, District 4 openly gay City Council candidate Dwayne Crenshaw failed to get the official endorsement of the GLBT Democrats for Equality club. This is Crenshaw’s third campaign for this seat and two political powerhouses spoke at the club in favor of another candidate, that being Myrtle Cole. They were popular State Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins and National Democratic Councilmember and past Democratic County Chair Jess Durfee.
Both Cole and Crenshaw were rated “acceptable,’’ but Crenshaw did get the endorsement of the “gay” Victory Fund.
Todd Gloria will probably not make an endorsement in the primary which has drawn nine candidates, but rumors are he is leading toward long-time friend Cole.
In a recent Union-Tribune article on the District 4 Council race it was reported that one of the campaigns were using words like “drag queen” and “fraud” when referring to gay candidate Dwayne Crenshaw. Many of us find this very unacceptable and will not tolerate these types of attacks.
Word is that popular City Councilmember Kevin Faulconer is looking at running against Congressman Scott Peters. He would most certainly be a strong candidate as would Carl DeMaio who is also being mentioned as a possible Peters opponent.
The final number is in; Carl DeMaio spent $756,000 of his own money in his recent race for mayor and if you add the other personal money he put into his Council race and City propositions campaign in the last four years this amount would be close to $2 million. DeMaio is a self-made millionaire who still has lots of money left for any future campaign.
I met gay closet case Mayor Ed Koch, who recently died, a few times. Many AIDS activists and Act-Up leaders attacked the “queeny” Koch for his lack of leadership in the 1980s when it came to AIDS. When Ed Koch ran against Gov. Cuomo there were signs that read, “Vote for Cuomo not the homo!” Koch never came out of his closet but it was one of New York’s best kept secrets. Sure, it was just like Richard Simmons’ big secret has not been discovered … hum!
Will Marti Emerald not run for another Council term in the new District 9? If she doesn’t many would like to see Robert Gleason become a candidate.
Word is the Harvey Milk All American Diner could be opening in Hillcrest within a few months or so.
Gay community icon and businessman Chris Shaw is visiting India.
Future state Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez has already raised $126,723 for her campaign!
The annual Victory Fund brunch will be this coming Sunday and this San Diego event always draws a huge crowd … see you all there.
A big reception/fundraiser for the historic election of County Supervisor Dave Roberts is being planned for March.
Sincere condolences to former Congresswoman Lynn Schenk who recently lost her beloved husband U.S.D. law professor C. Hugh Friedman.
The 41st Coronation Ball
It was standing room only for the 41st annual Imperial Court de San Diego’s“Military Ball” at the Marriott Hotel.
Visiting GLBT royalty from all across the USA, Canada and Mexico were in attendance.
Mayor Bob Filner and San Diego first lady Bronwyn Ingram both spoke to the crowd and stayed a long while as did Council President Todd Gloria.
Special awards for staying ‘til the end go to: City Commissioner Robert Gleason,Pride Executive Director Stephen Whitburn, and The Center’s representatives! They witnessed Candi Samples being crowned “Empress XLI.”
It was a full weekend of events and happenings for the visiting court chapters. Almost 100 of them got together and raised nearly $4,000 for the Tijuana AIDS Fund in under 2 hours!
(In the last three decades the courts have raised more than $200,000 for Tijuana.)
Longtime political powerhouse Ms. Nancy Chase was given a royal title as was Marc Matys, Big Mike and Stephen Whitburn.The San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus performed the national anthems, once again perfectly.
The cast of the Laramie Project also performed and “RuPaul superstar” winner Chad Michaels, as usual, brought down the house.
Outgoing Emperor Tom Dickerson and Empress Ajax’s last walk brought tears to many eyes and they looked like the perfect royal couple the entire evening.
Pernicano’s must go!
Good for U.T. writer Matt Hall who recently wrote a column about that forever (since the 1970s) eyesore Pernicano’s Restaurant in Hillcrest should be torn down and demolished.
Owner George Pernicano who is now in his 90s and has always been a homophobe and hated that his beloved Hillcrest turned into a homo neighborhood has refused to sell it and even stated he would never let it become a gay nightclub.
Well, word is his sons are now looking to sell and that this big space could end up like the Atlas complex on Fifth Avenue which is condos on the top and small businesses on the bottom.
I don’t care what this space becomes – just tear this haunted house down!
The Laramie Project in town
Yes, the award-winning and super-popular play The Laramie Project about the murder of Matthew Shepard is opening this weekend in San Diego with performances at the Swedenborg Hall, 4144 Campus Ave. This very moving and important play is being performed by the new Trinity Theatre Company (Feb, 8,9,15 and 16).
For tickets call 619-269-9283 or trinitytheatrecompany@gmail.com
It will be a sad day if the city approves a project at the Pernicano location that does not include substantial public parking. This could be one of the last opportunities to improve on the dismal Hiicrest parking situation. All one needs to do, is watch the never ending changing of businesses along 5th Avenue. There is simply no place to park. To see how a well thought out parking structure/ small business scheme works, just look at the 3rd St Promanade in Santa Monica.