PHOENIX (AP) – A Roman Catholic priest who has been on leave from the Diocese of Phoenix for three years has been excommunicated.

The decree of excommunication naming the Rev. Chris Carpenter was issued last month by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted but just made public this week.

Olmsted says in a statement posted on the diocese Web site that Carpenter brought about his own excommunication by joining the Reformed Catholic Church as a priest. The reformed church favors ordination of women, full participation of gay and lesbian members and a married priesthood. Carpenter is openly gay.

The diocese newspaper The Catholic Sun says the 41-year-old has been living in southern California since leaving as pastor of Christ the King Parish in Mesa. He also was a film critic for the Sun.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A federal lawsuit alleges a North Little Rock retirement community kicked out a 75-year-old because he has HIV.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by Lambda Legal on behalf of Robert G. Franke, alleges that he tried to move into Fox Ridge at North Little Rock, operated by Parkstone Living Center. The lawsuit claims that the day after Franke moved in, the retirement center said that they had to evict Franke because he had HIV.

The lawsuit claims one official told Franke’s family that his personal items could remain in his room, but that “the body” needed to be removed immediately from the facility.

U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Eisele will hear the case. The suit accuses the retirement center of violating federal and state civil rights and housing laws.

Officials at Fox Ridge did not immediately return a call for comment.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Laverne Cox isn’t on the road with Sean Combs, but the outspoken transgender person has picked up an outstanding reality show trophy at the 20th annual GLAAD Media Awards.

Cox was a contestant on VH1’s “I Want to Work for Diddy,” which tied with the Logo transgender dating series “Transamerican Love Story” for the award presented by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

Other winners at the Saturday ceremony included Logo’s “East Side Story” for outstanding television movie and PBS’ “In the Life” for outstanding TV journalism. “General Hospital: Night Shift” actor Chad Allen received the Davidson/Valentini Award, which is named after Craig Davidson, GLAAD’s first executive director, and his partner Michael Valentini.

Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and “Pursuit of Equality” filmmakers Geoff Callan and Mike Shaw were also recognized. Previously announced GLAAD winners included Milk for outstanding film, “Desperate Housewives” for outstanding comedy series, “As the World Turns” for outstanding daily drama and comedienne Kathy Griffin for the Vanguard Award.

GLAAD honors individuals and projects in media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. The awards were split into three ceremonies, held in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco in March, April and May, respectively.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – McDonald’s has agreed to require diversity training and pay two men who said an employee at a Louisville restaurant directed anti-gay slurs at them.

The Courier-Journal reports that the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint with the Louisville Human Relations Commision on behalf of Ryan Marlatt and Teddy Eggers of Indianapolis. Marlatt and Eggers also said that they protested to a manager, who said she didn’t see the matter as a “big deal.”

According to a statement from the ACLU, the fast-food chain has agreed to pay the men $2,000 each and will require diversity training for managers at 30 Louisville restaurants.

A McDonald’s spokesperson could not be reached. A spokesperson said in September that officials were investigating and that the company has strict policies against any form of discrimination.

NEW YORK (AP) – Miss California USA can retain her crown even though she failed to reveal she had posed in her underwear as a teenager, pageant owner Donald Trump said Tuesday. Carrie Prejean appeared by Trump’s side as he made the announcement at New York’s Trump Tower.

Trump also defended the answer that Prejean gave at last month’s Miss USA pageant when she was asked her view of marriage by judge Perez Hilton, a celebrity blogger. She said she believes marriage is between a man and a woman.

“It’s the same answer the president of the United States gave; it’s the same answer many people gave,” Trump said. “She gave an honorable answer; she gave an answer from her heart.”

Trump said he and other pageant officials had reviewed racy photos of Prejean and decided they were acceptable.

“We are in the 21st century. We have determined the pictures taken are fine,” he said, adding that “in some cases the pictures were lovely.”

After Trump spoke, the 21-year-old Prejean, who was accompanied by her parents, took her turn at the lectern, defending herself against what she described as vicious attacks.

She talked about getting thousands of letters and e-mails from people supporting her and said, about the marriage question, that Hilton had asked her a “politically charged question with a hidden personal agenda.”

“I stated my honest belief,” she said.

Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, is best known as a celebrity blogger but has also branched off into gay-rights advocacy.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – New York’s Assembly is expected to pass a bill this week legalizing same-sex marriage, while Democrats in the Senate are working furiously to get enough votes to turn the proposal into law.

A spokesperson for state Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith won’t comment on any progress in his chamber. Smith needs just one vote from an upstate Democrat or downstate Republican to pass the measure.

Smith says he won’t bring the bill to a vote this session if he isn’t sure it will pass. All 30 Republicans in the 62-seat chamber and at least one conservative Democrat have said they oppose the same-sex marriage proposal.

Democratic Sen. Thomas Duane, a leader in the effort, predicts the measure will pass the Senate with a few votes to spare.

NEW YORK (AP) – Roberto Alomar and his ex-girlfriend have apparently settled her lawsuit claiming he made her have unprotected sex even though he had AIDS.

Ilya Dall had sued Alomar in Brooklyn federal court in February for $15 million. Her allegations that he demanded sex without a condom despite showing signs of HIV were never corroborated.

An entry in the court filed on May 5 says a settlement had been reached. Dall’s lawyer wouldn’t comment. A call to Alomar’s attorney wasn’t immediately returned.

Alomar spent 17 years with seven teams in Major League Baseball and is regarded as one of the game’s great second basemen. He has said that he is “in very good health.”

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – A Senate panel has quietly approved separate bills telling North Carolina public schools to change how they teach sex education and to adopt detailed anti-bullying policies.

The Senate Mental Health and Youth Services Committee recommended the legislation April 29 to the full Senate.

The sex-education bill passed the House just two weeks ago. It would require schools to offer children in grades seven though nine one curriculum focused on abstinence until marriage and another with more about contraception. Parents would choose either one for their child or none at all.

The anti-bullying bill is opposed by conservative Christians who argue it would advance special protections for gay and lesbian people.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) – A North Carolina congressmember has sent an apology about her comments to the mother of a slain gay man whose name is on legislation that adds sexual orientation to the list of hate crimes.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., sent the letter to the mother of Matthew Shepard.

The 21-year-old Wyoming student was robbed and beaten and left tied to a fence before he died. Two men are serving life sentences for his death.

Foxx said during a House floor debate that labeling Shepard’s death a hate crime was “a hoax.” She later said she used a poor choice of words.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation confirmed that his mother received Foxx’s note, but offered no comment on it.

GROVE CITY, Pa. (AP) – A student suspended from a western Pennsylvania Christian college for appearing in gay-porn videos plans to finish his degree work at another school.

Twenty-two-year-old John Gechter, of Philadelphia, was suspended from Grove City College for a year after the school learned of his porn job last month.

Gechter tells the Allied News of Grove City that he lost his appeal and withdrew from the school May 5. His other option was to get out of the porn business and reapply in a year. But Gechter says he will transfer credits he plans to earn at another school so he can still get his degree from Grove City.

A school spokesperson is confirming only that Gechter has withdrawn. Officials at the school 50 miles north of Pittsburgh say Gechter was aware the porn job violated its conduct code.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Two municipal employees defrauded the city out of a total of more than $200,000 in a pair of federal corruption cases announced by officials on Wednesday.

Brenda Wilkins, 62, used her job as a real estate specialist with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corp. to get her daughter free housing, according to an indictment.

Separately, Dorena Kearney, 52, was charged with misusing $138,000 in government funds for personal expenses such as cosmetic surgery, a cruise and pet supplies.

Wilkins, of Philadelphia, allowed her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend to live for free from 2000 to 2005 in a home owned by the housing agency, authorities said. She later arranged to sell the house to her daughter for $1, despite its appraised value of $65,000, the indictment said.

Wilkins tried to cover up the transaction once investigators started asking questions, authorities said. She was charged with theft from a program receiving federal funds, witness tampering and making false statements.

Kearney, of Lindenwold, N.J., was the executive director of Colours, a nonprofit organization serving the city’s gay and lesbian community. Authorities said she opened various credit card accounts in Colours’ name between 2004 and 2007, using them to buy personal items.

Kearney did not immediately return a call for comment. She is charged in an information, which usually indicates a defendant’s willingness to plead guilty.

A phone number could not be found for Wilkins, and she did not have an attorney listed.

The cases were investigated by the city inspector general’s office in cooperation with the U.S. attorney.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – A home for AIDS and HIV patients run by the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls is closing 14 years after it opened.

The Berakhah House in Sioux Falls is shutting down in July because of a dwindling number of residents.

Just two people live in the eight-bedroom residence where roughly 80 people have stayed over the years.

Founder Sister Liz Remily says AIDS treatments have improved to the point where most patients are able to live on their own.

The diocese hasn’t decided what to do with the building but says it will continue to help men and women with AIDS and HIV.

Berakhah House Director Sister Joanna Bruno says that’s good news because the infection rate for the disease is increasing in South Dakota.

SEATTLE (AP) – A man accused of advising straight immigrants to claim homosexuality – and potential persecution in their home countries – when they applied for asylum has plead guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.

Steven Mahoney entered his plea April 28 in federal court in Seattle.

The U.S. attorney’s office says the 41-year-old Mahoney ran Mahoney and Associates in Kent, and held himself out as an expert in immigration affairs. They say he made money by advising immigrants on how to stay in the U.S. Between late 1998 and mid 2007, Mahoney admits he filed as many as 99 false immigration documents and was paid between $1,000 and $4,000 for each.

Mahoney faces a maximum five years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 21.

Mahoney’s ex-wife Helen Mahoney, also charged with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, faces a plea hearing later this week.

WASHINGTON, DC (AP) – GLBT victims of violence would gain new federal protections under a revived and expanded hate crimes bill passed by the House. Conservatives strongly objected but lacked the votes to stop the legislation.

The bill could provide a financial bonanza to state and local authorities, with federal grants to help pay for prosecution of hate crimes. The federal government could step in and prosecute if states requested it or declined to exercise their authority.

A weaker bill died two years ago under a veto threat from President George W Bush. But President Barack Obama urged support before the vote.

Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts has introduced the Senate’s version of the legislation.

The House bill added protections based on sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability.

WASHINGTON, DC (AP) – President Barack Obama’s national security adviser says allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military is in the early discussions.

But retired Marine Gen. James Jones says it’s very preliminary in a very busy administration.

Jones said Sunday he’s not sure if the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy would be overturned, although Obama has said he wants it eliminated. Jones said the decision to go forward lies with the president.

For now, Jones says, “We have a lot on our plate right now.”

To change the Clinton-era policy, Obama would need Congress’ approval. Recent polls suggest public support but the White House faces other challenges with lawmakers, such as passing his budget and health care plan.

Jones spoke on ABC’s “This Week.”