The San Diego Bulldogs Wrestling Club (SDBWC) wrestled it’s way to a first place finish at the first-ever SDBWC Wrestling Tournament, held at The Center on Feb. 18.

Five GLBT wrestling clubs from across the U.S. competed in the tournament, treating spectators to nearly four hours of pure sweat and stamina.

“This event was an absolute smashing success,” said SDBWC co-founder, Russ Connelly.

The Bulldogs’ mat came alive as nearly 30 wrestlers grappled their way through 28 matches. Competition was tight as the large number of middleweight wrestlers triggered five round-robin brackets. That did not stop SDBWC wrestlers from sweeping gold in all five brackets.

Bulldog newcomers did especially well. After only a few months with the SDBWC, Bill McCarty and Kevin Ho both won gold medals in their respective middleweight brackets. “I had so much fun wrestling, I can’t believe I actually wrestled in a tournament,” Ho remarked.

Gay Games VII Chicago silver medalist and Outgames I Montreal gold medalist Gary Gerber did not disappoint as he won gold in his middleweight bracket. The other two middleweight brackets were won by Bulldogs’ Michael Su and Jake Whitehill. Gay Games VII Chicago silver medalist Ty Downey added more silver to his collection, and Tom Merkel wrestled his way to bronze. Bulldog Alicia Titus grappled her way through four exhibition bouts. After winning her exhibition against Golden Gate’s Erika Hom, she went after the men and wrestled Bulldog teammate Tom K., Golden Gate’s Calvin Malone and Chicago’s Josh Watkins.

Lightweight gold went to MWC-New York wrestler Carl Weisbecker. And winning the tournament’s heavyweight bracket was Mark Wheeler of Chicago.

The newly formed Chicago Cyclones Wrestling Club made an impressive second place finish by bringing four wrestlers to San Diego to compete. The Chicago Cyclones were formed late last year after Gay Games VII was held in their city. “This was a great tournament and a great excuse to get out of Chicago’s freezing cold February weather,” said Wheeler.

The tournament also came at a time of great revival for GLBT freestyle wrestling. Attending was GLBT wrestling legend Pete Runyon, founder of the Southern California Wrestling Club in Los Angeles in the 1970s. Also in attendance were Golden Gate Wrestling’s Gene Dermody and SCWC’s John Thayer, who captured a bronze medal at the SDBWC tournament. All three wrestled at Gay Games I San Francisco in 1982.

The San Diego Bulldogs decided to host this annual event after purchasing a new tournament-size wrestling mat in 2006 and after a great team showing at Gay Games VII Chicago. The four-day wrestling event included two wrestling practices, a freestyle wrestling rules and skills clinic, as well as a group social event. The weekend of events culminated with the tournament.

The Bulldogs will compete at the 22nd annual Golden Gate Tournament set to be held in May in San Francisco.

For official tournament results and photos, visit www.sdbulldogswrestling.org.

Domestic partners who registered with the state of California before 2006 may be able to seek property tax relief under a new bill introduced last week by Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego.

Equality California (EQCA) is the sponsor of SB 559, which requires counties to provide relief to domestic partners who may have paid unexpected property taxes between 2000 and 2005. Lambda Legal, with extensive expertise in tax law, also played a lead role in developing the bill and working with EQCA and Sen. Kehoe to prepare it for introduction.

SB 559 ensures that all couples benefit from legislation authored in 2005 by Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, which exempts registered domestic partners from having their property reassessed upon the death of a partner or dissolution of a domestic partnership. Migden’s SB 565 gave domestic partners the same property tax exemption married couples receive; however, it did not include couples whose property transferred ownership before Jan. 1, 2006.

“Unexpected property taxes in this state could force widowed partners out of their homes while they are grieving the loss of a loved one,” said Geoff Kors, executive director of EQCA. “Domestic partners have paid these unfair property taxes through no fault of their own and deserve reimbursement.”

California law allows certain exemptions from the fair market value reassessment of property during a change of ownership. Transfers between married spouses, domestic partners, parent and child, and grandparent and grandchild are excluded from reassessment, allowing spouses or other family members who acquire the property to maintain the established value and avoid an increase in tax burden as a result of the change of ownership.

“This bill will make the difference for some surviving partners of same-sex couples who otherwise couldn’t afford to stay in the home the couple shared,” said Brian Chase, staff attorney at Lambda Legal’s Western Regional Office in Los Angeles. “Lambda Legal was proud to provide our expertise and work with Sen. Kehoe to draft legislation to fix this gross inequality between some domestic partners and married couples.”

SB 559 is expected to be heard in Senate committees this March.

To view the legislation, visit www.senate.ca.gov.

The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation will hold a fund-raiser for the Breast Cancer Alliance United to Support and Educate (BCAUSE) Fund at the Westin Horton Plaza hotel on Saturday, March 10, from 8 to 11:30 p.m.

Community members from throughout the San Diego area will join in the wig-wearing madness to show support for those fighting breast cancer. The event will include cocktails, appetizers and desserts, along with a DJ spinning hits to dance the night away. There will be a silent auction and many contests and prizes for the best wigs.

Admission for the event is $80 before March 8 and $90 at the door. Tickets may be purchased online at www.sdhdf.org/wigfest.

The Westin Horton Plaza is located at 910 Broadway Circle. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (619) 291-3383 or e-mail info@sdhdf.org.

The Greater San Diego Business Association will hold a mixer on March 8 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. with members of the Asian Business Association in attendance. The event will provide an opportunity for GSDBA members to network with San Diego’s Asian business community.

Alex Marin, owner of Tdeli and Bamboo Lounge, is sponsoring the mixer, which will be held at his newly remodeled, Zen-inspired lounge, located at 1475 University Ave. The venue features a bar, leather couches, antique furniture pieces and a meditation garden. A prize raffle will be held, hors d’oeuvres will be served and guests will receive their first drink free.

“The GSDBA is excited to be bringing together two communities in an effort to raise the potential for new social and business opportunities for everyone involved,” says Joyce Marieb, GSDBA executive director.

The cost is $10 for GSDBA members and $15 for guests. For more information about events and memberships, call (619) 296-4543 or visit the Web site at www.gsdba.org.

Diversionary Theatre and the Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego have teamed up for a gala cabaret that will benefit both organizations. Trolley Follies of 2007 will be held at Diversionary on Saturday, March 3, and will feature the music of Kander & Ebb, one of Broadway’s most beloved musical theater teams, and the cast of the national tour of Altar Boyz will make a special appearance courtesy of Broadway San Diego.

The gala cabaret with a trolley theme, which came from Diversionary’s location in University Heights, will feature music from their well-known hits Chicago, Cabaret, Woman of the Year and more. The show features the musical talents of Diversionary guest artists Ole Kittleson, Victoria Roze and Matthew Weeden; The Gay Men’s Chorus ensemble; and chorus members James Flaherty, Curtis Gilbert, Joe Gregore, Chris Rowland, Erik Swanson and Shawn Vasich will perform solos and novelty numbers.

The festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a cocktail party outside the theater, with hors d’oeuvres and “trolleytinis” prepared by Café One Three. A silent auction will feature several dinner/theater packages. Following the performance, desserts and champagne will await guests.

“We’re looking forward to having another wonderful event with the chorus,” said Dan Kirsch, executive and artistic director of Diversionary, “and we are very, very excited that the cast of Altar Boyz will share their talent with our audience. It will definitely be a night to remember.”

Trolley Follies of 2007 will have one gala performance on Saturday, March 3, at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., San Diego. Tickets are $125 per person. For tickets or information, call the Diversionary box office at (619) 220-0097 or visit www.diversionary.org.

Death With Dignity, a vital education and communication resource for individuals, organizations and government officials seeking to learn more about end-of-life care for the terminally ill, recently announced it will be holding a meeting for everyone interested in learning more about the organization. The introductory meeting will take place at the Joyce Beers Community Center on Sunday, March 4, at 1:30 p.m.

The meeting is open to the general public and is sponsored by the Hemlock Society of San Diego, an organization that advocates the right to die with dignity. Both organizations are committed to providing information regarding options for dignified death and legalized physician aid in dying. Moral support and advice will be presented by representatives trained on the subject and it is hoped that this will be a catalyst for openly discussing and actively reforming end-of-life care for those who are terminally ill.

The Joyce Beers Community Center is located at 1220 Cleveland Ave., near Trader Joe’s in Hillcrest.

For more information, contact Steve Schanes at (619) 582-6712.