Well, I’m off to Seattle, Wash. For five days of meetings, speeches and events, but I will be back in time for the fun and fabulous Hillcrest Mardi Gras!

One thing is certain about the recent murder-suicide in City Heights: both men were nice guys and had lots of friends. Some of Bob Agnew’s friends had told me that he had expressed to them that he was upset and depressed over his break up with Eric Schulstise. Not long ago, I wrote about how many people are going through depression over loss of jobs, money troubles, health problems, etc. We must all try to be more aware and sensitive of our friends going through troubled times and depression. Reach out to them, give them a hand or a kind caring word. Let them know that they are not alone. Your friendship could make a difference.

This past week City Commissioner Bruce Abrams and I had lunch at Saigon on Fifth with Congressmember Susan Davis, Chair of the Congressional Committee on Armed Service Personnel, which will be holding hearings starting on March 3 for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Davis discussed the issue of putting a moratorium on throwing out gay and lesbian servicemembers immediately, which she supports. She has of course had many discussions with admirals and generals and predicts that the ban could be lifted by March 2011. Davis has been a strong and committed voice for equality and civil rights issues since her days on the San Diego School Board.

Harvey Milk must be very proud of his openly gay nephew Stuart Milk, who has become a global voice and leader for GLBT equality. He has travelled around the world keeping Harvey’s message alive. Stuart is the president of the prestigious Harvey Milk Foundation, which includes GLBT student scholarships. Stuart Milk was in town recently and attended an invitation-only dinner at Martinis Above Fourth, which included former-Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, City Councilmember Todd Gloria, City Commission Chairs Robert Gleason and Bruce Abrams, City Commissioner Stampp Corbin, City Task Force member Stephen Whitburn, SDDC president and City Commissioner Larry Baza, former San Diego LGBT Community Center board chair Brian Bazinett, Imperial Court board chair Big Mike Phillips, Rabbi Laurie Coskey, businessperson Sherman Mendoza, HRC board member Linda Perine and award-winning playwright Patricia Loughery (Dear Harvey). The next day Stuart and I met for lunch to discuss the statewide celebrations and events in honor of the official Harvey Milk Day on May 22.

Rochelle Hamilton: A true heroine

This past weekend the National School Counselors Conference was held at the Hilton Hotel with educators, counselors and students from all over in attendance. One of the most moving keynote speakers was Rochelle Hamilton who came out at the age of 13 years old. She was met with intolerance and nonsupport from some of her counselors and teachers. One told Rochelle’s girlfriend that she was going to get AIDS. Yet troubled Rochelle stood up and spoke out against this discrimination and homophobia and at the end triumphed by making her school district change its treatment and intolerance against GLBT students. The facts are that everyday our GLBT children and students are being bullied and harassed in their schools across the country. We must make this issue a top priority. Please support the Trevor Project, Matthew Shepard Foundation, GLESEN, PFLAG and Gay-Straight Alliances. Thank you!

Recently I met with Jack Degnan, MPH, of the University of California San Diego’s Antiviral Research Center (UCSD AVRC )and he told me a new HIV Early Test and where anyone can get it.

The UCSD AVRC is offering the HIV Early Test – a specialized test that can detct HIV as early as one week after an exposure. This test looks directly for the virus, not just the antibody. Few places in the U.S. offer this test to the public and its offered free and confidentially at the following locations:

UCSD AVRC, The Center and Family Health Centers. For more information or an appointment, call 619-543-8080 or visit www.theearlytest.ucsd.edu.

Our community can have full confidence in attorney Larry Ramey, the new co-chair of San Diego LGBT Pride.

Larry came out on a Pride weekend in 1995, became a volunteer a year later and is a past Pride board member and also a past Frontrunners board member. He is a down to earth people person who believes that Pride is the GLBT community and that the board is the caretakers. He feels that everyone should have a voice and be heard. Ramey told me that the first community Pride Town Hall will be on Monday, Feb. 22. He is accessible to everyone and all you have to do is reach out to him or any board member. Thank you, Larry, for a most informative meeting.

The entire community and all interested and curious people are invited to attend an open forum: What is the Imperial Court de San Diego and how do you join, at The Center next Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. A wonderful buffet and drinks will be served along with the agenda topics that include: history of the Imperial Court, events and programs, membership and a question and answer period. Newly-elected Emperor Brian Johnson and Empress Regina Styles will be your hosts and it’s your chance to find out about one of the community’s oldest organizations that in 2008 alone gave out more than $80,000 in donations. For more information, call 619-288-1183 or 619-321-7487.

Kips Café has been a super popular restaurant since 1956 and now has moved to Hillcrest (3925 Fourth Ave.). It is fabulous and friendly and has great food along with even greater prices. I love their sweet and sour soup. Stop by and find out for yourself what everyone is talking about. Kips Café is the best and is open for lunch and dinner. Welcome to Hillcrest!

aFor more exciting, breaking news, gossip, politics and all the gay news that’s fit to print including Editor at Large Nicole Murray-Ramirez’s People Opinions & Politics, Associate Editor Aaron Heier’s Two Cents, Stephen Whitburn’s Politics Tracker, Stampp Corbin’s The Oracle and much more daily news and happenings, visit www.GLTNewsNow.com. Mark us in your favorites and stay informed daily!