Please, please register to vote today, as the last day to register is this coming Monday, Oct. 24.

Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the truth is that our GLBT community does not focus on, nor support, women’s serious health issues like we should. When I’ve hosted lesbian health benefits, I find that many gay men will give much less in support or financial contributions than they will for an AIDS benefit.

The rate of cancer is higher among our lesbian sisters than it is among heterosexual women. Many lesbians can’t even afford to have regular check-ups. The Toni Atkins Lesbian Health Fund at The Center provides assistance (it was founded by the Imperial Court). Please support this fund and send a contribution today to The Center. You could be saving a life…. Thank you.

As the negative headlines continue about our City Hall mess and this seemingly bottomless political pit keeps getting worse, all San Diegans must take this upcoming election for mayor very seriously, and our top priority should be which candidate can turn this city around and put it back on the right track.

That candidate is Jerry Sanders… period. Sanders turned the United Way and the Red Cross around, and is a former police chief – he can help stop the exit of so many of our local police officers to other cities.

Jerry Sanders has strong support from Democrats, Republicans and Independents… he is an “outsider” who will clean up City Hall.

After decades of talks, plans, dreams and hopes about what to do with the North Park Theatre (it opened in 1928 as a vaudeville theater), which was once an eyesore, it has finally reopened as a beautiful playhouse that should greatly help improve North Park. The theater’s curtain went up with The Mikado opera, to rave reviews of both the theater and the opera.

While I remember and appreciate the early efforts of former Councilmembers Gloria McColl and John Hartley, who tried to get the theater restored, much of the credit must go to Chris Kehoe and mayor Toni Atkins for finally making this jewel sparkle again. What a triumph for our North Park neighborhood! Bravo, Chris and Toni!

The social event of the season for San Diego’s GLBT community is upon us – and that’s The Center’s annual gala dinner, of course! It’s coming up this Saturday, Oct. 22, at the beautiful San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. All of our community’s movers and shakers attend each year, including many VIPs and elected officials, but everyone is invited and made to feel welcome… it’s like a GLBT family gathering.

So check it out, and why not go this year for an evening of pride and progress. As the founder of our Center’s gala dinners, I am so proud to see how they grow every year in attendance and stature. For further information, visit www.thecentersd.org/gala.

Yes, there’s a great organization for HIV-positive young men from age 18 to 30-ish. It has about 100 members and is mostly a social group with all kinds of activities, meetings, get-togethers, etc. It welcomes all young positives and is very respectful of everyone’s privacy. No one needs to feel alone, and this outstanding group is one I highly recommend for young positives. For more information, e-mail info@youngpositives.com, or visit their Web site, www.youngpositives.com.

The other day, I stopped by a practice session of the San Diego Bulldogs, an official, gay wrestling club. They are a great group of guys who take their sport seriously.

The Bulldogs practice freestyle (Olympic) wrestling, according to rules governed by USA Wrestling, the national body for amateur wrestling. All weights and skill levels are welcome, and they especially welcome beginners.

When I stopped by, I saw people of all ages and heights having a good workout and a good time. To participate in their practice sessions, it is recommended that you be in good physical health and have some type of exercise program in addition to just wrestling. For more information, visit www.sdbulldogswrestling.org.

As many of you know, San Diego businessmen own two popular Palm Springs-area resorts – the infamous All Worlds Resort and The Villa resort. The Villa is legendary, and is a class act with 45 gorgeous casitas in over five acres of beautiful gardens, which have the tallest palm trees around. It’s been a favorite spot for tourists from all over the world, and one visit will make it your home away from home. So why not support these two San Diego-owned resorts – whose owners, by the way, always give back to the community.

Does your pet need some tender loving grooming? Take them down to San Diego’s newest and finest pet care business, City Dog! They’re located at 545 Park Blvd.