Well it’s going to be another long, hot summer, and for us seniors it’s taking its toll. I send good wishes and God’s blessing out to my fellow seniors, and I hope you will be OK.

The Human Rights Campaign is in big trouble in San Francisco. Its annual dinner faces a huge boycott by labor unions, the transgender community and some GLBT Democratic clubs. Also, San Francisco Pride has named the HRC one of the five nominees for the “Pink Brick Award” which is given to those individuals or organizations who have harmed the GLBT community. San Diego went through an anti-HRC phase about a decade or so ago (not while I was on the national board), but the new local chapter is doing very well. It has a lot of energy, new faces and solid leadership.

Rumor is City Council candidate Stephen Whitburn may soon be losing his second campaign manager, who, supposedly, is already looking for another job.

The internationally known GLBT activists Robin Tyler and her wife Diane Olson will be guests at San Diego Pride. Robin and Diane were one of the first plaintiffs in the Supreme Court marriage cases, and were the first couple to be married in Los Angeles.

Sen.-elect Mark Leno from San Francisco will also be speaking at a rally following the parade, July 19.

There are two gay and lesbian serious, possible candidates for the next mayoral election. I’ve talked with both candidates, who would have huge support outside the GLBT community, and the financial backing to run. They are both looking into running for mayor, but both say they won’t run against the other.

City Commissioner Jess San Roque, past director of the Asian and Pacific Islander Community AIDS Project (APICAP) and a leader in the Filipino community is not working on District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis’ staff.

City Councilmember Toni Atkins will be hosting a fund-raising dinner for the first black woman (and first woman ever) to be elected speaker of the state Assembly.

Now that her dad easily won his re-election, look for Lisa Sanders to be more visibly involved in our community. (She already served on the Nicky Awards Board of Governors, the Lambda Archives 20 Years, 20 Heroes and Children’s Easter Egg Hunt committees.)

I had a nice talk with one of my “sons,” San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty, who is getting all his ducks in a row to run for mayor in 2011. Polls show him in the lead.

Tom Felkner, the co-chair of Marriage Equality San Diego, and I attended the 60th birthday party in honor of one of the most respected Latino leaders in the state, David Valladolid.

I had a great talk with former state Assemblymember Peter Chacon (one of my mentors in the 1970s and 1980s), who was the first Democrat to appoint me to the Democratic Party’s State Central Committee. (Sen. Chris Kehoe also appointed me a few years ago.) Rumors are that super popular Congressmember Susan Davis may continue to serve a few more terms, then retire to spend more time with her beautiful grandchildren. When this happens, there will be a lot of pressure for Chris Kehoe to run, and many of us will be leading the charge.

Because there is already a Jessop Street, we can’t name one after Jess Jessop, so the first street in honor of an openly gay citizen will be named after Dr. Brad Truax, a veteran, and a leader in political issues and AIDS issues.

I am very pleased to announce that the First Unitarian Universalist Church will be honored by the City of San Diego’s Human Relations Commission at a church service that will be announced soon. This church is an outstanding example of the true teachings of Christ. Its decades of leadership in social justice, civil rights, and its work for the homeless and poor makes this church worthy of the long overdue recognition!

This past week, I had a very interesting lunch with Dr. Philip Princetta, the respected co-chair of San Diego LGBT Pride, the hard-working executive director of Pride, Ron deHarte, and Ben Gomez, the 2008 Nicky Aware winner for outstanding community volunteer and the chair of the rally committee. Since the first Pride celebration in 1974, I have witnessed the incredible growth and the ups and downs of Pride celebrations. Now, we are in the best shape ever, with solid leadership and new and elder voices.

This year, I am happy to report there will be a “get out the vote” component at nearly every Pride event. Pride-goers will be able to register to vote, and people will be giving out stickers asking people to “vow to vote in November.” I salute San Diego Pride for making sure this happens, and for keeping our rallies in tact, while other cities are only focusing on parties. The rally will have outstanding speakers and I urge you to support Pride by marching in the parade in July, then marching into the voting booths in November!

California may soon have its first state holiday in honor of an openly gay citizen, the late San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk (thanks to bill sponsored by Assemblymember Mark Leno). Two major motion pictures, one starring Sean Penn, are also coming soon, and now a local playwright, Patricia Loughrey, is writing a new play, Dear Harvey, for the Diversionary Theatre. Just last week, Councilmember Toni Atkins’ office located the beautiful park bench in Balboa Park dedicated with a bronze plaque in 1988 to the memory of Harvey Milk. I was proud to have led and chaired that 1988 campaign. The bench is by the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center and in front of the Zora Garden. Also, if you received a Harvey Milk scholarship in the 1970s or 1980s, please contact plwho2002@yahoo.com

I don’t know about all of you, but I hate when television stations interrupt my favorite TV shows with high speed car chases, particularly when they all end the same way. And now, news programs are turning every mini brush fire into “breaking news bulletins.”

This week, one such mini brush fire broke out, and even though newscasters said it wouldn’t and couldn’t harm any homes, and would be contained in two hours, there was still an interruption. One newscaster said, and I quote, “This fire was never going to go anywhere” – then why interrupt my “Judge Judy”?! I never found out how the case ended and the plaintiff was drop-dead gorgeous. And, newscasters also interrupted Maury Povich – I never found out if Bobby lee was the father of Mary Sue’s baby and what kind of trailer park they live in!

In last week’s column the Gay & Lesbian Times incorrectly identified Congressmember Lynn Schenk. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.