Local News
OUT TV coming to Pride Erie Picnic!
Nifty news! We were contacted by Out TV, a GLBT cable channel from Canada. They produce a series called the Chris and John Show, which consists of 5 minute comedy/reality TV segments. They will be coming to film a segment at the Pride Erie Picnic! Of course, it is perfectly okay NOT to be filmed or photographed, if that is where you are at. To see more, browse to http://www.outtv.ca/ or http://www.outtv.ca/prog/chrisandjohn.asp.
Things are progressing well for the 2005 Erie Pride Picnic. It will be held Saturday, June 25 from 1 to 6 PM at the Rotary Pavilion at Presque Isle. Burgers, hot dogs and soft drinks are provided, and we ask that everyone bring a dish to pass. You can read more about it at http://picnic.eriegaynews.com.
We are very proud that the Pride Picnic has been growing since it first started 13 years ago. It is a fun and friendly event that everyone is welcome to enjoy.
For more info, contact Michael Mahler at (814) 456-9833 or info@eriegaynews.com
—by Mike Mahler
Rascals destroyed by fire
On June 11, a fire completely destroyed Rascals, a gay bar located in Jamestown, NY. The fire reportedly began around 2:45 AM. The cause has not yet been determined.
Crime Victim Center Book It! Sale
The Crime Victim Center will be accepting used books, tapes, CDs, videos, games and puzzles during the month of June for their Fifth Annual Book It! - a fundraising event to benefit the thousands of men, women and children who are victimized each year in our community. Book It! will be held August 13 at the Center, 125 West 18 Street, in the same plaza as the zone. The Zone. For more information, call (814) 455-9414.
—from the Crime Victim Center
County Council vetoes Schenker on Human Relations Commission
On Thursday, June 2, Erie County Council voted 6-0 to override a previous veto by County Executive Rick Schenker to create a Human Relations Commission Bureau. Only five votes were needed to overturn the veto. Councilmember David Mitchell was the only member not in attendance. About a dozen supporters of the HRC attended the meeting.
In 2002, Council voted to include sexual orientation and gender identity in the ordinance, and Schenker signed the ordinance. However, he effectively disbanded the agency soon after, and the executive director at that time, Willie Damper, took another job.
Since the disbanding, local claims have been referred to state and federal authorities, which are not located in Erie County. Using these agencies, claims typically take two years to resolve. Cases that were handled locally by the HRC typically took 90 days to resolve. State and federal laws do not currently cover sexual orientation and gender identity, so persons experiencing those discrimination categories in Erie County were not able to have their claims investigated.
This vote means that the HRC will be under the control of County Council, rather than the County Executive. It is hoped that this is the final battle between Erie County Council and the out-going County Executive, and that the HRC will be able to hire staff and lease office space downtown.
For more details visit the Erie Gay News website at www.eriegaynews.com.
—by Mike Mahler
Business Expo at Trance postponed until fall
The Erie Networking Group is postponing the Business Expo, previously scheduled at Trance Dance Club, 1607 Raspberry St, Erie PA for Saturday, July 9. We are expecting that this will be moved to this fall. For more info, please contact Michael Mahler at (814) 456-9833 or info@eriegaynews.com.
—From Erie Networking Group
Fall Gay Pride 2005
Plans are moving along for Gay Pride 2005! Date: We are tentatively planning for the first or second Saturday in October 2005. Other plans are still pretty fluid. So, if you want to see something in the weekend, please email me at eriegaypride@yahoo.com or call me at 814.602.0252. Look for some flyers at the Picnic and announcements in the August and September EGN. Until then, yours in Pride, Dan Burdick, Fall Gay Pride 2005 Coordinator
-from Dan Burdick
