TUSCALOOSA (AP) – Billy Kirkpatrick, the new executive director of West Alabama AIDS Outreach, said he’s concerned about agency fund-raising, but also the HIV/AIDS stigma that still exists in Alabama.

He said HIV/AIDS is still seen as “a gay disease rather than a health issue.”

“We have to get the message across that we can help people without condoning their lifestyle choices,” he said.

Kirkpatrick succeeded Mona Ochoa-Horsham, who led the agency for a decade. She resigned earlier this summer.

He is preparing for the agency’s annual “Chair-it auction” fund-raising event, during which unusual handcrafted chairs are sold. The benefit is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. at the University Club.

Kirkpatrick, 30, a native of Burlington, N.C., moved to Tuscaloosa when he was 17 years old to attend the University of Alabama. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1999 and earned a master’s in community counseling from UA in 2006.

Kirkpatrick previously worked for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tuscaloosa for five months and spent six years at the Brewer-Porch Children’s Center working with the autism program.

BRISTOL (AP) – The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut is suing in an attempt to regain possession of a local church that broke ranks with the diocese over the appointment of an openly gay bishop.

The congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church in Bristol voted in May to join the more conservative Anglican Church of Nigeria.

The diocese’s lawsuit, filed this month in New Britain Superior Court, argues that Trinity’s rector, the Rev. Donald Helmandollar, and other church leaders gave up their legal rights to control the parish, its records and furnishings.

Connecticut Bishop Andrew Smith had ordered Trinity church members to vacate the buildings and surrender control of them to the diocese by July 8. Instead, church members said through an attorney that they would not give up the property and threatened to bring trespass charges against anyone from the diocese who tried to take it.

Trinity and five other Connecticut parishes sued Smith in 2005, seeking several million dollars in damages.

They say he violated their civil and property rights after they tried to break away, because he supported the election of Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, as bishop of New Hampshire.

A federal judge dismissed the case against Smith last year, and the parishes are appealing.

In May, the diocese also deposed Helmandollar – the equivalent of being defrocked – although he said he continued afterward to lead worship services in the church.

The Episcopal Church has splintered nationwide since Robinson’s 2003 consecration as New Hampshire’s bishop. Trinity was among six Connecticut parishes that opposed Smith’s support of Robinson’s election.

At least 45 parishes nationwide have left the Episcopal Church in disputes about ordaining openly gay pastors and the blessing of same-sex unions, according to the denomination.

The Episcopal Church comprises 2.4 million members in 62 countries and is part of the 38-member provinces of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

WOODSTOCK (AP) – One of two teen girls arrested after distributing fliers officials said contained hateful statements about gays apologized Wednesday, calling the incident a prank gone awry.

”I’m very sorry,” the 17-year-old told a McHenry County judge who sentenced her to a year of probation on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. “It was basically a joke. We took it too far.”

Prosecutors had dropped felony hate-crime charges against both teens after they pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charges.

The girl sentenced Wednesday also was ordered to write a letter of apology to a male classmate whose photo was on the fliers and received a 14-day suspended jail term, which she won’t have to serve unless she violates the terms of her probation.

The second girl is to be sentenced next month, the Chicago Tribune and (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reported. The Associated Press is not naming the girls because they have been charged as juveniles.

Police arrested the girls May 11 after they were caught handing out fliers in the parking lot of Crystal Lake South High School that contained a homophobic slur and depicted a male classmate kissing another boy. The girls fled from police when they were approached, authorities said.

The classmate was a longtime acquaintance of the girls with whom they had had a recent falling out, authorities said.

RENO (AP) – Drag queens and transsexuals waved from floats to the crowd as the annual Reno Pride Parade was staged Sunday in downtown Reno.

Police said about 600 to 700 people watched the 11th edition of the parade on Arlington Street.

“It is a big statement for gay Pride,” participant Glenn Prather of Reno told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “The county is starting to get more tolerant of it.”

Some participants said they paraded specifically for Hispanic Pride.

“We want to let them know that they are not alone because so many gay people feel they are alone,” said Nicole Ramirez of Sparks, the reigning Ms. Gay Reno. “This helps people understand that it is OK to be yourself.”

It’s difficult at times for gays and lesbians to find tolerance in the Reno area, Ramirez added.

“It is difficult for sure, me being transsexual,” Ramirez said.

The Washoe County Democratic Party was trying to register voters at the peaceful gathering, said Laura Grotz, publisher of Reno Out magazine and a member of the gay and lesbian Stonewall Democrats.

“The Washoe County Democrats are very progressive and very supportive,” Grotz said, adding she has never met any gay Republicans at the parade.

CONCORD (AP) – The nation’s largest gay rights organization took aim at two presidential hopefuls campaigning in New Hampshire on Thursday.

The Human Rights Campaign visited New Hampshire with veterans discharged from the military under the ``Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’’ policy on gays. Those veterans said Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani were wrong to support that policy. ``Please explain to the 60,000 gay and lesbian troops on active duty why you seek to dishonor their service,’’ said former Marine Eric Alva, the first U.S. service member injured in the Iraq War. ``For these candidates running to be the next commander in chief to dishonor the service of men and women standing on the streets of Baghdad and serving around the globe is shameful and it jeopardizes national security.’’

During a June debate in New Hampshire, Romney and Giuliani said they would not support a repeal of ``Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’’

The Human Rights Campaign’s tour already has been to Iowa, Florida, California and Nevada – all key states for 2008.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The state plans no further appeals of a court decision that struck down a 2004 law aimed at same-sex adoptive parents.

Earlier this month, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s ruling that a state law barring the issuance of birth certificates to Oklahoma children adopted by out-of-state same-sex couples is unconstitutional.

“We hold that final adoption orders by a state court of competent jurisdiction are judgments that must be given full faith and credit under the Constitution by every other state in the nation,” the ruling said.

Tom Cross, the state Health Department’s deputy general counsel, said Thursday the agency could not meet the requirements to have the 10th Circuit reconsider its opinion.

The agency does not believe that the U.S. Supreme Court would take up the case, he said.

“We will be issuing birth certificates for all adoptions, whether same-sex or not, for children born in Oklahoma,” Cross said.

Linda Gray Murphy, a lobbyist on gay-rights issues, called the decision a victory.

“When you move to Oklahoma, they can’t segregate out one segment of the population and decide to punish them,” Murphy said.

“The Legislature decided it was a good way to go after one segment of the population.

“The truth was they didn’t punish anyone but the children,” she said. “They claim life was built on family values, yet they want to punish the children.”

Three same-sex couples had sued to strike down the law, arguing that it unconstitutionally singled out a specific group for discrimination.