The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency is taking steps to notify clients of a San Diego-area barbershop where a worker was diagnosed with infectious TB.

The individual worked at Gabe’s Barbershop, located at 1035 Eighth Ave. in San Diego. Clients may have been exposed between July 22 and Dec. 12 last year, said Nancy Bowen, M.D., San Diego County public health officer.

“We are working with the shop in order to properly notify clients,” Dr. Bowen said. “The worker is being treated for TB and there is no concern about further exposure.”

Patrons who were in the shop for one appointment for at least two hours, or for several short visits for up to eight hours, between July 22 and Dec.12 should be evaluated. Clients who suspect they may have been infected during this time period should contact their physician. Individuals with no medical provider may call the County TB Control Program at (619) 692-8621.

Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. Most people who are exposed to TB do not develop the disease.

The Center encourages couples to attend an informational briefing on Thursday, Jan. 25, regarding new tax code changes that affect registered domestic partners in California.

The session, led by local tax attorneys Gregg St. Cyr and Larry Conway, will take place at 6:00 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest.

Effective Jan. 1 of this year, the earned income of registered domestic partners now qualifies as “community property.” As a result, registered domestic partners will file 2007 state tax returns as married, but continue to file federal tax returns as single. The briefing will answer participants’ questions about this change.

To RSVP for the briefing, contact Sean Wherley, The Center’s public policy director, at (619) 692-2077 ext. 212 or swherley@thecentersd.org.

The fourth annual San Diego Black Film Festival (formerly named the Noir Film Festival) has released its 2007 official selection of African-American independent films.

The event will be staged at Horton Plaza’s United Artist Theatre from Feb. 1 to Feb. 4 and will feature more than 30 independent films, including four world premiers.

The festival adds a bit of twist this year by featuring several African-American GLBT-themed films in a segment called “GLBT Déjà Vu,” which will consist of three short films. This segment will be featured at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Feb. 3.

“We very excited about introducing several GLBT African-American-themed films this year and hope to do so each year,” said David Johnson, film jury panel member.

The San Diego Black Film Festival kicks off with an opening film and reception on Thursday, Feb. 1, at the United Artist Theatre Horton Plaza. Some of the event’s other activities include daily film screenings with filmmakers and actors participating in Q&A sessions, as well as an awards party, panel discussions and celebrity meet-and-greets.

For additional information about “GLBT Déjà Vu,” a complete list of other films and ticket information, visit the San Diego Black Film Festival Web site, www.sandiegoblackfilmfestival.com or call (619) 685-7215.

The second annual San Diego Leather Community Awards will take place Saturday, Feb. 3, at 7:00 p.m. at the Arts & Entertainment Center, located at 3026 University Ave. in North Park. This is an adult event.

The categories have increased this year from six to nine. Last year’s winners were Man of the Year, Adam Latham; Woman of the Year, Annie Romano; Small Event of the Year, boy joe for Katrina Relief; Large Event of the Year, Graylin Thornton and Tom Dickerson (Mr. San Diego Leather); Business of the Year, Michelle Jackson (Interpreter); and boys of San Diego (Club/Organization of the Year). They are also this year’s Selection Team.

The three new categories are Kinkster of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Community Choice of the Year. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Mark Holmes, a longtime San Diegan.

The awards were created to locally recognize those who make an impact in the Levis, leather, bear, kink and fetish communities of San Diego. The awards are solely funded by local businesses, organizations and members of the GLBT community.

There will also be an erotic art display from various local artists and from the greater Southern California area, as well as a toast to the Pantheon of Leather nominees. Admission is free. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The awards take place each year in February prior to the National Pantheon of Leather Awards and San Diego Leather Pride Week in March.

Nominations are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20.

For nomination format and information, e-mail sdawards@cox.net or call Mike at (619) 820-1165.

San Diego LGBT Pride has added a new, user-friendly section to its Web site that allows Pride volunteers to sign up electronically this year.

The upgrade, developed by Kit Gateley of Cykic Software, will put the entire volunteer application process online.

Last year’s Pride celebration drew 790 volunteers, according to Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego Pride.

In addition, San Diego Pride will be among two dozen organizations taking part in a volunteer fair scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at The Center. It will be one of only a few offline events where prospective Pride volunteers can sign up for a variety of positions available during this year’s Pride weekend, scheduled for July 20-22. Volunteers will be needed in the areas of ticket sales, safety, set-up, medical, stage managers, office assistance and more.

San Diego Pride’s 2007 theme is “United for Equality.” For more information, call (619) 297-7683 or visit the Web site, www.sandiegopride.org.

The Treatment Action Group (TAG) announced Jan. 10 that it has been awarded a four-year, $4.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand its TB/HIV Advocacy Project and to strengthen global responses to the overlapping TB/HIV epidemics.

The grant will enable TAG to lead community activist efforts to help ensure universal access to TB and HIV diagnosis and treatment by the year 2010, to conduct advocacy to triple funding for research on new TB tools needed by people with HIV and to integrate community activism into TB policy and research globally, in Africa and in the United States.

TAG will coordinate TB/HIV community advocacy with the Stop TB Partnership, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization to improve TB/HIV policy and increase collaborative TB/HIV activities, as well as train and support African TB/HIV community advocates to participate effectively. TAG will also educate U.S. leaders about the need to significantly increase funding for TB/HIV research, and help ensure that affected communities are actively involved in TB research.

For more information, visit TAG’s Web site at www.treatmentactiongroup.org.

The application season has begun for Point Foundation, a national nonprofit foundation supporting academic achievement in higher education among GLBT youth.

Students who will be enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs for the 2007-08 school year are eligible to apply for the multi-year scholarships. The application deadline for this year’s scholarships is March 1.

The selection process begins with written online applications and concludes with face-to-face interviews with selected finalists in April.

While the average scholarship award is approximately $12,500, Point supports scholars with additional programs. For example, Point’s mentoring program, leadership training and summer leadership conference create a multifaceted support network for scholars extending far beyond their time in school. The average amount of financial support devoted to each scholar is greater than $30,000, which includes scholarship funding, mentoring and success and leadership training.

Point scholars agree to maintain a high level of academic performance and to give back to the GLBT community through completion of an individual community service project. In addition, scholars are matched with mentors from the professional world through Point’s formal mentoring program. The mentors serve as role models and provide personal support to their assigned scholars.

Point Scholars are chosen for their demonstrated leadership, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities, involvement in the GLBT community and financial need. Particular attention is paid to students who have lost the financial and social support of their families and/or communities as a result of revealing their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Since its inception in 2001, Point Foundation has invested more than $2 million in the education of outstanding GLBT students. In their first year, Point received 268 applications and granted eight scholarships. In 2006, 1,342 applications were submitted and 30 students were granted scholarships. As of January 2007, there are 59 Point scholars currently enrolled in school, as well as 16 alumni.

For additional information about the Point Foundation, call (866) 33-POINT or log on to

www.pointfoundation.org. For information about how to apply for a Point Scholarship, visit www.pointfoundation.org/apply.html.