Honorable & Dishonorable Mentions | Top Ten GLBT New Stories

Members from several GLBT organizations marched in the Martin Luther King Jr. March in January. Photos: Antonia Padilla

JANUARY

S.A. still first with percentage of same sex couples raising kids
New statistics released in January by the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles show that the percentage of same sex couples raising kids in San Antonio is the highest in the nation. This is the second time since 2005 that the city has achieved this ranking. Click here for story.

Official oppression earns ex-cop a year behind bars
A former San Antonio police officer accused of raping a transsexual prostitute while on duty was ordered to spend a year in jail. Attorneys for Craig Nash, 39, had asked state District Judge Lori Valenzuela for deferred adjudication probation during the brief sentencing hearing, pointing out that he otherwise had been commended for his service during his six years with the department.

Jonas retores as SA PLFAG president
QSanAntonio.com, January 22, 2011
Yvonne Jonas, president of the San Antonio chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, announced this week that she will retire after 17 years of working with the organization locally. Click here for story.

Jeffrey Brian Spaulding (left) was arrested in connection with the murder of his roommate and sometime-lover Ted Bruno Wildberger.

FEBRUARY

Man arrested in murder of roommate
QSanAntonio.com, February 12, 2011
P olice arrested Jeffrey Brian Spaulding in connection with the murder of Ted Bruno Wildberger, his former roommate. The arrest warrant affidavit says the two men, who lived together until recently, had on on-again, off-again sexual relationship. Click here for story.

GetEQUAL director hosts S.A. town hall meeting
QSanAntonio.com, February 19, 2011
Robin McGehee, the director and co-founder of GetEQUAL, was in San Antonio on February 26 to host an LGBT town hall meeting. McGehee met with community organizers and leaders to discuss what issues should take the foreground in the movement; how to build effective coalitions; and how to effectively represent the whole of our community. Click here for story.

"Vagina Monologues" readings included performance in Spanish
Eve Ensler's play, "The Vagina Monologues," had three readings in San Antonio starting on February 15, and for the first time one performance was presented in Spanish. The three readings will benefited the Rape Crisis Center, the Battered Women and Children's Shelter and P.E.A.C.E. Initiative. Click here for story.

A group of GLBT and allied activists formed a coalition to elect attorney Diego Bernal to the San Antonio City Council District 1.

MARCH

GLBT group endorses Bernal in District 1 race
A group of GLBT and allied activists announced that they were forming a coalition to elect attorney Diego Bernal to the San Antonio City Council District 1. Gay District 1 City Council candidate Chris Forbrich reacted by saying that the coalition only served to divide the gay community at a time when unity is desperately needed. Click here for story.

Magic Johnson talks HIV in S.A.
Magic Johnson, former MVP player for the Los Angeles Lakers, was in San Antonio on March 5 for a rally at St. Phillips College where he advocated for HIV testing and prevention.

Councilwoman Ivy Taylor shirks Stonewall Democrats
District 2 City Councilwoman Ivy Taylor told the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio at a candidate endorsement meeting that if endorsed by the group she would not carry that endorsement on her web site or campaign literature. "Many in our are would look at that as something that would be divisive," she told Stonewall. Taylor also said she would meet with GLBT constituents but would not march in the annual Pride parade.

Cory James Carmichael was sentenced to 40 years in jail for the murder of a gay man, Troy Martinez Clattenburg. (Video capture KSAT-TV 12)

APRIL

Killer of gay man sentenced to 40 years
On February 24, 2010, 22-year-old Cory James Carmichael told police he shot 24-year-old Troy Martinez Clattenburg in the head because the young man had made a pass at him. In April of this year, Carmichael was sentenced to 40 years for the crime. Click here for stories.

Gay activists confront Dan Ramos face to face
A meeting convened on April 5 by Bexar County Democratic Chair Dan Ramos ended with three GLBT activists confronting him face to face. The activists, from the Direct Action Network of San Antonio, asked Ramos to explain his remarks when he called gays termites and Nazis then concluded by asking him to resign. Click here for story.

Same-sex date welcome at Second Chance Prom
The dance held in April at the student center at the University of Texas at San Antonio was decidedly unorthodox. Dubbed the Second Chance Prom, it was put on by the school's GLBTQ Club of UTSA. The goal was to give celebrants a chance they might have missed in high school — to kick up their heels with the date of their choice, even if they happened to be of the same sex.

About 15 minutes into a community forum organized by BEAT AIDS, organizers abruptly adjourned the proceedings when Bexar County official Aurora Sanchez tried to read a letter from the Texas Department of State Health Services exonerating the County from any wrongdoing in regards to the defunding of BEAT AIDS. Photos: Antonia Padilla.

MAY

BEAT AIDS community forum abruptly adjourned
The evening had been planned as a community forum for "clients, neighborhood residents, concerned citizens and community organizations who have questions about what's happening at BEAT AIDS" since Bexar County withdrew federal funding from the organization last year. However, about 15 minutes into the gathering, meeting organizers adjourned the proceedings during a question and answer session while a County official was trying to speak. Click here for story.

St. Mary's law school dean honored by Equality Texas
Reynaldo Anaya Valencia, the associate dean of the St. Mary's University School of Law, was honored by Equality Texas on May 15 at its annual Spirit of Texas Brunch. Valencia received the Becky Cross Anchor Award.

Choco Meza chosen to lead Bexar Democrats
Veteran political activist Choco Meza was elected chairwoman of the Bexar County Democratic Party on Tuesday, replacing a leader ousted for his bigoted comments and clashes with party hierarchy. Victory was sweet for Meza. Last year, she surprisingly lost her heavily favored bid to lead the party to the now-deposed Dan Ramos, who still maintains his removal was improper.

John Berry, the Director of U.S. Office of Personnel Management and an openly gay man, was in San Antonio on June 21 for a Town Hall Meeting sponsored by the Stonewall Democrats. Photos: Antonia Padilla.

JUNE

At town hall, Berry details federal employment gains for GLBTs
John Berry, the Director of U.S. Office of Personnel Management, was in San Antonio on June 21 on federal business and made time in his schedule for a town hall appearance sponsored by the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio. Click here for story.

AIDS complacency feared in San Antonio
“While people feel like AIDS is no big deal anymore, we see it is a big deal — because we still have people dying here all year long,” Jill Rips, deputy executive director of the San Antonio AIDS Foundation, told the San Antonio Express-News. “In some cases, that's because people found out they were infected really late in the course of their illness and there was nothing to be done for them.”

S.A. coffee co. starts national brouhaha over anti-gay-tweet
The Brown Coffee Co. on the corner of West Kings Highway and North Zarzamora found itself at the center of a national controversy after remarks posted on Twitter were criticized nationally for being homophobic in nature.

Will Phillips, shown with his mother, was Grand Marshal of the Pride Parade this year.

JULY

Boy who stood up for equality is Grand Marshal of Pride parade
Two years ago, Will Phillips was in the fifth grade at the West Fork Elementary School in Arkansas when he gained national attention for his refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance because, he said, there is no "liberty and justice for all" because GLBT people in his state could not adopt children or marry. Click here for story.

Confusion at Haven for Hope over gay donations
QSanAntonio.com, July 2, 2011
The CEO of Haven for Hope says that a miscommunication ended up leaving organizers at Pride San Antonio with the impression that the homeless organization did not want donations from a GLBT group. Click here for story.

MP complains over San Antonio anti-gay preacher’s UK visit
A member of the British Parliament asked Home Secretary Theresa May why anti-gay San Antonio preacher John Hagee was being allowed into the UK. Labour MP Richard Burden told the Birmingham Mail that people will question why Hagee is allowed into the country while other hate preachers, such as Muslim speaker Sheikh Raed Salah, are banned.

Congressman Lloyd Doggett held a press conference at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. Photo: Antonia Padilla

AUGUST

In visit to SAAF, Doggett covers many bases
Congressman Lloyd Doggett was in San Antonio on August 10 for a tour of the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. His visit was billed as an opportunity to speak out for more funding for HIV/AIDS which he did. However, reporters on the scene were interested in other topics including the debt ceiling, the S&P downgrade, Governor Rick Perry and for this reporter, GLBT issues. Click here for story.

New, gay-owned vegan restaurant featured on S.A. Living
San Antonio's newest gay-owned restaurant, Vegeria Vegan Restaurant, was featured on WOAI-TV's morning show, San Antonio Living, on August 9. Fred Antony Garza, one of the new restaurant's proprietors cooked up some vegan corn potato and poblano flautas for program host Shelly Miles.

Group seeks to establish LGBT community center
A new group, Pride Center San Antonio, is holding a leadership summit inviting LGBT leaders from across the city to offer input about how a community center can best serve the mission of local gay businesses and organizations. Click here for story.

Report cites SAPD mistreatment of women, minorities, gays
A report released on August 26 by the Texas Civil Rights Project titled, "Police Misconduct in San Antonio," describes a police culture where "SAPD officers are quick to protect each other, but are not as responsive to the needs of community members, particularly when those members come from poor, vulnerable, and marginalized populations." Click here for story.

President Obama appointed Robert Lee Pitman, an openly gay man, as U.S. attroney for the Western District of Texas. which includes San Antonio.

SEPTEMBER

Senate confirms gay man as U.S. attorney for S.A.
QSanAntonio.com, September 29, 2011
A September 26 vote by the United States Senate has cleared the way for the appointment of Robert Lee Pitman, an openly gay man, as U.S. attroney for the Western District of Texas, which includes SanAntonio, Austin, Del Rio, Midland and El Paso. Click here for story.

Constable links 'she-male' porn messages to political rivalry
A Cameron County constable said he's not buying the story that a nearby police chief texted him “she-male” pornography by accident. Constable Robert Lopez on Wednesday said he filed a report with his own department to ensure the photos sent via text messaging from Primera Police Chief Joe Rodriguez don't end up haunting him.

For same-sex homes, numbers — and acceptance — on rise
A family with two moms -- Erika Casasola and Anel Flores -- who live in Olmos Park Terrace was profiled in an Express-News article by Nolan Hicks. Revised figures from the U.S. Census show that over the past 10 years, the number of same-sex households increased by 85 percent statewide, while the number of heterosexual households increased by 13 percent.

Jesse Ramon was found guilty in the murder of drag performer James Lee Whitehead (a.k.a. Niki Hunter).

OCTOBER

Man gets 40 years in drag performer's death
A San Antonio man convicted of causing what amounted to an officer-assisted murder of a well-known local female impersonator was sentenced Monday to 40 years in prison. It took jurors less than 30 minutes to find Jesse Ramon, 22, guilty of murder Friday in the August 2009 shooting death of James Lee Whitehead. Click here for stories.

Departing HRC leader in San Antonio for gala dinner
One special guest who was in town for the HRC San Antonio Gala Dinner & Silent Auction is HRC Executive Director Joe Solmonese who made news last August when he announced that he would be stepping down from his position after his contract expires next spring. Click here for story.

Grand Hyatt workers reach out to gay community
Workers from the Grand Hyatt stood outside the hotel during the Human Rights Campaign's Gala and Silent Auction on October 15 and distributed an "Open letter to the LGBT community" detailing the grievances they have against their employer. Click here for story.

Drag bingo draws big crowd
Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" blasted through San Antonio College's Loftin Student Center to announce Drag Bingo, sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Association. Part of Coming-Out Week activities, the games helped increase awareness of acceptance in a diverse community in a fun and colorful way.

Former Bexar County Democratici Party treasurer Dwayne Adams was found guilty of embezzling $200,000 from party coffers. Photo: WalkerReport.net.

NOVEMBER

Democrats' ex-treasurer found guilty
Former Bexar County Democratic Party treasurer Dwayne Adams was escorted to a jail cell in handcuffs after jurors found him guilty of embezzling about $200,000 from the political organization. It took the jury two hours to reach the guilty verdicts for theft and misapplication of fiduciary property between $100,000 and $200,000.

UTSA student says she was a victim of a hate crime
University of Texas San Antonio student Kristen Cooper says she was assaulted outside of a party she was attending by two men and claims it was all due to her being gay.

Activist says battles remain for gay troops
An activist who led the repeal of “don't ask, don't tell” praised the military for a smooth transition to openly gay service, but said his group wants same-sex couples to receive benefits now given only to heterosexuals. “It's a denial of equal protection under the Constitution,” said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and a one-time Army infantryman, in San Antonio for a fundraising event.

The San Antonio AIDS Foundation enacted precautionary measures to protect patients after two residents tested positive for tuberculosis.

DECEMBER

SAAF takes precautionary steps to protect patients in wake of TB outbreak
Officials at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation took precautionary steps to protect its HIV positive clients and in-patients after it was discovered that two residents had tested positive for tuberculosis. Click here for story.

Cross-country walker brings Rainbow flag to S.A.
It was last spring when Richard Noble says he decided he needed to call more attention to the need for full Federal equality for LGBT people. "When I see the images of innocent young people who have died over the last year and the hundreds of others who at this very moment are contemplating suicide and or taking action on it because they're afraid, I know in my heart for them, I need to pick up my rainbow flag and walk across America." Click here for story.

Rep. Gonzalez will not run again
Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, a strong GLBT ally, said he won't seek re-election, a decision that will end the congressional tenure of a Democratic family whose name has been synonymous with the city of San Antonio for more than half a century.

2011 Year in Review

Honorable & Dishonorable Mentions | Top Ten GLBT New Stories

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