A big welcome to all of our out of town visitors for this weekend’s Third Annual GLBT Latin Pride Festival in Balboa Park and the 15th annual San Diego Rodeo at the Del Mar Fair Grounds.… Have a great time, spend a lot of money, visit our bars, businesses and restaurants then get the hell out of town (just kidding).…

Yes, our Governor Davis signed one of the most comprehensive GLBT rights bills in the nation. Yes, we have domestic partnership registration in many cities. Yes, Canada now has GLBT unions and so does the state of Vermont. But for all this hard fought work and battles won, the cold hard facts are in all the studies and surveys that prove our GLBT community is not registering or getting “unions.…” In fact, the numbers are very low.… So why are we doing this when hardly anyone is making use of these rights? I feel our priority should be protecting our GLBT youth in schools.…

Well over 400 people packed the Holiday Inn on the bay for the “Roast” and 10th anniversary of our popular State Assemblymember Christine Kehoe.…It was one of the fun events of the year, with emcee Councilmember Toni Atkins.… I had the “honor(??)” of being asked to participate as one of the official roasters, which included County Supervisor Ron Roberts, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, labor leader Jerry Butckiewicz, and Ruth Bernstein.… but it was long time political activist Mel Merril who, in my opinion, stole the show. He was great!!! Outstanding event and bravo to organizers Ron Ferrero, Bill Beck, Myrna Zambrano, Anthony Bollatta, Francisco Ojedaym, and everyone on the committee.

Assemblymember Chris Kehoe gave out only one well-deserved honor and recognition, and that was to Bill Beck, who has been by Kehoe’s side since the beginning of her political career.… Now let’s all go out and support Chris Kehoe for State Senate!

I attended a meeting of San Diego community leaders and advisory board members to greet our new Police Chief William Lansdowne, and let me tell you, both our of African-American community and GLBT community are lucky that I was chosen.… Chief Lansdowne is even more progressive on many issues than our last popular chief, David Bejarano. Chief Lansdowne understands and supports the AIDS needle exchange program and compassionate use of marijuana for cancer and AIDS patients. The police chief will have meetings with the public every other Monday.… Any citizen can attend. I am finding Chief Lansdowne to be blunt, honest, and knowledgeable about all of our communities.

This coming Saturday, Sept. 27, is the third annual San Diego Latin Pride in Balboa Park and you’re all invited.… It’s always a huge, exciting and fun festival with food, dancing and entertainment. The festival is from noon to 10:00 p.m. in Balboa Park, at the corner of Presidents Way and Park Ave. Latins from all over the state and their admirers will be in attendance.

After Latin Pride everyone is heading to Rich’s for the Club Papi’s First Anniversary blowout. For more information, tickets, etc. for Latin Pride, phone (619) 295-5839.

Trolley Barn Picnic saw hundreds of children, parents, aunts, etc. in attendance at the Family Matters community BBQ with lots of games, food and fun for all. I stopped by and was impressed on how our GLBT families are growing by leaps and bounds.… Yes, our organization Family Matters=True Family Values!

Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort in San Diego has announced the world famous all-male erotic “Chippendales Dancers” will be at their hotel this Friday and Saturday night with two shows, at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are only $25.… It’s being billed as “The Ultimate Girl’s Night Out!” but I called officials at Harrah’s and they said men would be welcome, as I reminded them of the recent court decision barring “ladies nites.…”

Yes, one of the West Coast’s premier and award-winning night clubs, Club Montage, will be celebrating their seventh anniversary with a huge, wild blowout of a party with a live performance by the one and only Janice Robinson. So join the whole town and stop by.…

And a very big thank you to John McCusker and Club Montage for always giving back to the community with well over $200,000 in contributions!