Thursday April 28th is Dining Out For Life of which OutSmart is a sponsor. Go to a participating DOFL restaurant for breakfast, lunch and or dinner, send us your comments and a photo of your dining experience. The 5 best photos and comments will receive gift a certificate to an area restaurant. For a list of participating restaurants go to http://www.diningoutforlife.com/houston
On Thursday, April 28, 2011, Houston’s food and drink aficionados will be Dining Out For Life®
at many of Houston’s best restaurants for the annual fundraiser benefiting AIDS Foundation
Houston (AFH). Actress and advocate Pam Grier and Ted Allen host of TV’s “Chopped” return
as national spokespersons and are joined by Subaru of America, Inc as proud Host Sponsor.
Nearly 70 restaurants in Downtown, The Galleria, Montrose, Upper Kirby, Rice Village and
Washington Corridor will donate a portion of their proceeds on this day to AIDS Foundation
Houston in an on-going effort to fight HIV/AIDS.
April 24, 2011 — New York, NY – Today, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and allied activists from two different groups walked within the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade in New York City in memory of Americans whose lives have been lost as a result of prejudice and hate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. The groups formed two processions, walking through tens of thousands of people from 44th and 57th Streets on Fifth Avenue, carrying large signs showing faces of some of those killed or driven to suicide due to hate against them. Both processions met in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and were led by a large banner that read, “Protect the Sanctity of Our Lives. Full Civil Rights NOW!
Dear Senators:
I once thought that I was an Aggie. Next year will be my 5th year of study. I am a Presidential Endowed
Scholar. I attended Fish Camp. I went to football games and yelled until my voice was dead and my ass
was red. I joined a FLO. I started two organizations. I received the prestigious Buck Weirus Spirit Award
for my contributions to this student body. I have made hundreds of friends, touched hundreds of
Aggies’ lives and been touched by thousands more. Yes, I once thought that I was an Aggie.
On April 20th, 2011 the Student Senate made it clear that, in their eyes, I am an Aggie no more.
That day, the student senate told me that I was not worth as much as other Aggies. You told me that
breaking the Aggie Honor Code and lying to my fellow students was preferable to you deciding to
respect me for who I am. On that night, S.B. 63-106, otherwise known as the “Sexual Education Equality
in Funding Bill” in support of Representative Wayne Christian’s amendment to HB 1 passed. And with its
passage, the Student Senate made its position clear: that because I am gay, I am not truly an Aggie.
The Austin Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling that Former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt and activist Bruce Hotze have no standing to challenge Houston’s water rate structure.
Bettencourt and Hotze attempted to challenge the new water and sewer rates approved a year ago by Houston City Council. Due to their intervention, the City has been unable to obtain approval to move forward with a $300 million bond sale needed to finance capital improvements for the City’s Combined Utility System. The delay has put the City at risk for an estimated $37.72 million in higher interest costs over the life of the bonds.
Houston’s crime statistics for the first quarter of 2011 indicate the city’s crime rates have continued to decrease, building on the momentum that began in 2010. Building on last year’s success of lower violent and nonviolent crime stats, total crime – in UCR Part One violent and nonviolent categories – has decreased by 14.2% compared to the first three months of last year.
(Houston) ….The Montrose Management District is seeking public input in the development of a District logo. Executive Director, David Hawes stated that “….the Board of Directors under the leadership of Chairman Claude Wynn and the Business Committee recently engaged the services of CURB Branding to assist with development of the District logo.” Hawes goes on to say that…”we are using every means possible to get the word out about the survey because we want to hear from the broad spectrum of folks who live, work, invest and visit the Montrose.”
Senate Bill 1188 Puts Discrimination Ahead of Children in the Adoption Process
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality, condemned Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and the Republican leadership in the state legislature for passing and signing into law SB 1188, which gives preference to married couples in the adoption process – at the exclusion of same-sex couples and single adults who wish to provide a loving home to children. The bill applies to public and private adoption agencies.
My heart goes out to Joe Roach’s wife, Becky, his children and the rest of the Roach family. Joe was a friend and colleague. We served together on City Council, but I also knew him when he was chief prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s office. We both have adopted children, which provided another reason for us to bond. He was an energetic, dynamic man who took his responsibilities very seriously and served as a role model for a segment of our population that often experiences discrimination. His passing came far too early in life. He will be dearly mis
Fellow Houstonians: I love this city! Nothing compares to being mayor of your hometown. The opportunity to make decisions that will provide benefits for generations to come is incomparable. I am still excited to go to work everyday…although it is admittedly more fun being mayor when there is money to spend.
This first year in office has been very productive but challenging. There have been successes and setbacks.
Despite the challenges, the state of our city remains strong and financially secure. Houston is still the best city in the country in which to live and work. We remain better off financially than any other big city. We have the best prospects to emerge from this recession closer to the Houston of our dreams.
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