Restore Equality 2010 is hosting a signature gathering event to repeal Proposition 8 this coming November at several locations on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. The locations are Bamboo Lounge, The Hill Street Café and the Chula Vista Library Civic Center Branch.

The statewide organization is planning to have 1,000 people across the state working to gather over 100,000 signatures in one day.

“The success of this campaign is more urgent than ever,” said Restore Equality Volunteer Coordinator Sean Bohac. “While the federal case against Prop. 8 is going well in San Francisco, nobody I know expects the conservative U.S. Supreme court to uphold justice for GLBT people when the case gets to them in 2011 or 2012.

“We can prevent this damaging decision from taking place if we repeal prop 8 at the ballot box this November,” he added.

In order to qualify the initiative to repeal Proposition 8, the organization need’s to gather 700,000 valid California signatures by early April.

“There is a real urgency in making sure we all get involved this weekend because we are behind in our signature goal, and the deadline is approaching fast,” Bohac said.

Organizations ask those interested to log into their event page at www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=338536585766 and bring friends and family.

Bamboo Lounge is located at 1475 University Ave. in Hillcrest, the Hill Street Café is located at 524 South Coast Highway in Oceanside and the Chula Vista Library Civic Center Branch is located at 365 F St. in Chula Vista. For more information about Saturday’s event, call 619-940-5083 or visit www.samealliance.com or www.restoreequality2010.com.

San Diego Roller Derby (SDRD) keeps on rolling with their 2010 debut home season and are preparing for their next exhilarating game (bout). The Starlettes, SDRD’s first established team, are revving up to take on the Inland Empire Derby Divas in their second home bout on Saturday, Feb. 27, at Skateworld, the last remaining roller rink in the City of San Diego. Skateworld is located at 6907 Linda Vista Rd., San Diego, CA 92111. The half-time show will feature local swing dancers in a jumpin’ exhibition of dance moves! Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the bout starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 general admission. Children, ages five and under, are free and your ticket grants you admission to the open skating session immediately following the game (skate rental extra). Tickets are available online, at the door, or from any SDRD member.

John Hall, a former member of the celebrated Los Angeles Thunderbirds, has been working with the team as a guest coach. “The Starlettes show a lot of determination,” said Mr. Hall. “They exhibit a willingness to learn and to condition themselves. They are motivated, as the training sessions are not for the ‘faint of heart’.”

SDRD plans to donate proceeds from each home game to help various non-profit groups in San Diego as well as volunteer time to those organizations. The Hogar Infantil has been invited participate as the charitable organization for this bout.

For more information, visit: http://sandiegorollerderby.com.

Larry Conway, CPA, JD will offer a tax seminar for same-sex couples at the San Diego LGBT Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 25 from 6-8 p.m. In addition to his busy practice, Conway has written well over 1,000 pages of text pertaining to tax issues, spoken in 45 states to professional groups and has worked as an adjunct professor at California Western School of Law. For more information, call 619-692-2077, ext. 103 or cmarquez@thecentersd.org.

Join Mayor Sanders, Councilmembers Kevin Faulconer and Todd Gloria and guests to open the First Avenue Bridge on Monday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. The bridge has been closed for retrofitting for more than a year.

Applications for this summer’s 36th annual San Diego Pride festival in Balboa Park are now available online by visiting the Pride Web site (www.SanDiegoPride.org). Special rates are available for non-profit organizations and to those who reserve space by May 6. The festival will be held July 17 and 18.

The online application process allows vendors and exhibitors to fill out applications and pay fees electronically. Applications for the annual Pride parade will be made available in the coming weeks.

San Diego Pride’s two-day festival attracts 40,000 attendees on average each year, plus hundreds of exhibitors and a full lineup of live entertainers and special attractions. The event is preceded by a mile-long Pride parade, scheduled for 11 a.m., July 17, along University Avenue through the heart of Hillcrest. This year’s theme is: “One World, One Heart, One Pride.”

For more information about festival applications or volunteer opportunities, call 619-297-7683 (ext. 109 for applications; ext. 111 for volunteer information) or visit the Pride office at is located at 3620 30th St.

California’s new Assembly Speaker-Elect John Perez recently honored San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez with an official resolution from the California legislature in recognition for Ramirez’s four years as chair of the City of San Diego’s Human Relations Commission. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom honored Ramirez with his own day in the city of San Francisco.

Join area experts in a conversation about assisting the homeless and where to house them in San Diego at the San Diego Historical Society (SDHS) on Thursday, Feb. 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event is free for SDHS members and $10 for general admission. SDHS is located at 1649 El Prado in Balboa Park. For more information, call 619-232-6203 or visit www.sandiegohistory.org.

A town hall meeting hosted by San Diego LGBT Pride will be held Monday, Feb. 22, at 6:30 p.m., in the auditorium of the San Diego LGBT Community Center, 3909 Centre St.

The meeting will provide the community an opportunity to meet San Diego Pride’s new board members and exchange with them their concerns, ideas and vision about the organization. Everyone is welcome.

“The board is eager to update the community on recent progress affecting many aspects of Pride, and to listen to other voices regarding the future of Pride,” said board co-chair Larry Ramey.

Nine board members were appointed recently to San Diego Pride, which celebrates its 36th anniversary on July 17 and 18, with a mile-long parade and a two-day festival. This year’s theme is: “One World, One Heart, One Pride.”

For more information, call 619-297-7683 or visit the web site: www.SanDiegoPride.org.

Jay Keasling, professor at the University of California at Berkley, Jess Bering of Queens University in Belfast, Ireland, and Dr. Donna Riley of Smith College in Massachusetts are the recipients of the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP) Awards for Engineer of the Year, Scientist of the Year and Educator of the Year respectively.

These awards are given annually as a way to acknowledge outstanding contributors to their respective fields as well as for their sustained contributions to science, education and society as a whole. The awards will be presented at the NOGLSTP Awards Reception and Ceremony in San Diego on February 21, during the American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting. For more information, visit www.noglstp.org.