4 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE August 14, 2009 www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

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Dancin' ticket price is lower this year

by Jason Weiner

Cleveland-Next weekend, Dancin' in the Streets will celebrate 25 years of supporting people living with HIV and AIDS.

The first Dancin' in the Streets was organized a quarter century ago by community members who wanted to raise awareness about the devastating impact of AIDS.

The day-long street party has evolved and diversified each year, drawing people from all backgrounds across the state and beyond for a day of fun and fundraising.

Although no longer an official AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland event, all proceeds from Dancin' in the Streets still

benefit the Taskforce, helping to fund comprehensive HIV services to more than 20,000 northeast Ohioans each year, including prevention education, HIV testing, case management, housing, transportation, nutrition and much more. The Taskforce is Ohio's largest and oldest AIDS service organization.

This year's Dancin' in the Streets is Sunday, August 23 from 1 to 10 p.m. on Clifton Boulevard, between West 116th and West 117th Streets in Cleveland.

To commemorate 25 years of Dancin', organizers are rolling back the ticket prices to 1984: $5 pre-sale, or $10 at the gate.

While the ticket prices are low, there will be nothing cheap about the day: in addition to the dancing, outdoor festivities include live entertainment, food and refreshments, activities, vendors and much more.

Tickets are available at the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, 216621-0766, or at Twist Social Club, 11633 Clifton in the block where Dancin' will be-216-221-2333.

Jason Weiner is a development associate for the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveand.

Bring in your team's weight in food

by Jimmy DeLong

Cleveland-As many of you already know, the level of giving and donating of food and items is down nationwide. It's no different for foods banks in Ohio, and at the Jon Brittain Food Pantry at the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.

The food bank at the Taskforce has provided approximately 13,000 servings in food bags per year and Turkey Tuesday Thanksgiving food baskets for over ten years. These programs require donations, money, poundage and volunteers.

But this year, challenge master Jim DeLong and tally master Jon Brittain are undertaking the largest and most exciting food challenge drive ever: The Biggest Load 2009 Food Challenge.

It's simple: Organize a team of five people, add all their weights together, and set the

total as the goal for the team to meet or beat. The contest works on the individual and on the team level. A team member of 200 pounds has not only his or her own personal goal to meet, but also as a team player.

Take five average men or women at 200 pounds. This is a combined weight of 1,000 pounds, or a half-ton. A thousand pounds is great--but then, multiply by five teams. Five thousand pounds, or 21⁄2 tons. Now again: five more teams, and tack on another 25%: you get 12,500 pounds. Get the idea?

Teams will be made up of bar employees, leather and or social clubs, civil and sports associations or other LGBT and allied businesses and groups. Committed teams so far include Man's World, AMW Man's Complex, Apex, Club Cleveland, Flex, Cocktails, Lady Z's, Colors of Cleveland Pride, Muggs, Stallion's Shooters Pool League, two teams from New Age in Leather, as well

newsbriefs

Continued from page 3

Both Maine sides pledge fair play

Portland, Maine-Same-sex marriage supporters and foes on August exchanged vows to take the high road in their campaigns in an anticipated referendum.

The lead organization fighting to keep the state's same-sex marriage law on the books made its request of Frank Schubert of Schubert Flint Public Affairs. Schubert Flint led the successful Proposition 8 proposal to overturn same-sex marriage in California, and it has been hired to do the same in Maine.

Maine became poised to recognize same-sex marriages in May, when lawmakers set aside the definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman. The other New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont recognize full same-sex marriage, as does Iowa.

Maine's law was scheduled to take effect in September, but it has been sidetracked as state election officials verify petitions submitted to force a statewide referendum in November.

The law will be stayed pending the

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vote if state election officials certify the signatures of at least 55,087 registered. voters. That's all but certain since opponents collected more than 100,000 signa-

tures.

No on 1's pledge was adapted from the Maine Code of Fair Campaign Practices, a voluntary statement for candidates running for the office of governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House. It was first adopted by the Maine Legislature in 1989.

Among other things, the pledge says parties won't use attacks that aren't truthful or provable, and won't use materials that falsify, misrepresent or distort the facts.

Maine's ethics commission isn't empowered to impose sanctions on Senate, House or gubernatorial candidates, much less a political action committee like No on 1 or a private company like Schubert Flint, for violating the code.

Anchor says he was fired for being gay

Miami-A television news anchor accused his former station of firing him for being "too gay," terminating him a week after he filed a discrimination complaint against his now-former employer.

as RnJ Leather Productions. Staff at the AIDS Taskforce have organized a team as well, and even more teams are expected to sign up as the momentum builds.

A running meter or visual thermometer will track and measure team progress, and overall progress, and planning is in the works for the Biggest Load Day on Saturday, October 24, with trucks, vans, cars, and trailers delivering their cargo to the AIDS Taskforce.

All teams need to be registered by September 1. To step up to the challenge, e-mail 2009 foodchallenge@gmail.com. We need more teams, volunteers at the Taskforce to handle food, a large weight scale, and additional sponsors.

Jimmy DeLong is the Challenge Master for the Biggest Load 2009 Food Challenge.

Charles Perez, who is in a high-profile lawsuit against his former partner, was fired last week by WPLG, the local ABC affiliate.

Two weeks earlier, he was moved from the nightly broadcast to the weekend broadcast, and then filed a discrimination complaint with the Miami-Dade Equal Opportunity Board.

Miami-Dade County has an LGBT antidiscrimination ordinance, although there is no corresponding Florida or federal law.

Perez, who was formerly on the television show Inside Edition and had a syndicated talk show, says that the move and the later termination was because of his increasingly public profile as a gay man.

The supervisor who demoted him, however, is himself openly gay, and denies that the move to weekends had anything to do with Perez' sexual orientation.

The former anchor said he plans to file suit against the station.

Compiled from wire reports by Brian DeWitt, Anthony Glassman and Patti Har-

ris.

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