Our annual Pride parade and festival does not just happen…. It takes a hardworking staff, board of directors and hundreds of volunteers working throughout the year. So, a big bravo and thank you to Suanne Pauley, Terry Bishop, Dale Sutherland, Jerry Garrett, Andrea Villa, Larry Ramey and everyone at Pride…. By the way, the police estimated that at least 140,000 people attended this year, with more parade entries than ever.

San Diego is one of only a few cities that holds rallies during Pride weekend…. We should be very proud of this fact, because Pride should not just be about colorful parades and parties, but addressing the important issues of the day and sending a message…. But, our rallies are now getting too long, with too many speeches and many people leaving early…. This year’s pride rally also had a smaller attendance. I would suggest that we continue with keynote speakers, grand marshals and elected officials speaking and invite the San Diego Cheer Squad, etc. But let’s keep our rallies inspiring, exciting and manageable in length…. While everyone spoke well, standout speakers were Lorri Jean, Esera Tuaolo, Jess San Roque and Larry Ramey…. And, if an elected official can’t be there, do not have their staff speak. Maybe we should do what C.S.W. Los Angeles does…. They hold a nice dinner a few weeks after Pride where they give their annual honorees their awards and then they get to give their remarks.

This year’s media coverage of our Pride weekend was, on the whole, very positive, especially NBC 7/39, which stated that our parade was the biggest in the city and also talked about the tens of thousands of visitors and the economic impact on our city from Pride. Pride’s hardworking media representative, Frank Sabatini, informed me that every year the media asks for information on the economic impact of Pride on San Diego….

This information/study is long overdue and I strongly urge San Diego Pride to put some money aside and do an official study on this…. By the way, 95 percent of our hotels were full in central San Diego.

Have you seen the GLT’s new website? It’s loaded with all the same great information, articles and pictures you look for each week, plus an archive of past editions of the GLT. And it’s easy to navigate too (even for a cyber-clueless old queen like me!) Now you can even place your classified ads online — it’s never been easier! Just visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com — and have fun!

“Where is the money?” Channel 10 Troubleshooter reporter Marti Emerald asked David Blair, the owner of Blair House in Hillcrest, three times. The former director of the Healthy Youth Advocacy Program (HIV/AIDS education for youth) had no answers, but did admit that he had spent the AIDS agency’s money on trips to Spain and Thailand. Board member Stephanie Edwards stated that David Blair used the AIDS money “for everything but providing services.” $62,000 is unaccounted for from grants from the California Endowment and up to $116,000 is missing from the general account. This AIDS agency was forced to close its doors and now youth are without services…. All the while, David Blair still drives around in his Rolls Royce.… Thank you Marti Emerald and Channel 10 for your solid reporting and investigation.… I continue to ask you all to join me and not to shop at Blair House!!!

For the first time in its history, Channel 10 withdrew a presentation of its prestigious “Leadership Award,” which was to be given last Friday to a local AIDS agency executive director. Channel 10 had even filmed the presentation, but after investigating the current AIDS agency executive director they discovered a background that included mismanagement of AIDS funding, etc. (very David Blair-like). Thank goodness Channel 10 did its homework or our community would have been very embarrassed.

I can give criticism and I can take it (letters to the editor), but I will not stand by and be accused of stealing from benefits. So, finally John Murphy has written a libelous and slanderous letter and I plan to take him to court. He also stated that I defrauded the government by posing as the wife of a Marine.… Another slanderous lie that he will have to answer for in court.… And yes, Mr. Murphy, I do have lots of businessmen who assist me when I fly to meetings and conferences across the country to fight for your civil rights. No one tells our community bar owners what to do. They are intelligent men and women who have minds of their own.… And yes, many are longtime friends. See you in court, Mr. Murphy.… It will be my pleasure taking possession of your home. I thank you for finally writing a libelous letter that my attorney can act on.… And you will all be invited to the trial!

After a few years of heavy lobbying, San Diego finally has its first openly gay judge appointed by a governor — the Honorable Ted Weathers, an outstanding choice. But we must continue to lobby and get more appointed, as we are the second largest city in the state and this appointment is long overdue.