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HRC to honor ‘Papa Bear’ founder of AIDS Foundation
QSanAntonio.com, August 4, 2010
At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in San Antonio when no one wanted to treat the infected, Robert "Papa Bear" Edwards started the San Antonio AIDS Foundation to care for local gay men who were sick and dying. In the process he became a fervent advocate for people with AIDS who faced discrimination in housing, on the job and in the military. On October 23, the Human Rights Campaign will honor Edwards’ achievements at their annual Gala Dinner by bestowing upon him the Chuck Jordan Award.

Padilla photos to be featured in Austin show
QSanAntonio.com, September 4, 2010
Two works by San Antonio photographer Antonia Celeste Padilla will be featured as part of "Fotogrifica," a photography exhibit at La Pena Gallery in Austin, Texas. The show is part of the FOTOSEPTIEMBRE SA International Photography Festival.

Roberto J. Flores, GLBT activist, dead at 75
QSanAntonio.com, September 2, 2010
Roberto J. Flores, Co-Chair of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio and a fervent activist for GLBT rights, died on September 2, 2010 at the age of 75 after a brave battle with lung cancer.

Democratic activist Flores dies at 75
San Antonio Express-News, September 3, 2010
Roberto J. Flores, who was interim party chairman of the Bexar County Democratic Party after it was rocked by a leadership crisis, died Thursday. The longtime activist had been battling lung cancer and was 75.

Congressman Gonzalez discusses GLBT issues at fundraiser
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, August 28, 2010
Speaking to a group of his GLBT supporters, Congressman Charlie Gonzalez gave an upbeat presentation that tried to manage expectations regarding issues important to gay voters.

The handcrafted beauty of clay at MujerArtes exhibit
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, August 28, 2010
The MujerArtes 15th anniversary exhibition that opens on August 28 at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center features works in clay by local women.

Video: Dancing Bears at ACE Weekend
YouTube.com, August 25, 2010
Members of the Bears of San Antonio took to the stage during the recent ACE Weekend and performed a lip synching dance routine for a cheering audience of out of town visitors and locals alike. While the audio on this clip is shaky, what’s not shaky is the nine-man choreography -- look out America’s Got Talent!

Editor of SA Current resigning
San Antonio Express-News, August 24, 2010
Elaine Wolff, editor of the San Antonio Current, a free alternative newsweekly, is resigning as editor. Wednesday was her last day. "There's nothing super exciting about my leaving," Wolff, 42, said, adding that she wants to take time off before jumping back into freelance writing.

‘Red, White and Tuna' lives up to buzz
San Antonio Express-News, September 23, 2010
There's lots of buzz around the Cameo Theatre's "Red, White and Tuna." Kevin Murray and Greg Hinojosa, who have taken on the task of bringing all of tiny Tuna to life on the Cameo stage, meet the challenge and justify the anticipation. They give masterful performances, slipping completely into each of the characters and mining them for laughs and tenderness.

GLBT fundraiser set for Congressman Charlie Gonzalez
QSanAntonio.com, August 20, 2010
Democratic Congressman Charles A. "Charlie" Gonzalez, the San Antonio representative from District 20, will discuss pending and future GLBT legislation in Congress at a fundraiser in his honor on August 26.

Stonewall Dems announce award recipients
QSanAntonio.com, August 20, 2010
The Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio this week named five local activists who will receive awards at their annual banquet set for September 25 at the Airport Hilton Hotel.

Men’s Chorale sets auditions for next season
QSanAntonio.com, August 20, 2010
The Alamo City Men’s Chorale announced this week that it is holding auditions for its next season of performances that are scheduled to begin in December. Audition dates have been set for August 24 and 31.

Walk for Life marks 20th anniversary
QSanAntonio.com, August 20, 2010
Hundreds of participants from across the city will converge on Woodlawn Lake Park on September 25 for the 20th Annual Walk for Life benefiting the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. Last year over 500 people gathered together and in 2010 organizers are anticipating a significant increase in attendance.

Smoke ban approved by City Council
San Antonio Express-News, August 20, 2010
The City Council on Thursday approved a fortified smoke-free ordinance aimed at protecting public health, despite pleas from frustrated bar and restaurant owners who said that the ban would hurt their business.

Ellen’s mom, Betty DeGeneres, to speak at HRC Gala
QSanAntonio.com August 14, 2010
Betty DeGeneres, mother of comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, will be the keynote speaker for the Human Rights Campaign's San Antonio Gala and Silent Auction scheduled for October 23 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Auction to benefit SAAF’s Walk for Life
QSanAntonio.com, August 14, 2010
Crystal Stone remembers back to 1991 when she participated in her first AIDS walk in her hometown of Philadelphia. "I told myself to get involved in something and not wait for it to hit home and then get involved. I walked, made some friends and shed some tears and we raised a lot of money for HIV/AIDS," she says.

Farmers Insurance yanks ad from Clear Channel
Advocate, August 12, 2010
Farmer's Insurance is pulling advertising from Clear Channel Radio's national network after a host in Pittsburgh made disparaging remarks about gay people. (Editor’s note: Clear Channel is based in San Antonio.)

Carol Leifer's laughing matter
San Antonio Express-News, August 12, 2010
A funny thing happened to comedian Carol Leifer on the way to middle age. At 40, the divorced, Emmy-winning comedy writer, author, actress and stand-up comic with time to rescue dogs but no kids fell in love with a woman. (Leifer was in San Antonio for a book signing and a gig at the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club on Thursday.)

Photos -- Bexar County United Democrats open headquarters
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, August 10, 2010
Hundreds of San Antonio Democrats congregated on August 9 at the grand opening of the Bexar County United Democrats campaign headquarters. Featured speakers included Linda Chavez Thompson and Carlos Uresti.

Party favors
San Antonio Current, August 11, 2010
Some 400 Democratic Party faithful and their candidates turned out at 1101 Broadway for Monday night’s grand opening of the Bexar County United Democrats campaign HQ. The red-brick building was festively plastered with most of the campaign signs of its 41 candidate tenants. A band played San Anto R&B favorites in the solar-heated parking lot, precinct chairs and a courthouse worth of judges lined up for hotdogs.

Greg Hinojosa tackles colorful roles in 'Red, White and Tuna'
San Antonio Express-News, August 9, 2010
Early in his theater studies, Greg Hinojosa got a tough lesson: He was told that he would never be a leading man. He's an attractive guy with considerable chops, but he doesn't have matinee idol looks. "I used to have this complex (about it)," he said. Those days, though, are firmly behind him. "I'm not the leading man, but character actors have so much more fun," he said.

The politics of art
Scene in S.A. Magazine, August 9, 2010
Gene Elder’s eyes sparkle as he talks. The words tumble out, trying to keep pace with a brain that clearly runs on high octane. He is an artist who delights in challenging the world in which he lives. He thinks big. Take his latest idea–Political Art Month. Elder is gay. And his commitment to political activism springs in large part from that life experience.

Bexar ‘United Democrats’ to open headquarters
QSanAntonio.com, August 7, 2010
A coalition of Democratic clubs from across San Antonio (including the Stonewall Democrats) have banded together as the Bexar County United Democrats and will open their official headquarters at 1101 Broadway on August 9.

DANSA celebrates judge's ruling against Prop 8
Photos by Deb Martin, QSanAntonio.com, August 5, 2010
About a dozen activists organized by the Direct Action Network of San Antonio came together in front of City Hall on August 4 to celebrate a federal judge's decision to strike down California's Prop 8.

S.A. activists celebrate court rule overturning gay marriage ban
WOAI-TV, August 5, 2010
A small group of gay marriage supporters gathered near the steps of City Hall in San Antonio to celebrate a federal judge’s decision to overturn California’s controversial Proposition 8. They chanted a loud message loud. "What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!"

'The decade of San Antonio': An interview with Mayor Julian Castro
The Atlantic, August 4, 2010
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, 35, is a true rising star. The youngest mayor of a Top 50 American city, the subject of a fawning New York Times Magazine profile -- "The Post-Hispanic Hispanic Politician" -- and the recent recipient of a light dusting on The Colbert Report, Castro is one of the nation's most promising young Democrats -- even more so since he's cutting his teeth in the Republican-dominated Lone Star State.

Kathy Griffin wants you
San Antonio Current, August 4, 2010
The San Antonio Current’s Sarah Fisch tried to interview comedienne Kathy Griffin in anticipation of her San Antonio appearance at the Majestic Theater on August 6. However, Griffin took charge of the interview and Fisch ended up answering all the questions.

Felix Arreguin, a.k.a. Krystal Kelly dies at 49
QSanAntonio.com, August 2, 2010
Local comedian and drag entertainer Felix Arreguin, a.k.a Krystal Kelly died on July 30. His friends remember him as a talented performer and comedian who graced many stages here in San Antonio.

Victory Fund president is keynote speaker for Stonewall Dems banquet
QSanAntonio.com, July 30, 2010
Chuck Wolfe, the president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute, will be the keynote speaker at the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio Awards Banquet on September 25.

Photos -- Protest against Arizona’s SB1070
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, July 30, 2010
About 200 protestors came together on July 29 for a National Day of Non-compliance and Solidarity Against SB 1070, the anti-immigration, "papers please" law recently enacted in Arizona. The San Antonio protest began at Milam Park where were speakers and musical performers took to the stage in the park’s gazebo for nearly two hours. Later protestors marched to Main Plaza where they held a die-in.

Sheriff’s department investigating BEAT AIDS
QSanAntonio.com, July 27, 2010
The Bexar County Sheriff’s department confirmed on July 27 that it is investigating BEAT AIDS for allegations regarding the "misapplication of fiduciary funds." According to sources, Sheriff’s deputies went to BEAT AIDS’ offices on July 26 and confiscated the agency’s computer server.

More undercover cops on patrol at public parks
WOAI-TV, July 26, 2010
Public parks are a summertime favorite for families, but after a series of recent arrests, News 4 WOAI noticed they are a hotspot for criminals as well. From car burglaries to sex offenses, San Antonio police officers arrested 119 people this year for crimes committed at parks.

Security guard struck by drunk driver on 'gay strip'
KENS-TV, July 26, 2010
A security guard ended up in the hospital over the weekend after trying to keep a man who appeared to be intoxicated from driving out of a parking lot at North Main and Evergreen.

For Swift, it isn't easy being Green
San Antonio Express-News, July 25, 2010
At the 2008 King William Fair, Kat Swift was easy to spot -- she was the lone person with blond cornrows wearing a Wonder Woman costume and carrying a clipboard. Swift, 37, the San Antonio-based state coordinator for the Green Party of Texas, showed up at the fair to gather signatures for the party's drive to get on the Texas election ballot.

Rosie Gonzalez endorsed by Victory Fund
QSanAntonio.com, July 24, 2010
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund this week endorsed the candidacy of Rosa M. (Rosie) Gonzalez for 436th District Court Judge. The Victory Fund trains and endorses "qualified, committed openly LGBT candidates who can win at the ballot box."

BEAT AIDS exonerates Executive Director of wrongdoing
QSanAntonio.com, July 24, 2010
A spokesperson for BEAT AIDS released a statement on Friday saying that after an internal investigation, the board of directors found that Executive Director Michelle Durham did not commit any of the financial transgressions she was accused of by a former employee. However, in exonerating Durham the BEAT AIDS board appears to have created more questions than it answered.

Neighborhood activist planted seeds of pride
By Scott Stroud, July 22, 2010
Rick Idar wasn't shy about knocking on neighbors' doors and politely asking them to cut the grass. He knew the names of neighbors' children. He drove elderly residents to the doctor or the pharmacy. He planted trees around St. Mary's University, the West Side campus near his home, and lobbied government officials for bigger improvements that helped bring a sense of pride to a run-down area of the city. Idar died of a heart attack Monday at the age of 51. Elena Guajardo spoke at the memorial, choking with emotion as she described walking the neighborhood with Idar, whom she called "my best friend."

Teacher charged with indecent exposure
San Antonio Express-News, July 22, 2010
A Judson Independent School District teacher accused of exposing himself to an undercover police officer at a local park was released after posting bail Thursday night, authorities said.

Obituary: Joseph Figueroa
San Antonio Express-News, July 22, 2010
On July 14th, Joseph passed suddenly at his home in San Antonio. Joseph was an insurance consultant with CIC, CISR licensing, his career spanned 17 years of Property & Casualty Insurance specializing in Technology and Commercial Biotechnology.

Forbrich fires first round in District 1 race
QSanAntonio.com, July 21, 2010
Even though City Council elections are not until next year, the race in District 1 is already experiencing some heated rhetoric. Candidate Chris Forbrich on July 19 issued a press release saying his opponent, Carolyn Kelley, has taken illegal corporate contributions to her campaign.

Council candidates battle over campaign finance violation
San Antonio Express-News, July 21, 2010
Chris Forbrich has accused his city council opponent, Carolyn Kelley, of willfully violating state law by accepting a corporate contribution. She calls it an innocent mistake.

District 1 duel
San Antonio Current, July 21, 2010
Early-bird District 1 candidate Carolyn Kelley turned in a campaign-finance report July 10 that indicates her seriousness and her viability: More than $26,000 raised in a race that limits individual donors to $500 per cycle and won’t really get under way until early next year. Software and IT entrepreneur Chris Forbrich, who’s making a second run at the seat, fired back Monday with an email calling for Kelley to turn herself in to the DA, City Hall, and the Texas Ethics Commission because she accepted campaign contributions from at least three corporations.

Comedian promotes show on local newscast
KABB.com, July 21, 2010
San Antonio Comedian Jade Esteban Estrada donned his pink boa stopped by the KABB studios for a little laughter and to promote his upcoming show at the Josephine Theater.

Rick Idar dies at 51
San Antonio Express-News, July 20, 2010
Richard McGavock "Rick" Idar, age 51, passed away Monday, July 19, 2010 surrounded by his family. His passing is also embraced by a community that will remember him for an unselfish dedication to the community.

National debate prompts breakup at flagship Episcopal church
San Antonio Express-News, July 19, 2010
In recent years, a gut-wrenching question has tested the bonds of Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio. Should it leave its parent organization, the Episcopal Church, for making unwelcome liberal changes by accepting openly gay and lesbian clergy and modernizing time-honored theology?

Bexar County withdraws federal funding from BEAT AIDS
QSanAntonio.com, July 16, 2010
A news report that aired this week on local Fox affiliate KABB-TV says that Bexar County is looking into accounting irregularities at BEAT AIDS saying that the agency has been billing the county for expenses it never paid.

Marine does not give up
Conexion, July 16, 2010
Standing only a little taller than 5 feet, former U.S. Marine staff sergeant Eric Alva admits that he's a "little guy," but there's definitely nothing little about his passion and determination. During his time as a Marine, he earned the nickname "Napoleon" because his ambitious demeanor transcended his small stature.

San Antonio Mayor: Secure the border
CNN.com, July 15, 2010
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro appeared on CNN’s John King USA this week. In his interview he says that Washington could do more to secure the Mexico-US border.

S.A. filmmaker makes documentary on Rainbow Lounge raid
EdgePhiladelphia.com, July 13, 2010
San Antonio native Robert Camina chronicles the controversial raid on the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth and subsequent fallout in his first documentary that is slated for release in November.

Teens wanted for attack on transvestite
WOAI-TV, July 12, 2010
Police are looking for two teenagers they say are responsible for an attack on the south side. It happened near Cliff Avenue and South Flores just before midnight Sunday, July 11.

San Antonio to get a ‘Tuna’ of its own
QSanAntonio.com, July 9, 2010
Thanks to the efforts of San Antonio actor-director Greg Hinojosa, a local production of "Red, White and Tuna" will be presented at the Cameo Theater this summer. This is the first time any theater in Texas has been granted permission to produce the play.

Undercover officer propositioned in Olmos Park
KENS5.com, July 7, 2010
Hanging out in the park is a good thing...most of the time. But an undercover San Antonio park police officer discovered it's not always a picnic in Olmos Park.

Kolodzie designed for major fashion houses
By Michael Quintanilla, San Antonio Express-News, July 7, 2010
Having studied and worked in Manhattan all his adult life, Central Catholic graduate Ronald Kolodzie didn't know how to drive. But he did know how to create a fabulous gown and throw an A-list party. And he did — for the likes of Barbra Streisand, Gianni Versace, John Lennon, King Carl Gustaf XVI of Sweden and Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of Rita Hayworth. Kolodzie, 69, who won a Coty Award in 1976, died Tuesday of cancer.

DANSA stages protest at Exxon Mobil station
LezGetReal.com, July 5, 2010
The Direct Action Network of San Antonio’s protest of Exxon Mobil is described as the first direct action taken against a company by an LGBT group in San Antonio’s history.

Pride parade is biggest ever
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, July 4, 2010
With over 70 entries, this year's Pride Bigger Than Texas Parade, brought thousands of revelers to Main Street to witness one of the largest gay Pride paradea ever held in San Antonio.

Parade, party all about fun, funds, gay pride
San Antonio Express-News, July 4, 2010
With free liquor tastings, a plethora of gay-themed T-shirt witticisms, and proceeds going to a half-dozen charities, Saturday's Gay Pride SA Block Party and Parade was equal parts fundraiser, throw-down and showing of unity.

Jostling already starting in District 1
San Antonio Express-News, July 3, 2010
Chris Forbrich fell to Councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros last year in District 1, but he didn't see that as a good reason to completely unwind his insurgent campaign. In a three-way race, the young IT consultant — he's 27 — polled 39 percent to Cisneros' 55 percent, exposing the softness of her support after a series of missteps. The result clearly wasn't a repudiation of Forbrich.

Dignitaries, but none from City Council, line up for Pride parade
QSanAntonio.com, July 2, 2010
Local dignitaries including a Congressman, a State Senator, a State Representative members of the Bexar County Commissioner's Court and the San Antonio police have said they would march in the Pride parade on July 3. However, as in previous years, not one City Council member could muster the political courage to take part in the annual event.

HRC to help Hispanics with citizenship applications
QSanAntonio.com, July 1, 2010
The San Antonio chapter of the Human Rights Campaign seeks volunteers to help Hispanics who are legal permanent residents in completing their applications to become US citizens. An HRC mailing describes the effort as a "historic campaign to build strategic alliances with the Latino/a community!" The initiative is dubbed "Ya Es Hora" (The Time is Now).

Municipal Auditorium gets new name
San Antonio Express-News, July 1, 2010
The auditorium’s new name, The Tobin Center, will particularly recall Robert Lynn Batts Tobin, an avid theater fan, patron of national and local arts organizations and an art collector. Tobin — known for his mane of gray hair, full beard and habit of wearing a cape to events — died in 2000 without any direct heirs and left his fortune to the Tobin Endowment.

Texas Democrats adopt pro-GLBT platform and resolutions
QSanAntonio.com, June 30, 2010
Delegates meeting at the Texas Democratic Convention this past weekend in Corpus Christi adopted a platform and resolutions that champion gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality and nondiscrimination on a variety of levels.

Mayor Castro holds his own in Colbert interview
San Antonio Express-News, June 30, 2010
Stephen Colbert, the host of "The Colbert Report" had fun with the mayor's youth — he's even shaving, Colbert said — and the pronunciation of his name. He also asked for proof of citizenship. For the most part, though, it was smooth sailing for Castro, who smiled a lot and was quick on his feet Tuesday night.

ACCD vote excludes transgenders from anti-bias policy
QSanAntonio.com, June 23, 2010
The Board of Trustees of the Alamo Colleges voted unanimously on June 22 to add sexual orientation, but not gender identity/expression, to the district’s anti-discrimination and harassment policy. The vote was taken after members of the GLBT community pleaded with the board to postpone the vote for 90 days so board members could learn more about transgender issues.

Alamo Colleges adds sexual orientation to anti-bias policy
San Antonio Express-News, June 23, 2010
At the request of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and community members, trustees for the Alamo Colleges voted Tuesday night to amend the district’s anti-discrimination and harassment policy to include sexual orientation. However, advocates say the policy leaves transgender men and women unprotected.

GALA to request postponement of ACCD non-discrimination vote
QSanAntonio.com, June 18, 2010
The Gay and Lesbian Association of San Antonio College will go before the Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees on June 22 to ask that a vote to include sexual orientation in the organization’s non-discrimination policy be postponed until it includes gender identity/expression as well.

Commentary -- ACCD policy should be inclusive of all
By Julia DeGrace, QSanAntonio.com, June 18, 2010
In regards to the Alamo Colleges pending improvement to their anti-discrimination policy, I highly support the inclusion of sexual orientation to the list of protected classes. But I cannot understand the omission of "gender identity and expression" from the proposed policy revision.

Cornyation funds distributed at opening of NEW housing facility
QSanAntonio, June 16, 2010
The opening of a new BEAT AIDS housing facility for women was also the occasion at which Fiesta Cornyation organizers distributed $114,000 in donations to local charities.

Party or partisan?
San Antonio Current, June 16, 2010
Brring, brrrring!! Hello, Texas Democratic Party? It’s Bexar County calling. Time for a little he-said/she-said distraction from the Fall ’10 elections. Last week Tuesday, as a dwindling supply of precinct chairs shivered under the fluorescent lights and industrial-grade A/C at VFW Post 9186, Party Chair Dan Ramos was wrapping up the County Executive Committee’s meeting. Do we have any more new business? he asked, once, twice, three times. Just as he was about to close out the gathering, a low, arrhythmic chant rumbled up from the tables: Gina! Gina! Gina! (Scroll down to second article.)

Clear Channel rejects two billboards by St. Pete Pride
WTSP.com, June 15, 2010
Two of the four billboards St. Pete Pride (Florida) had planned on buying to promote its upcoming festival were rejected by Clear Channel Outdoor, prompting the organization to cancel its pending contract with the outdoor advertising giant. St. Pete Pride is preparing to host its eighth annual festival to promote unity and a positive image of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people around Tampa Bay. -- Editor’s note: Clear Channel is based in San Antonio

Yarn Dawgz making S.A. cozier
San Antonio Express-News, June 14, 2010
On a warm April evening, Dino Foxx and Billy Muñoz sat in the sun at The Friendly Spot, a tumble of brightly colored yarn on the table in front of them and their beer bottles tucked into knitted koozies. It's just one of the projects that Foxx and Muñoz are working on under the name Yarn Dawgz.

PrideFest raises awareness
San Antonio Express-News, June 13, 2010
During the opening ceremonies of PrideFest San Antonio on Saturday, organizer Deb Browning held in her arms the daughter of two lesbians as a symbol of why the annual event is so important.

Photos: The Faces of PrideFest 2010
By Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, June 12, 2010
Thousands of GLBT folks congregated at Hemisfair Park on June 12 for the annual PrideFest celebration. A top-notch lineup of entertainment and plentiful food and beverages helped keep the festive crowd entertained.

Multimedia -- PrideFest San Antonio
YouTube.com, June 12, 2010
This video was produced by Exective Producer Roland De Leon for The Springtime65 Show which is aired Saturdays 10:30 p.m. on Time Warner 20 and 19 Grande and Channel 99 AT&T U-Verse for The San Antonio Public Access TV.

Chris Forbrich on the run
QSanAntonio.com, June 12, 2010
The day when Chris Forbrich lost his run for City Council to incumbent Mary Alice Cisneros last year marked the start of his next campaign. His excellent showing against Cisneros, he garnered nearly 40 percent of the vote, gave the 27-year-old politico good reason to believe that if he ran again he could become the next District 1 Councilman.

San Antonio gays to protest ExxonMobil workplace discrimination
Direct Action Network, June 11, 2010
The Direct Action Network of San Antonio, a grassroots coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally activists, announced plans for a series of sidewalk protests in San Antonio directed at ExxonMobil. The oil giant has refused to add sexual orientation and gender identity to its Equal Opportunity Employment Policy. The first San Antonio protest will take place on July 4 at the Exxon station at the corner of San Pedro and Cypress.

DADT activist Eric Alva to speak at Kalamazoo Pride
PrideSource.com, June 10, 2010
Now in its third year, Kalamazoo (Michigan) Pride is set to take over the Arcadia Creek Festival Site from 2-11 p.m. June 12. A free event hosted by the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, the day will include live entertainment, as well as a petting zoo, beer tent and vendors. The guest speaker will be Eric Alva, who was the first wounded Iraq War veteran and has since acted as an outspoken opponent of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Lesbian writer to headline LGBT Chamber awards dinner
QSanAntonio, June 9, 2010
Lesbian author and journalist Kathy Belge will be the keynote speaker at the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner that is scheduled for June 18 at the El Tropicano Hotel.

The house that Tandi built
San Antonio Current, June 9, 2010
Not only is Erica Andrews "the most beautiful drag queen in captivity" (to steal a line from her friend and collaborator, the hilarious and legendary Shady Lady), she’s also the one of the busiest.

Man stabs longtime partner in stomach
QSanAntonio.com, June 7, 2010
An argument between two longtime partners ended in violence when one of the men stabbed the other in the stomach on June 5 at their home on the 400 block of Pinewood Lane.

Texas Stonewall Dems celebrate tenth anniversary in Corpus Christi
QSanAntonio.com, June 5, 2010
The Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus will celebrate its then anniversary as the officially recognized LGBT Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party at the 2010 Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi on June 24-26.

Man arrested in SAC student's slaying
San Antonio Express-News, June 4, 2010
San Antonio police Wednesday evening arrested a man suspected of shooting a college student earlier this year. Calvin Jackson, 30, is being held at the Bexar County Jail on one count of murder in the death of Jasmayne McCullough, 19, who was killed March 28. -- Editor’s note: McCullough was a member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of San Antonio College.

Report of man assaulted outside gay bathhouse proves erroneous
QSanAntonio.com, June 3, 2010
A news report aired last weekend on KENS-5 television reported that a man was assaulted outside of the Executive Health Club on Austin Street. The report never mentioned that the Executive is a gay bathhouse, but on the Sunday night broadcast the KENS reporter alluded that the assault might be a hate crime.

Clattenburg’s confessed killer gets house arrest
QSanAntonio.com, June 2, 2010
After admittedly killing Troy Martinez Clattenburg because Clattenburg made a pass at him, Cody Carmichael spent three days in jail and was set free on $100,000 bond without any conditions. On June 1, Judge Andrew W. Carruthers put new restrictions on Carmichael’s freedom.

Multimedia: S.A. PFLAG President speaks at SBOE textbook hearings
QSanAntonio.com, June 2, 2010
Yvonne Jonas, president of the San Antonio chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays addressed the State Bored of Education’s textbook hearings in Austin, Texas on May 19. This video of Jonas’ comments was made available on the Internet this week. -- Requires Real Player for playback.

Pleading the Fifth
San Antonio Current, May 26, 2010
In a refreshing change of pace, the Dangerous Structure Determination Board played the role of compassionate humans to the SAPD’s overreaching at the May 24 DSDB hearing. Before the board: the TV-sensationalized case of Billy Joe Davis, accused by police of attempting to host a nude barbecue in his backyard, and of violating the state’s obscenity law by selling a $38 dildo — only one of some 150 "sex devices" in Davis’s home according to SAPD Detective Scott Poth — to an undercover officer on May 4.

Welcome to America, Senor Presidente
By Jade Esteban Estrada, QSanAntonio.com, May 22, 2010
San Antonio entertainer Jade Esteban Estrada was among the celebrities and politicos invited to the White House to welcome Mexican President Felipe Calderon for his first state visit to the U.S. Following is Estrada’s first person account of his experience amid the pomp and circumstance of the nation’s capital.

S.A. man claims partner knowingly infected him with HIV
KSAT. com, May 21, 2010
A man who asked to be referred to only as Martin to protect his identity, shared the very personal story of how he became HIV positive. Martin admitted he cries every day, "when I wake up, when I go to sleep. Sometimes I lay in the shower and I cry."

Paseo Por El Westside hopes to preserve buildings, culture
San Antonio Express-News, May 21, 2010
Local residents can take a tour of the city’s West Side while learning about its history, art and cultural significance. The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center and the Westside Historic Preservation Community Group present Paseo Por El Westside, a free event featuring story telling, music, art and a walking tour.

HRC responds to criticism over hotel for Gala Dinner
QSanAntonio.com, May 21, 2010
The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement on May 21 in response to a posting by blogger and activist Jay Morris (JaySays.com) criticizing the organization for choosing the Grand Hyatt for its San Antonio Gala Dinner and Silent Auction.

Commentary: Anti-gay, anti-worker Hyatt gets support from HRC San Antonio
By Jay Morris, JaySays.com, May 20, 2010
ZONKERS!!!! Imagine my surprise when I opened my email box and discovered a tip advising me that the San Antonio Chapter of the Human Rights Campaign is holding its Gala and Silent Auction at the Grand Hyatt Riverwalk in San Antonio.

Murdered gay man’s family says his killer should not be free
QSanAntonio.com, May 20, 2010
The family of a gay man who was murdered after he made a pass at a male acquaintance say the killer should not be free on bond.

Photos -- Spirit of Texas Brunch
QSanAntonio.com, May 17, 2010
Over 200 people came to the Pearl Brewery Stable for the Equality Texas' Spirit of Texas Brunch. The event included a silent and live auction and an uproariously funny performance by commedienne Judy Gold.

LULAC’s Rosa Rosales to be Grand Marshal of S.A. Pride parade
QSanAntonio.com, May 15, 2010
Phillip Barcena, President of Gay Pride San Antonio, today announced that Rosa Rosales, National President of the League of United Latin American Citizens, has been selected as Grand Marshal of the 2010 Gay Pride San Antonio Parade scheduled for July 3.

A wise Latina woman for San Antonio’s Pride parade
Commentary by Sam Sanchez, QSanAntonio.com, May 15, 2010
In a city that is largely Hispanic and mostly Mexican-American, Rosa Rosales’ participation in the Gay Pride parade is a significant milestone for the community -- especially for those of us who are GLBT and Latino.

Anatomy of a controversy
Texas Tribune, May 14, 2010
The two women are hardly the typical Texas married couple, yet their union has been blessed by the courts. That's because Sabrina Hill is a transgender female: She was born with both male and female genitalia, and her father ordered surgery to make her a male. Three decades later, she would surgically reverse his decision. The county clerk in San Antonio gave Hill and Theresa Bur a license to wed, putting the couple at the center of a decade-long fight over whether unions like theirs are legal.

SAAF Executive Director featured on web news program
QSanAntonio.com, May 14, 2010
David Ewell, Executive Director of the San Antonio AIDS Foundation will be profiled in a segment of 50PlusPrime, a online news program for baby boomers that premieres on Sunday, May 16 at 9:30p.m (CST) on www.50plusprime.com.

San Antonio veterans lobby against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Photos by Gilbert Casillas, QSanAntonio.com, May 14, 2010
Five San Antonians were among the over 400 veterans from 44 states who were in Washington D.C. earlier this week to lobby for the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell."

Reflections on Veterans Lobby Day
By Eric Alva, HRCBackStory.com, May 14, 2010
Veterans Lobby Day on "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" was nothing less than truly amazing. I was touched to see so many active duty service members and veterans come to Washington to lobby Congress on such a personal and important issue.

Strong hand or strong arm? Bexar Dems struggle with new Chair
San Antonio Current, May 12, 2010
Every incipient strongman needs a crisis, and newly elected Bexar County Democratic Party Chair Dan Ramos walked into a ready-made SNAFU when he was sworn in May 4: The disappearance last fall of at least a quarter-million in 2008 primary-election funds owed the County. His response to the economic and political fallout has been to take the reins, rules be damned.

San Antonio Sprit of Texas awards announced
QSanAntonio.com, May 8, 2010
Equality Texas this week announced that Police Chief William McManus and San Antonio activist Thomas G. Duckworth will be honored at the Spirit of Texas Brunch on May 16 at the Pearl Stable.

Police raid home-based sex toy business
QSanAntonio.com, May 8, 2010
San Antonio police Wednesday raided the home of William Davis alleging that he was running a sex oriented business in his home. SAPD investigators told WOAI-TV that Davis was selling sex toys and other paraphernalia within a thousand feet of an elementary school, which is against the law.

The post-Hispanic Hispanic politician
New York Times Magazine, May 8, 2010
Will Julian Castro, the 35-year-old mayor of San Antonio, be the next great Latino hope on the national stage?

Trans woman weds girlfriend in San Antonio
El Paso Times, May 6, 2010
Sabrina J. Hill and her longtime girlfriend, Therese "Tee" Bur, were legally married Monday in San Antonio after being unable to get a marriage license in El Paso. Hill, 60, was born with both male and female organs and is listed as a man in her birth certificate. But her current identification has her as a woman. (Click here for KSAT-TV report.)

The Jade of San Antonio
PopoularHispanics.com, May 6, 2010
The man who NBC News has called "The Prince of Pride" has taken showbiz by storm in every possible way. But don't try to pigeonhole Jade Esteban Estrada into one category of entertainment. He won't let you. This comic, pop singer, actor and choreographer has his hand in a little bit of everything.

$5,000 awarded to GALA from Fiesta Frenzy
The Ranger San Antonio College, May 3, 2010
The Gay and Lesbian Association of San Antonio College received an oversized $5,000 check Wednesday as the beneficiary of the April 17 Fiesta Frenzy musical event. The check was presented to GALA representatives in President Robert Zeigler’s conference room as organization members beat their hands on a table to simulate the sound of a drum roll.

Hospital bedsides see equal rights fight
San Antonio Express-News, May 4, 2010
Billy Joe knows what it's like to feel powerless. Larry Jones, his partner of two years, was in a serious car crash that put him in a coma. But though he was the first one at Jones' San Antonio hospital bedside, and though Jones' family lived in Oklahoma, Billy Joe had no control over his partner's medical decisions during his final days.

From ex-gay to self acceptance
QSanAntonio.com, May 1, 2010
Marc Adams, the founder of HeartStrong, grew up as the gay son of a fundamentalist minister and was an ex-gay student at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University before he finally came out. Today he is an author and a speaker and, through HeartStrong, works to give moral support to GLBT students who attend religious private schools.

Dallas Rainbow LULAC reps to discuss GLBT immigration issues
QSanAntonio.com, May 1, 2010
Representatives from the Dallas Rainbow Council, the nation’s first GLBT council of the
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), will be in San Antonio on May 17 to address immigration issues faced by same-sex couples. They will speak at the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio’s monthly meeting.

Top cop keeps S.A. perspective on Arizona law
San Antonio Express-News, April 29, 2010
In discussion about the new Arizona immigration law that enlists local and state police in the enforcement of federal immigration law, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said, "Our job is to handle local issues, quality of life and maintain and nurture our relationship with the community. And in San Antonio, you're not going to nurture anything with this kind of law."

Decision in parades case called vague
San Antonio Express-News, April 28, 2010
A federal judge's three-page ruling, which dismissed a lawsuit that challenged San Antonio's ordinance regulating parades and marches, was characterized as vague Tuesday at a hearing before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It was perhaps the greatest indication given by the appellate justices as to why they decided to consider an appeal from a San Antonio nonprofit organization that's challenging the constitutionality of the ordinance, which was passed Nov. 29, 2007.

S.A. rally, march set to protest Arizona immigration law
San Antonio Express-News, April 28, 2010
National and local organizations will join San Antonio's May 1st Coalition this weekend for a march in protest of Arizona's new immigration law, which organizers say violates civil rights. Groups including the Southwest Workers' Union, LULAC and Fuerza Unida will be represented in the march, which begins with speeches and music at noon Saturday in Milam Park.

S.A. free speech advocates to appear before U.S. Court of Appeals
QSanAntonio.com, April 23, 2010
On Tuesday, April 27, the International Woman’s Day March & Rally Planning Committee, and the S.A. Free Speech Coalition will present an oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Judy Gold to headline Spirit of Texas brunch
QSanAntonio.com, April 23, 2010
Equality Texas announced this week that stand-up comedienne and actress Judy Gold would headline the annual Spirit of Texas Brunch scheduled at the Pearl Stable on May 15.

Transgendered community takes a stand at ACCD board meeting
The Ranger San Antonio College, April 22, 2010
The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community made its presence known at the regular Alamo Colleges’ board meeting Tuesday. More than a dozen speakers addressed trustees during the citizens-to-be-heard portion of the meeting with one issue in mind: update the district’s equal employment opportunity statement to protect the GLBT students and employees in the district.

At a downtown theater, Cornyation runs amock
San Antonio Express-News, April 22, 2010
Raunchy, bawdy, and in your face — not exactly traits commonly associated with the city's favorite 11-day party. But Cornyation, the satirical show that pokes fun at Fiesta's royal traditions — and just about everything else — has become one of the most popular ways to see San Antonio go a little bit wild.

Groups speak to Alamo Colleges board on behalf of GLBT students
San Antonio Express-News, April 21, 2010
Students, faculty, staff and community members spoke out at Tuesday’s meeting of the Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered, or GLBT, students, asking that trustees include sexual orientation and gender identification in their anti-discrimination policies.

Candidates lining up in District 1 race
San Antonio Current, April 21, 2010
We’re a year out from our next round of Council elections, but the race for District 1 is already percolating, and, man, it’s looking like a good, strong brew. Chris Forbrich, the fresh-faced out IT whiz who gave Council Member Mary Alice Cisneros an unexpectedly strong reelection challenge in ’09 is back, and sounding more confident than ever.

Webb Party a scene out of Alice's Wonderland
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, April 18, 2010
Over 1500 revelers packed the San Antonio Event Center for the 20th annual Webb Party whose the this year was "Advertures in Wonderland."

Local activists spearhead fundraising drive for S.A. vets
QSanAntonio.com, April 17, 2010
Three local activists are spearheading a fundraising effort to sponsor expenses for local veterans who cannot afford the trip but who would like the opportunity to lobby Congress during the National Veterans Lobby Day in Washington DC on April 10 and 11.

GLBT students again challenge Alamo Colleges’ non-discrimination policy
QSanAntonio.com, April 16, 2010
On April 20, the Gay and Lesbian Association of San Antonio College will once again go speak before a meeting of Alamo Colleges’ board of trustees to request they include sexual orientation in the district’s non-discrimination policy.

Twenty Cornyation Fun Facts
By Roderick Arzola Gonzales, QSanAntonio.com, April 16, 2010
Fiesta Cornyation hits the stage for on April 20 for a six-performance run at the Charlene McCombs Empire Theater. Tickets for most of the performances have been sold out. However, for those who may still not know much about the production, here are a few fun facts about San Antonio’s "raunchiest Fiesta event."

Stonewall Dems endorse three for local school boards
QSanAntonio.com, April 14, 2010
The Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio announced two endorsements this week for the Alamo Colleges board of trustees’ election that is scheduled for May 8.

SAPD says gay man’s murder is hate crime
QSanAntonio.com, April 17, 2010
In an apparent change of opinion, the San Antonio Police Department has told the family of a gay man murdered after he made a pass at a male acquaintance that his death is indeed a hate crime.

Ybarra easily beats Vela in bid for Bexar clerk
San Antonio Express-News, April 14, 2010
Riding a wave of elected officials' support, Tim Ybarra on Tuesday trounced former Bexar County Democratic Party Chairwoman Carla Vela in a runoff election for county clerk that featured a countywide turnout of 3 percent of eligible voters. Vela has been dogged by controversy since resigning as local Democratic chairwoman last December.

Gene Elder and Political Art Month
San Antonio Current, April 14, 2010
In a series of short videos, Gene Elder, artist, activist, and Director of the Happy Foundation GLBT historical archives expounds on his original idea for a Political Art Month to be held during the month of July.

Spurs ticket leads to sanction for judge
San Antonio Express-News, April 12, 2010
A judicial oversight commission has sanctioned County Court-at-Law No. 7 Judge Monica Guerrero, stating in a public admonition that her acceptance of a Spurs ticket cast "discredit on the judiciary." The ruling was signed in March but made public Friday by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The group also scolded Guerrero for writing a letter of recommendation for someone who had a driving while intoxicated charge pending in another court.

A leading voice in the Catholic Church
Lost Angeles Times, April 12, 2010
After members of a lay advisory commission in San Antonio suggested that gay marriage might be a human rights issue, Archbishop Jose Gomez not only disbanded the commission, he began creating one dedicated to instructing parishes on social doctrine.

Gay community gears up for Fiesta events
QSanAntonio.com, April 10, 2010
Fiesta San Antonio starts next week and the city’s gay community is gearing up for two weeks of parties and parades. Fiesta began in 1891 as a one-parade event and has evolved into one of this nation’s premier festivals with more than 100 official events, some of which are very popular with local GLBT revelers.

W. D. Deli celebrates 20th anniversary
QSanAntonio, April 10, 2010
Scores of friends and well wishers descended on W.D. Deli on April 8 to celebrate the eatery’s 20th anniversary. Judging from the enthusiasm of those at the party, the deli has a faithful and well-established following in San Antonio.

Tenth year for Fiesta Frenzy
San Antonio Express-News, April 9, 2010
Fiesta Frenzy started out as a one-time deal — a fundraiser to help the Gay and Lesbian Community Center through a rough patch. It went over so well that organizers Gregory Hinojosa and Daniel Acosta repeated the benefit a year later, and the year after that, and — well, you get the picture. The event marks its 10th anniversary next weekend. In that time, it has raised nearly $30,000 for various charities.

Former Tesoro employee files discrimination suit
San Antonio Express-News, April 8, 2010
A former Tesoro Corp. worker, Jeffrey Lane Kirk, has sued the San Antonio-based refiner in federal court, saying the company discriminated against him because he is gay and Jewish. Kirk, who worked for Tesoro as a senior analyst in company's information technology department, said that his boss, Ty Sananikone, harassed him for being gay, berated his religion and ancestry and encouraged co-workers to "be as nasty as they wanted," contributing to a hostile work environment.

Free Speech Coalition: Parading in the Big Easy
San Antonio Current, April 7, 2010
Last month, the San Antonio Free Speech Coalition learned that oral arguments in their case against the City and its revised parade ordinance will be heard by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The QueQue squeezed into the group’s serious meeting on April Fool’s Day to see how the exhaustively active group would handle the April 27 one-hour-plus hearing. (Scroll down for article.)

WBCA steers clear of film on homophobia
San Antonio Express-News, April 6, 2010
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association declined to screen the documentary "Training Rules" at its annual conference in San Antonio, which coincides with the Division I NCAA women's tournament. With no venue at the conference to air the documentary, the filmmakers had two screenings at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center on Monday.

Community and family deserve response from SAPD on hate crimes
Editorial by Sam Sanchez, QSanAntonio.com, April 2, 2010
About a week ago, Yvonne Jonas, President of PFLAG San Antonio, received an email from Alice Clattenburg the aunt of Troy Clattenburg, a young San Antonio man who was murdered after he made a pass at a male acquaintance. Alice Clattenburg and her husband George, members of PFLAG Boston, were reaching out to see if Jonas could help them find out why the San Antonio Police Department had not deemed their nephew’s killing a hate crime.

Couple’s tee shirt fundraiser has Fiesta theme
QSanAntonio, April 1, 2010
Chad Nall and Brian Lopez-Rosa moved to San Antonio from Ohio five years ago and immediately fell in love with the city. The couple says they had the good fortune to meet an extraordinary group of people that have become family. Now, for a second year in a row, they are selling tee shirts during Fiesta to raise money for a local charity.

Training boosts SAPD ties with GLBT community
San Antonio Express-News, April 1, 2010
Since 2008, the GLBT community has worked directly with SAPD officers before they even make their first arrest, by leading a three-hour training course at the San Antonio Police Training Academy as part of cadet training. To date, 229 cadets have gone through the GLBT training, which is just one piece of a 31-week training schedule.

Man who stabbed boyfriend convicted of manslaughter
San Antonio Express-News, March 31, 2010
Jurors gave the maximum possible sentence Tuesday to Stephen Tyler Vinez who said he accidentally stabbed Stephen Tyler Vinez, his boyfriend, in the heart with a steak knife during an argument at their apartment three years ago. Vinez was ordered to serve 20 years and pay a $10,000 fine on the manslaughter conviction.

GALA mourns shooting death of SAC student
QSanAntonio.com, March 29, 2010
Members of the Gay and Lesbian Association at San Antonio College awoke Sunday, March 29 to the shocking news that one of their members had been shot to death.

Local Democrats pick sides in clerk runoff
San Antonio Express-News, March 29, 2010
In a rare example of prominent local Democrats choosing sides in a party runoff, a state senator and three members of the Bexar County Commissioners Court on Monday endorsed Tim Ybarra for county clerk. The announcement, on the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse, came as the clearest public rejection yet for the candidacy of Carla Vela, the former county chair of the Democratic Party.

OLLU rallies against hate
QSanAntonio.com, March 28, 2010
Over 200 people, mostly local college students, rallied near the entrance of Our Lady of the Lake University on March 27 to protest against the Westboro Baptist Church which had planned an anti-gay picket against the university's production of "The Laramie Project."

Bexar Dems approve GLBT resolutions in three of four senatorial districts
QSanAntonio.com, March 27, 2010
At least three of the four Democratic senatorial district conventions in Bexar County adopted resolutions calling for equal treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Texans. One local district also adopted a marriage amendment repeal measure.

NCAA Final Four brings women’s basketball fans to San Antonio
QSanAntonio.com, March 27, 2010
Thousands of sports fans will descend on San Antonio for a celebration of the "best of the best" in Division I women’s basketball -- the 29th Annual NCAA Final Four Championship Finals, slated for the Alamodome from April 2 to 6. Besides the games, out-of-town visitors and local fans will have a crowded roster of collateral events to choose from including two big parties planned for lesbian sports fans.

Opinion -- 'Don't ask, don't tell' is antiquated
By Nancy Russell, San Antonio Express News, March 26, 2010
I have great respect for every veteran, and in America everyone is entitled to an opinion. However, Maj. Gen. L.W. "Svede" Svendsen Jr. retired from the Air Force in 1980 and much has changed since then. The American people, many other general officers, both active and retired, and politicians who had a role in implementing "don’t ask, don’t tell" believe the policy should be repealed.

Reading: 'Telling Lives: Tejana Narratives'
San Antonio Express-News, March 26, 2010
Micaela Campos, described as a "Tejana lesbian cowgirl," is the central character of Emma Pérez's new novel "Forgetting the Alamo, or Blood Memory." An interventionist tale in queer history with political and social overtones, it's a love story between two women of color in mid-19th-century Texas — which would probably set John Wayne's coonskin cap a-spinnin'.

Change urged in anti-bias policies
San Antonio Express-News, March 24, 2010
The lessons in discrimination that Alicia "Ethan" Palmer learned while living as a man at Northwest Vista College are enough to fill a book. In fact, she plans to write one. Her transgender experiment, which ended Tuesday night, also moved her to speak out at the Alamo Colleges board meeting and urge trustees to change the district's anti-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation.

CineMujer projects the female voice
San Antonio Current, March 24, 2010
Five movies offer unflinching looks at modern problems from the perspective of a marginalized majority and push CineMujer beyond celebrating women’s contributions to film; the festival introduces the audience to activists whose successes and sacrifices give us a reason to feel optimistic about humanity’s future.

Second officer fired over alleged misconduct
San Antonio Express-News, March 20, 2010
A day after authorities confirmed a San Antonio police officer had been fired for having sex in the back of his patrol car, another embattled officer — this one accused of sexually assaulting a transgendered woman — was told he also was being terminated, officials said.

Support for OLLU’s ‘Laramie Project’ in wake of Westboro pickets
QSanAntonio.com, March 19, 2010
The return of the Westboro Baptist Church’s anti-gay picketers to San Antonio on March 27 has mobilized local GLBT college students who plan to stage counter protests at Our Lady of the Lake University where "The Laramie Project" is on stage next weekend.

Democrats' primary funds paid for gala
San Antonio Express-News, March 19, 2010
Thirty-five transfers totaling more than $127,000 were made from the Bexar County Democratic Party's primary account into an inaugural ball fund, according to an audit completed last month by the party's former treasurer Tom Jepson. State law specifically prohibits use of a political party's primary election account funds for anything other than costs directly associated with primaries, according to the Texas secretary of state.

Students seek to add sexual orientation to Alamo Colleges’ non-discrimination policy
QSanAntonio, March 19, 2010
On March 23, GALA, the Gay & Lesbian Association of San Antonio College, will attend the board meeting of Alamo Colleges and make a presentation asking that sexual orientation be included in the organization’s current non-discrimination policy.

Researcher seeks interviewees for lesbian history project
QSanAntonio, March 19, 2010
Melissa Gohlke, a graduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio who’s working on a lesbian history project that covers the decades between 1980 and 1999, is looking to interview local women for her research.

Fatal shooting linked to unwanted sexual advances
San Antonio Express-News, March 16, 2010
Despite a man's confession that he fatally shot another man because of unwanted sexual advances, the San Antonio Police Department is not investigating the shooting as a hate crime. Police said last month's slaying of Troy Martinez Clattenburg — the son of Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Educational Fund founder and president Jaime P. Martinez — lacked elements to prove a hate crime occurred. However, a police spokeswoman declined to elaborate.

Photos -- "All Men on Deck"
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, March 14, 2010
The Alamo City Men's Chorale presented their highly entertaining "All Men on Deck" on March 13 and 14. The show featured all-male musical numbers from Broadway productions.

As Vela makes runoff, move afoot to run her off
San Antonio Express-News, March 15, 2010
The buck slid right past Carla Vela on Election Day. Fewer than three months after she stepped down as chair of the local Democratic Party — waylaid by a flagrant theft that occurred on her watch — voters sent Vela into a runoff for the party’s nomination for county clerk. But for Democratic candidates and activists, the most pressing question is: What if Vela emerges as the party’s nominee April 13?

Wonderland theme for 2010 Webb Party
QSanAntonio.com, March 12, 2010
Get ready to go through the looking glass with Alice and the Mad Hatter at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation’s annual WEBB Party, whose theme this year is "Adventures in Wonderland." The official Fiesta San Antonio event is scheduled for April 16th at the San Antonio Events Center from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m.

HRC joins West Side Census initiative
QSanAntonio, March 12, 2010
The San Antonio chapter of the Human Rights is seeking volunteers for a community assistance forum designed to help residents on San Antonio’s West Side fill out their Census forms.

S.A. gay citizens encouraged to complete Census forms
QSanAntonio.com, March 11, 2010
On March 15, Elizabeth Lyon, LGBT Communities & Governmental Partnership Specialis for Census 2010 will in San Antonio to speak at the Stonewall Democrats meeting. Her address will stress why an accurate Census count is important to everyone, including the gay community.

Grandfathering abuse
San Antonio Current, March 10, 2010
One week after a local transgendered woman, described in the arrest warrant as a "Latin Male," walked into the South Frio police substation alleging she had been raped by a San Antonio Police officer, SAPD Chief Bill McManus and two officers met with members of the San Antonio Gender Association and pledged to take swift action on the case and work to prevent future assaults. However, there was little talk about expanding transgender sensitivity training to veteran officers at the Thursday-night meeting.

Man arrested for assault at Heat nightclub
QSanAntonio.com, March 9, 2010
A 24-year-old man was arrested for assault in the early morning hours of March 7 at the Heat nightclub after he allegedly cut another patron during a heated verbal exchange.

Police Chief and Deputy Chief meet with SAGA
QSanAntonio.com, March 5, 2010
Police Chief William McManus and Deputy Police Chief Jose Banales met with members of the San Antonio Gender Association at their meeting on March 4. Chief McManus had not been scheduled to attend the meeting but at the last minute made time in his schedule for some brief comments before the group.

Second sex complaint levied against S.A. cop
San Antonio Express-News, March 6, 2010
Two days after a San Antonio police officer was arrested for rape, another person has complained that the officer also sexually assaulted him while on duty, said Police Chief William McManus. McManus said the man alleged Officer Craig Nash, 39, assaulted him sometime in the summer of 2008. Police spokeswoman Sandy Gutierrez was unable to provide further details of the allegation Friday.

Woman’s March to target Hyatt
San Antonio Express-News, March, March 5, 2010
The 20th annual San Antonio International Woman's Day March on Saturday will begin outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel, part of a chain that march organizers say has a reputation for mistreating housekeepers, including minority women. "The Hyatt is just one example that can apply anywhere in the globe," event coordinator Genevieve Rodriguez said. "The slave labor force that is around the world is women of color."

Victory for two GLBT candidates in primary
QSanAntonio.com, March 3, 2010
Two of the six GLBT candidates running in the March 2 Democratic primary scored decisive victories and will go on to face Republican opponents in the general election in November.

Photos -- Judge Monica Guerrero's victory party
QSanAntonio.com, March 2, 2010Judge Monica E. Guerrero of County Court 7 successfully fought off a challenge from attorney Deborah Sanheinrich by garnering 69 percent of the vote. Her victory party was held at Ciao Lavanderia in Olmos Park.

Police Chief apologizes to GLBT community for conduct of officer
QSanAntonio.com, February 27, 2010
Police Chief William McManus has apologized to the GLBT community for the incident involving the alleged rape of a transgender person by SAPD Officer Craig Nash.

SAPD officer cuffed, raped transgender victim in patrol car
KENS5.com, February 26, 2010
San Antonio police arrested an officer from within their own ranks Thursday night. Craig Nash was booked on charges of sexual assault and official oppression. According to an arrest warrant, Nash is accused of raping a transgendered person during his shift Thursday morning.

‘God Hates Fags’ church returning to San Antonio
QSanAntonio.com, February 27, 2010
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, whose web site is named God Hates Fags.com, will return to San Antonio on March 27 to picket a local college production of the play "The Laramie Project."

Bexar Democrats will vote on GLBT resolutions
QSanAntonio.com, February 25, 2010
Voters in Democratic primaries across Bexar County and the state Texas will assemble in precinct conventions after the polls close on Tuesday, March 2 and vote on a number of resolutions related to GLBT issues.

HIV -- Testing San Antonio
By Azul Mares Del-Grasso & Eric Boyd, QSanAntonio.com, February 25, 2010
At the San Antonio AIDS Foundation the majority of the testing they provide is internally funded, whether they are testing out of their facility or setting up tents in front of a Walgreen’s, they have a very streamlined and forward thinking process.

Photos -- Judicial candidate Rosie Gonzalez draws capacity crowd
WalkerReport.net, February 25, 2010
A capacity crowd turned out for judicial candidate Rosie Gonzalez's fundraiser at Aldaoco's in Stone Oak on Sunday, February 21.

Jade Esteban Estrada brings ‘Icons’ to Rose Theater
QSanAntonio.com, February 20, 2010
Acclaimed multimedia star Jade Esteban Estrada brings his widely traveled solo musical comedy "Icons: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 1" to San Antonio’s Rose Theater on March 4.

San Antonio woman involved in same-sex divorce case
San Antonio Express-News, February 17, 2010
Attorney General Greg Abbott is trying to halt a San Antonio woman's divorce from her same-sex spouse on grounds their Massachusetts marriage isn't recognized in Texas. A Travis County state district judge Feb. 10 granted a divorce orally in open court to Sabina Daly, 41, of San Antonio and Angelique Naylor, 39, of Austin.

Don't stress the military with quad-sexual units
By Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady (U.S. Army retired)
San Antonio Express News, February 17, 2010
One wonders why anyone would want to change the military, our society's most admired institution, yet President Barack Obama is intent on introducing homosexual conduct into military barracks and post housing, schools, clubs, chapels and hospitals. This will profoundly change our military.

Photos -- MCC hosts Loves Day
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, February 13, 2009
The Metropolitan Community Church of San Antonio held their major fundraising event of the year, Loves Day Dinner and Dance, at the Fountain Bleu Banquet Hall.

GLBT candidates on the stump
QSanAntonio.com, February 10, 2010
The Bexar County Young Democrats have released of series of YouTube videos of candidates they've endorsed for the March 2 primary. Three of those endorsees are GLBT candidates. Following are videos of their presentations before the BCYD endorsement committee.

Theater -- Birth of a queer nation
San Antonio Current, February 10, 2010
In this production of "Boys in the Band" at San Antonio College, director Paula Rodriguez has cast young actors in roles written for older characters. Undaunted, Rodriguez adds new twists and nuances to ‘Boys’ that an exuberant — and also young — opening-night audience seemed to take at face value, since the play still addresses issues facing gays today — we are in Texas after all.

Academy Award winner says gay rights ‘fight of our generation'
By Jeanne Jackle, San Antonio Express-News, February 9, 2010
Dustin Lance Black is a recent Academy Award winner, but he didn't come to his childhood home of San Antonio to talk about making movies. He came to talk about making changes, "to make things better not just for yourself but for something far bigger, for your community, for your fellow man."

Photos -- SAAF launches Webb Party plans with VIP party
QSanAntonio.com, January 8, 2010
Organizers at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation held its latest VIP party on January 6 for donors who help underwrite the cost of producing the agency's annual Webb Party which this year is scheduled for April 16.

S.A. vet finds hope in efforts to drop 'don't ask, don't tell'
Houston Chronicle, February 4, 2010
Eric Alva, the first American service member to be injured in the Iraq War, has been waiting for gays to be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. armed forces all of his adult life. So the Texan had three words -- "I am ecstatic" -- when he was asked about the recent movement in Washington to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" law.

When queens collide (A 'contentious' interview with Dustin Lance Black)
By Gregg Barrios, San Antonio Current, February 2, 2010
I jumped at the opportunity to interview Black in advance of his appearance next week at Trinity University. Black grew up in "conservative" San Antonio and acknowledged as much in his Oscar speech. Would this amazing 35-year-old, with his passion for gay civil rights, reignite our gay activist movement here? After all, Angela Davis sparked her audience at the same venue.

Politicians seek GLBT vote in San Antonio
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, February 1, 2010
Over 70 politicians sought the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio on January 31. Following are photos of some of the candidates who attended the meeting.

Stonewall Dems announce primary endorsements
QSanAntonio.com, February 1, 2010
The Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio on January 31 played host to scores of politicians who sought the group’s endorsement in anticipation of the March 2 Democratic primary.

SAAF staff touts early testing
WOAI-TV, January 29, 2010
Staff from the San Antonio AIDS Foundation took to the airwaves on "San Antonio Living" to promote the Magic Johnson HIV testing van which was in San Antonio offering free tests at two South Side locations this week.

Clear Channel responds to radio host’s defamatory remarks
GlaadBlog.org, January 27, 2010
On the January 14 edition of Clear Channel’s nationally syndicated radio program, "The War Room with Quinn and Rose," host Jim Quinn made outrageous and defamatory comments about people living with HIV/AIDS and what he called the "homosexual AIDS lobby." Clear Channel is based in San Antonio.

Photos -- Black & White Ball
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, January 27, 2009
The Gay & Lesbian Association of San Antonio College held their second annual Black and White Ball on January 23.

Visually impaired drag artist captivates
San Antonio Express-News, January 25, 2010
A regular entertainer in San Antonio's drag circuit starting at 16, Alexis Nicole Whitney hasn't seen her audience in 11 years, not since losing her sight after a bout of meningitis in the brain.

Stonewall Dems announce ‘friendly incumbent’ endorsements
QSanAntonio.com, January 23, 2010
Less than two weeks before their official endorsement meeting on January 31, the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio on January 18 released a list of ‘friendly incumbent’ endorsements for the March 2 Democratic primary.

Notes on Angela Davis’ speech
By Maria R. Salazar, QSanAntonio.com, January 23, 2010
Two weeks ago I learned that Angela Davis would be speaking at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. I knew that whatever it took, I would be there.

Activist says equality still a dream
San Antonio Express-News, January 21, 1010
On the first anniversary of the inauguration of America's first black president and two days after the holiday marking the birthday of its most storied civil rights leader, social activist Angela Davis challenged a packed house at Trinity University to remember that the fight for equality rages on. "This is wonderful that children know about the dream," Davis said, referring to Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech. "One of the problems, however, is that they are often taught by their elders that the dream has already been realized."

That's not gray, it's silver
San Antonio Current, January 20, 2010
San Antonio’s own Jump-Start Performance Company begins celebrating its 25th anniversary this week with a revival of its very first production, Franz Xaver Kroetz’s Request Concert, which will be performed in four different homes here and in Austin over the next few months.

Vela runs for county clerk despite controversy
San Antonio Express-News, January 19, 2010
The outgoing chairwoman of the Bexar County Democratic Party expected to spend the middle of December smoothly handing over the party reins to her successor, clearing the way for her to mount a campaign for Bexar County clerk. Instead, she found herself the focal point of a tense, hastily called Dec. 16 news conference in which she announced that more than $200,000 had been siphoned from a party bank account.

Memorial service scheduled for Warren Kelley
By Ron Clarke, QSanAntonio.com, January 16, 2010
Warren S. Kelley a long-time friend to many in the San Antonio GLBT community passed away unexpectedly on December 23, 2009 from complications of a cardiac arrest. He was an accountant.

Dustin Lance Black to speak at Trinity University
QSanAntonio.com, January 15, 2009
Academy Award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black will be in San Antonio on February 8 as part of Trinity University’s Stiern Arts Enrichment Series. Black, who wrote the screenplay for the movie "Milk," grew up in San Antonio until he was 13 years of age.

Fire damages Hope Action Care facility
QSanAntonio.com, January 14, 2010
The Hope Action care facility on West Grayson Street experienced severe damage on January 10 after a fire started by a homeless person in an abandoned building next door spread out of control.

Magic Johnson ‘Testing America’ van comes to S.A.
QSanAntonio.com, January 13, 2009
A two-day stop in San Antonio starting January 28 is scheduled as part the six-month, 48-state, AIDS Healthcare Foundation ‘Testing America’ Tour. The tour’s main attraction, the Magic Johnson HIV Testing van, is a clinic on wheels.

Record number of gay candidates file for March primary
QSanAntonio.com, January 8, 2009
The offices and meeting rooms at the Bexar County Democratic Party headquarters were filled to capacity on the evening of January 4 as local politicos gathered to celebrate the filing deadline for the Democratic primary on March 2. When the party released the official roster of candidates, that list included six gay contenders -- more than in any previous local election.

Photos -- Annise Parker takes office in Houston
Photos by Elena Guajardo, QSanAntonio.com, January 8, 2010
Elena Guajardo chronicles the weekend leading up to Annise Parker’s inauguration as Mayor of Houston. Guajardo worked as the Latino Outreach Coordinator for Parker’s runoff campaign.

Sparky’s -- English style pub opens on The Strip
QSanAntonio.com, January 8, 2010
Visitors to the The Strip on North Main Avenue this weekend will find that a new establishment has opened in the space formerly occupied by the Silver Dollar Saloon. The new club, Sparky’s Pub, has been designed with the look and feel of an English-style pub.

Dem funds show oversight needed
Editorial, San Antonio Express-News, January 5, 2009
Where was the oversight when $202,000 went missing from the Bexar County Democratic Party coffers? Apparently there wasn’t much in place. The safeguards that had been in effect were changed after Dwayne E. Adams became treasurer, party officials told the Express-News.

Democrats' treasurer has left ire in his wake
San Antonio Express-News, December 25, 2009
Dwayne E. Adams, the former Bexar County Democratic Party treasurer accused of siphoning more than $200,000 out of the party’s coffers, has left a trail of disgruntled associates over the past decade. Several accuse Adams of winning their confidence, cheating them out of thousands of dollars and then disappearing.

New details about Democrats' missing money
WOAI-TV, December 22, 2009
The lawyer for Bexar County Democratic Party treasurer, Dwayne Adams, said he expects to have a clearer picture on Tuesday of what happened to the money. He also seemed to be trying to shift the blame for the missing money to former party chairwoman, Carla Vela.

New gay bar in town: The Pointe Martini Lounge
San Antonio Current, December 22, 2009
Several weeks ago, I got a text that read: "It’s official, the Pointe Martini Lounge has reopened as a homo hut." The concept of a gay establishment living and breathing North of downtown is always fascinating.

Resident brings joyful touch to SAAF’s holiday decor
QSanAntonio.com, December 18, 2009
When the San Antonio AIDS Foundation decided to deck the halls for the holidays they got an unexpected surprise when a resident of their transitional housing facility stepped in with a series of witty and original designs.

Bexar Democrats' woes mount
San Antonio Express-News, December 18, 2009
The Bexar County Democratic Party is on financial life-support, with party representatives staring at a huge debt to the county and an overdrawn operating account.

First day for Dem party’s new chief is rough
San Antonio Express-News, December 17, 2009
What was supposed to be a bright start and a new day turned out to be anything but for Roberto J. Flores. "It is a gloom-and-doom day," he said Wednesday, his first day as interim chairman of the all-but-broke Bexar County Democratic Party.

Bexar Dems are missing $200,000
San Antonio Express-News, December 17, 2009
Calling it a "terrible day for Democrats," the outgoing chairwoman of the Bexar County Democratic Party said Wednesday that the party's treasurer siphoned $202,000 from one bank account and left another in the red.

Gay activist elected chair of Bexar County Democratic Party
QSanAntonio.com, December 16, 2009
A little bit of gay political history was made on December 15, when Roberto J. Flores, Co-chair of the Stonewall Democrats, was elected interim Chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party by members of that group’s Executive Committee.

Bexar County Democratic Party missing $200,000
WOAI TV, December 16, 2009
A bank account belonging to the Bexar County Democratic Party has been drained, and $200,000 is missing. The party chair was in tears as she broke the news to Democratic leaders at an executive committee meeting Tuesday night.

Photos -- Men’s Chorale rings in the season
Photos by Antonia Padilla, December 14, 2009
The Alamo City Men’s Chorale presented their Holiday concert last weekend and proved once again that they are one of our community’s greatest artistic assets.

On the stump for Annise Parker -- The road to victory
By Elena Guajardo, QSanAntonio.com, December 12, 2009
New photos document the final three days of the Parker campaign including the victory party.

Romo is sworn in as director of Selective Service System
San Antonio Express-News, December 12
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez administered the oath of office today in a San Antonio ceremony for Larry Romo, who became the 12th director of the U.S. Selective Service System. Romo becomes the second person from San Antonio to hold the position, following Gil Coronado, who served under President Bill Clinton. (Editor’s note: Romo is a member of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio.)