The Center and KPBS have teamed up to sponsor a community forum on Tuesday, Oct. 12, focusing on the issues at stake in the upcoming November election. Keynote speaker Gloria Penner will discuss the presidential election, as well as key local races and statewide ballot initiatives.

Penner is the host of KPBS Radio’s “Editors Roundtable”, a weekly program focusing on key public issues facing San Diego.

The forum will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Center. The format will be an informal discussion that allows attendees to participate and ask questions. Refreshments will be provided. There is no charge for this event. For more information, contact AJ Davis at (619) 692-2077 ext. 212.

The only live talk show dedicated to celebrating amazing women in the diverse LBT community takes place once a month (second Wednesday, unless otherwise noted). This month’s special guest is Suzanne Gage, founder of the Lesbian Health Clinic.

All donations benefit the Women’s Resource Center. To find out more or to suggest a cool woman to profile, contact Claudia Lucero at (619) 692-2077 ext. 206.

This free event will take place at The Center on Wednesday, Oct. 13, at 7:00 p.m.

The University of California San Diego LGBT Resource Center is hosting its annual UCSD LGBT Alumni Champagne Brunch. This year’s program, “Deconstructing our Past: Constructing the Future” looks at the past years of UCSD GLBT history and focuses on the new resource center that is currently under construction at the original student center.

The brunch takes place Saturday, Oct. 16, at 9:30 a.m. at the UCSD LGBT Resource Center located in University Center, Building 312. RSVP by Oct. 8 to: (858) 822-3493. Parking on campus is free on Saturdays and guests may park in any available spot in the Gilman Parking Structure.

Fraternity House, Inc., invites the community to dine in style while simultaneously making a difference in the lives of men and women living with HIV/AIDS. As San Diego County’s only nonprofit organization licensed to provide residential care facilities for the chronically ill, Fraternity House concludes its fifth annual Fraternity Feasts series with “An Affaire to Remember”, taking place at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23. George Schleder, executive chef from Affaire to Remember Catering, will host the dinner. The dinner will include cocktails and a five course, gourmet meal (including a main course of crown roast of pork). Following dinner, guests will be invited to explore Schleder’s home and view his extensive art and antique collections. Space is limited to 20 guests. To make reservations for the feast, contact Abby Schwartz at (760) 736-0292 ext.103.

Home Start, Inc. teams with Bourbon Street to host “Harvest Fest V”, a hip annual celebration to raise funds for child abuse prevention, on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Bourbon Street. Support for the event, which drew over 100 attendees last year, is provided by Wells Fargo, 2004 lead sponsor, and by the Imperial Court de San Diego, Shaw Web Technologies, Frenz Designs, Cox & Scott Entertainment, Stu’s Carpet Clean and Beesworks. Frenz Designs’ owner, Big Mike, will chair this event. The guest emcee will be Dave Carlin, a reporter and anchor of KSWB’s News at 10, and Bourbon Street’s DJ Kenny will also participate. There will be surprise live entertainment and a silent auction.

The event will feature premium beer sampling, courtesy of Anheuser Busch Sales of San Diego, and hors d’oeuvres from Abellire, Chipotle Mexican Grill, The Abby Café, Taste of Italy, Hummingbird Confections and Twiggs Bakery. Admission is $30 and, because space is limited and the popularity of this event grows each year, reservations are encouraged. Contact Sharon Hudnall at (619) 692-0727 for more information.

Linda Martinez, 50, a registered nurse with a master’s degree in counseling, has launched a rare healthcare survey of aging lesbians. The survey, part of her current master’s thesis in a nurse practitioner’s program, runs through December.

Surveys are anonymous. For more information, call (770) 953-3154 or send for a survey copy: ASU Department of Nursing, Attn: Dr. Marianne McCarthy (women’s survey), P.O. Box 872602. Tempe, AZ 85287. You will not be asked to identify yourself.

Rich’s, now open six days a week, is celebrating its 13th anniversary Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 9-10, featuring special guest performers Simone Denny, singer of “All Things (Just Keep Getting Better)”, the hit from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”, and DJ Barry Harris.

To mark the anniversary, Rich’s is unveiling a new look, and in appreciation for all of the years of support, all customers who arrive between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday nights will receive a complementary VIP card that will be good for front-of-the-line privileges and a discounted cover charge throughout the year. In addition, guests will receive special gifts and prizes to commemorate the anniversary celebration.

There is no cover charge Monday through Thursday.

For more information about Rich’s and their upcoming anniversary party, call (619) 295-2195. Rich’s is located at 1051 University Ave.

HIV-positive youth are encouraged to attend the 12th annual Ryan White National Youth Conference on HIV and AIDS (RWNYC) in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 19-21. RWNYC is the only national conference dedicated to building the HIV prevention and advocacy skills of young people living with HIV, peer educators and activists, as well as adults who work in support of young people. Conference participants will attend workshops highlighting programs and intervention, providing comprehensive, youth appropriate services for those at risk for HIV and for those who are living with it. RWNYC is an opportunity to learn about what works, share challenges and successes, and network with others who seek to end the AIDS crisis for America’s youth.

The Positive Youth Institute is a day long conference for HIV-positive youth on Feb. 18, the day before the conference begins. The institute is led by HIV-positive staff from the National Association of People with AIDS and is designed to build leadership and advocacy skills among young people living with HIV. The goals of the institute are to build a sense of self-awareness, to foster a connection with other HIV-positive young people and to lessen feelings of isolation. There are no additional fees for RWNYC participants who attend the Positive Youth Institute. For more information, call (202) 898-0414.

Margarita’s Owner Chris Shaw will unveil the new name for the popular Mexican food restaurant and margarita bar by the end of the month. Over 3,000 people submitted names in their renaming contest, and the winner will receive a drink named in their honor, a private party for 30 of their closest friends and a vacation for two to Puerto Vallarta. The winner must be at least 21 years old to collect the prize package. Call Margarita’s at (619) 269-8510 for more information, or visit them at 1421 University Ave. to look at some of the finalists that made the cut.