Well, I had a nice Christmas, and I hope you did too.… I couldn’t go see my mom, so I spent the day with Big Mike and we hit a few “holiday dinners,” including one at the home of Tug of Rich’s (with one tall, handsome police officer and a popular, good looking channel 5 newscaster in attendance). We also stopped by to see Hal Frost of Brass Rail.… His annual home banquet is always a fabulous feast.…Franceska and I also stopped by the home of our good friend Marilyn of Dreamgirls fame, where the three of us had a great time.… Thank you Big Mike, Tug, Hal and Marilyn, for having me in your homes.

Controversial producer Rob Appel does it again with his so-called AIDS benefit SummerQuest 2003, with over $90,000 in expenses, and about $7,000 given to the AIDS charities.

The closing of the doors of Positively Speaking Healthy Youth Advocacy Program’s AIDS Center due to bankruptcy caused by President David Blair of Blair House (142 University) who blew funds on his Rolls Royce, travels to Spain and Asia, etc. (he resigned soon afterward). This was so scandalous that even the Channel 10 News “troubleshooter” did a story demanding he give the AIDS money back.… I and many others will never shop at Blair House, and some are thinking of picketing it!

The recent holiday/charity scandal of Dale Lombard and his Dayo Productions, which co-sponsors Coco LaChine’s strip contest at Bacchus House.… Well, Dale Lombard wrote thousands of dollars worth of checks to The Center, the Children’s Toy Drive, The Imperial Court, Alano Club, Fire Victims Fund, etc., etc., and they all bounced.… There are a lot of people looking for Mr. Lombard – some with tar and feathers, others with handcuffs!

Our community is always proud to see GLBT citizens among those mentioned in the prestigious San Diego Magazine’s “50 People to Watch in 2004.” While we were happy to see our editor, Amber L. Cyphers, listed, we were not happy to hear that she was misquoted and that the magazine listed incorrect information. First of all, the Gay and Lesbian Times, as well as Update, are not “social gab sheets.” As in any publication, we too have a very small social section.… And it was Travis D. Bone who won the San Diego Press Club Award for the Boy Scouts story. In fact, the Times has won may prestigious mainstream journalism awards. We have had outstanding past editors who have built our publication to where it is today — Ryan Hurd, Pat Sherman, Jeri Dilno, George Biagi — and are proud of them and our publisher Michael Portantino, who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to countless GLBT organizations, AIDS agencies, civil rights concerns, etc. I am proud of our entire staff.… And by the way, the page that’s always in the top three, getting the most hits on the Times website is my column (first is classifieds)!

When AIDS first hit San Diego those early years were so very dark, painful and hard.… In the early 1980s I established the first AIDS food bank with the AIDS Assistance Fund with the solid help of Clint Johnson, John Ciaccio, Tom Homman, Terry Cunningham, Chris Kehoe, Fred Achenson and so many others. Our first organization meeting was at the patio of #1 5th Ave.… Keeping the food shelves full was a constant struggle, and if it weren’t for the bars, F St. Bookstore, Club San Diego, Vulcan, Rick Ford, Chris Shaw, etc. we would have never made it through those early dark days.

The food bank then went under the AIDS Foundation and then finally to Something Special Food Pantry, and for almost six years this all-volunteer organization has continued the love and support for those in need. Our community owes them all our deep appreciation and gratitude, among them especially Darl Edwards, Ben Dillingham, Jack Kisling, Kim Fritz, Phil Katcher, George Thoroman, Al Best, Eduardo Moncada etc. Now that Mama’s Kitchen has agreed to take over the food bank we should all be as supportive as ever… and thank you Mama’s Kitchen for stepping up to the plate!

I think its about time the San Diego Democratic Club change its named like almost every other GLBT club in the nation with an identity to our community. The Latino, Asian and African-American communities have Democratic Clubs with proud names identifying their major constituency. All over California the GLBT Democratic Clubs are identifying proudly with their community… except ours. Why not change the San Diego Democratic Club name to one of the following possibilities: Brad Truax Democratic GLBT Club, the Herb King Democratic GLBT Club, the Robert Lynn GLBT Democratic Club, the Gloria Johnson GLBT Democratic Club, the Doug Scott GLBT Democratic Club, the San Diego Stonewall Democratic Club, the GLBT Democratic Club of San Diego, etc. I think it’s long overdue.

Jess San Roque, director of the hugely successful APICAP 10th Year Anniversary Gala at the Wyndham Emerald Plaza Hotel has been named President of the annual Nicky Awards, to be held in April.

Some other great news too… the 92103 Awards are returning in 2004.… These fun and entertaining awards were very popular and raised a lot of money for charities. Russell Roybal of the Gil Foundation has been named chairman of the 92103 Awards for 2004.

Well, I am sure you have all heard about the La Jolla Playhouse thinking of doing a musical on serial killer Andrew Cunanan…. Well here are some of my suggestions for some of the characters:

Andrew Cunanan: Wilson Cruz

Cunanan’s father: Jess San Roque

Cunanan’s mother: Debbie Reynolds

Nicole M. Ramirez: Anna Nicole Smith way before the diet

David Copley: Harvey Fierstein

Anthony White of California Cuisine: David Hyde Pierce

Cunanan’s roommate: Rod Barry

Cunanan’s older lover: Sir Ian McKellan

Nigel of Flicks: Sean Hayes

As many of you know, I sit on the advisory board to the Chief of Police of San Diego and thus communicate with many police officers on various issues. The police department periodically does “sweeps” and “arrests” of call girls and female escort ads.… Now comes word that the police dept. may be looking at the male “model/escorts” ads in our local GLBT publications, especially those, let’s say, so blunt and obvious. Let me make it perfectly clear that I of all people do not and would not pass judgment on any lifestyle or model/escort.… I am just giving some words to the wise to clean up some of the language in your ads and be very careful whom you … ah… “model” for.…