Please, please don’t forget to get out next Tuesday, Nov. 2, and vote… and if you don’t know how to vote or who to vote for, take a GLBT Vote 2004 endorsement ad with you… but just please remember to vote… thank you.

During the primary, I, like most of the GLBT community, supported Vince Hall, and he lost…. Vince had a long record with our community. As a Latino, I looked forward to supporting what I hoped would be a qualified Latina for the State Assembly, but I did not know nor ever met Lori Saldaña, so I agreed to have a meeting with her… she turned out to be a very big disappointment. When I asked her about her history with our GLBT community, Saldaña told me she was in a couple of our parades and appointed some gays as chairmen of some Sierra Club committees…. When I told her I had never seen her involved in the Latino community, she admitted she had not been… in fact, almost all of the San Diego Latino and GLBT leaders had not heard of Saldaña ’til she ran for office…. Rachael Ortiz, who, like me, has been around for over 30 years, also had not ever met her.

Let me tell you about Tricia Hunter. For years, she goes about four times a year to a third-world country as a nurse with doctors to do free corrective surgery on children… all at her expense. In the early, dark days of AIDS, when our community was alone and could only count on itself, nurse Tricia Hunter was one of the very few who volunteered in the 1980s.

I agree with the San Diego Union-Tribune that the race for the 76th Assembly District has gotten too negative on both sides… but I also agree with the San Diego Union-Tribune when it endorsed our Chris Kehoe for the State Senate, and urged the election of Tricia Hunter to replace Kehoe. Tricia Hunter supports GLBT unions like John Kerry does… Tricia Hunter is pro-choice and pro-environment… that’s why Bonnie Dumanis, Chris Shaw, Big Mike, GLBT Vote 2004 and so many other GLBT activists are supporting Tricia Hunter, because she is a nurse who has a record of caring for our community and others for decades. Tricia Hunter realizes the loss of our Chris Kehoe and has committed to appointing a GLBT advisory board in the 76th District, while Saldaña has not, and in fact, her supporters say she does not need one… I urge your vote for Tricia Hunter for State Assembly… she has earned our vote with her longtime involvement and commitment to the health of our community … thank you.

For over 30 years, Mike Aguirre has been fighting the “good fight” like his hero, Robert Kennedy…. I have supported Mike for office for many years (this is his fifth campaign)…. During the primary, even the San Diego Democratic Club did not endorse him, but many of us did and now the Democratic Club and almost all of our GLBT leaders have endorsed Mike Aguirre.

Mike is an honest, independent man who owes nothing to the downtown “big boys” and “political establishment” who have fought him for years… Mike will be a city attorney for all San Diegans, and has been endorsed by GLBT Vote 2004 and the Gay & Lesbian Times. I believe Mike Aguirre will win on Nov. 2 and that San Diego politics will never be the same…. I predict a great future for our longtime friend, Mike Aguirre.

We can make history again with the election of Chris Kehoe for State Senate, but let’s not take her election for granted, as her right wing opponent is spending big bucks this last week attacking her. Remember, Chris lost her U.S. Congress campaign by only 3,000 votes, and our Hillcrest/North Park districts had the lowest turnout…. Let’s not let Chris Kehoe down this time… get out and vote for her next Tuesday… thanks!

The beautiful San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina will be the site of The Center’s annual Gala this Saturday, Oct. 30, with one of the biggest crowds ever expected…. It’s a black-tie affair, with a few tickets remaining; so get yours today because everyone is going and the food will be fabulous and entertainment wonderful… I’ve never missed one and hope to see everyone there…. To purchase tickets or for further information, phone (619) 692-2077.

Many of you have been asking me where am I emceeing at Halloween contests this year…. Well, I’ve cut down this year to only three places: Nightmare on Normal Street, Bourbon Street and Club Montage, but all of our bars will have great contests and emcees, so have a great Halloween.

Popular and handsome Numbers/Flame club owner, yes, Nick Moede, is having a birthday party this coming Friday (Oct. 29) and you’re all invited… it’s from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. at The Flame, with fabulous food, entertainment and surprises…. Everyone loves Nick, so I know we’ll all be there, and Nick requests in lieu of gifts to instead bring cans of food or a donation to Grocery Hearts (Mama’s Food Pantry) where 100 percent of the proceeds go towards buying food for people living with AIDS…. Happy birthday, Nick, and many, many more!

Rumors are that our two male choruses… the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus and the San Diego Men’s Chorus may be uniting as one, and that’s a great idea…. I sincerely hope that they use “gay” in their new name…. Be proud of where you came from… your community… and remember how the late Herb King fought for “gay” to be in our chorus names…. After all, it’s the Los Angeles Gay Men’s Chorus and the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus… why not San Diego. I admire and support both of our outstanding choruses, but it would be a lot easier for many in our community and their pocket books to financially support one…. Good luck boys!

Next Wednesday, Nov. 3, Priority Pharmacy and The Center will be holding a flu-shot clinic from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., at only $20 per shot. There are only 500 shots available, and because of the current flu vaccine shortage the clinicians will strictly adhere to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidelines…. Phone (619) 688-2290 for more info.