News Briefing
© 2007 Philadelphia Gay News

State mum on loss of AIDS grant

Pennsylvania Department of Health officials refuse to disclose their plans for offsetting a $650,000 shortfall in federal Minority AIDS Initiative funds over the next three years.

Earlier this year, the officials failed to apply for a three-year MAI grant of about $650,000, citing time constraints.

On Aug. 25, members of the Ryan White Planning Council sent a letter to state health officials, expressing concern about the failure to apply for the funds.

“We feel that we would be remiss in our roles as advocates and community representatives if we did not express our deep concern at this lapse,” the letter stated.

Stacy Kriedeman, a spokesperson for the state Health Department, said Health Secretary Calvin B. Johnson had no comment about the letter or the anticipated shortfall.

David Bowman, a spokesperson for the federal Health Resources Services Administration, which offers the MAI grants, said Pennsylvania cannot apply for another grant until 2010.

The money could have been used to help link minorities throughout the state to AIDS medicines, he said.

Trial set for former cop

Michael A. Paige, a former Philadelphia police officer accused of sexually assaulting another man in Fairmount Park, is scheduled to stand trial later this month.

Paige, 41, of the Nicetown section, allegedly committed the rape about 2:30 a.m. March 16 while on duty as a patrol officer. The incident allegedly took place in the Belmont Plateau area of the park.

His trial is scheduled to begin 10 a.m. Nov. 14 in Courtroom 907 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St.

According to testimony at a preliminary hearing in May, Paige forced a young man to perform oral sex on him at two separate locations within the park.

Later, Paige allegedly called the man for additional contact, and when his telephone number appeared on the man’s cell phone, it helped authorities identify the officer as an alleged perpetrator, according to court testimony.

Paige is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful restraint, indecent assault, official oppression and related charges. An earlier charge of kidnapping was dismissed by Municipal Court Judge Marshal H. Neifeld at a preliminary hearing in May.

Paige remains free on $100,000 bail, pending the trial’s outcome.

— Timothy Cwiek

Rainbow Room hosts sex ed

In preparation for World AIDS Day, the Rainbow Room will host educators from the Mazzoni Center, Philadelphia’s GLBT health center, as guest speakers for a youth program from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 28 at the Planned Parenthood Doylestown Office, 301 S. Main St., Doylestown.

The Rainbow Room provides a safe, supportive and welcoming environment to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer and allied youth.

The program, which is open to ages 14-21, will focus on HIV and AIDS and the Get Real Project.

For more information, call (215) 957-7981 ext. 105 or visit www.ppbucks.org/rainbowRoom.htm.

GLBT bix owners brown-bag lunch

Independence Business Alliance will host its monthly GLBT Business Brown Bag from noon-1:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at the William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.

The Independence Business Alliance is Greater Philadelphia’s new GLBT Chamber of Commerce and the region’s affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The IBA is dedicated to supporting the business and GLBT communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

The lunch will bring together GLBT merchants for idea sharing, education and support.

For more information, visit www.independencebusinessalliance.com.

Food drive kick-off

Grooveground is teaming up with the Food Bank of South Jersey for its annual food drive and to raise awareness of the plight of people in need from 6-10 p.m. Nov. 29, 647 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, N.J.

“Give and You Shall Receive,” the launch party for the annual food drive, features live music, special drinks and a percentage off all purchases for every item donated.

Grooveground is a coffee and urban retail shop featuring gourmet caffiene and desserts, sandwiches and appetizers as well as CDs and DVDs, vintage clothing, unique gift items and the best in arts and entertainment.

The Food Bank of South Jersey’s mission is to help eliminate hunger and malnutrition in southern New Jersey.

The public can continue to drop off packaged food items or monetary donations at Grooveground through Dec.16.

For more information, visit www.grooveground.com.

Your chance to get ‘Real’

Logo’s “Be Real” is casting for its second season.

The documentary series, which focuses on GLBT life in America with a series of short films, is once again looking for dynamic GLBTQ people to tell their stories of struggle and celebration.

Theme for this year’s casting include adoption, vacations, faith, relocating, family and commitment.

All applicants must be 25 years of age or older.

Real stories of all kinds will be considered. Interested individuals can e-mail the show at bereal@lintonmedia.com or visit www.logoonline.com/about/casting.html.

— Larry Nichols

Street to preside over gay union

Mayor Street will officiate a commitment ceremony Nov. 24 for his deputy secretary of external affairs and longtime colleague and friend Micah Mahjoubian and his partner Ryan Bunch.

About 125 guests are expected at the City Hall ceremony, which will be followed by a reception at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Street has performed less than 10 weddings during his tenure as mayor, and this is the first same-sex ceremony he will preside over.

Many in the gay community see his decision to accept Mahjoubian’s request as symbolic of the transformation he’s undergone since becoming mayor. The gay community was largely opposed to Street’s election, as he was a primary adversary of the domestic-partnership bill when he was City Council president. However, once in office, Street put into place many GLBT initiatives and gained the support of many in the gay community who’d originally campaigned against him.

Street made it clear, however, that the ceremony has no legal standing.

Log Cabins visited by national pres

The Philadelphia chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans welcomed Patrick Sammon, national LCR president, Nov. 17 for their monthly meeting at the Radisson Plaza/Warwick Hotel, 1701 Locust St.

Sammon addressed presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s (R-Mass.) “flip-flopping” on issues of importance to the sexual-minority community, which are highlighted in a new LCR television campaign ad running in Iowa and New Hampshire.

This was Sammon’s first trip to the city, and Philadelphia chapter LCR president Peter Salometo said Sammon also used the opportunity to encourage the 25 local members in attendance to remain steadfast in their mission of achieving equality for gays and lesbians in the Republican Party.

— Jen Colletta