January 16, 2008
Gay soldier’s still in the Army despite being out
WASHINGTON—Even if no one is asking, Army Sgt. Darren Manzella has been telling anyone who’ll listen that he’s gay—without serious retribution so far from the military... Full Story
Opinion
What I like best about January is this: We don’t know what’s going to happen to us in the next year. We think that we do. We make plans as if we do. We arrange vacations. We imagine new challenges at our jobs, fantasize about a summer of beaches and... Full Story
After I wrote recently about research on homosexuality and people’s ill-founded concern that it could lead to preventing homosexuality, I remembered that there is also a cluster of concerns about the survival of the gay enclave or community. Let’s take a look at those... Full Story
Nation Report
New Salt Lake mayor pushing DP benefits
SALT LAKE CITY—Salt Lake’s new mayor is fulfilling a campaign promise and proposing a new ordinance. Mayor Ralph Becker—he’d been on the job all of three days—proposed a domestic partners registry to the Salt Lake City Council Jan. 11... Full Story
Man pleads guilty in Montana anti-gay assault
MISSOULA, Mont.—A 20-year-old Missoula man has pleaded guilty to felony assault and kidnapping for hogtying and beating a man last May. Christopher Newrider pleaded guilty Jan. 8, with his sentencing set for Feb. 12... Full Story
Insurance company turns down gay-friendly church
ADRIAN, Mich.—An Indiana-based insurance company that provides property and casualty coverage to more than 30,000 churches has refused to offer a policy to a small Michigan church because of its support for gay rights... Full Story
Episcopal leaders apologize for past prejudice
BUFFALO—Episcopal Church leaders in Western New York have sent an open letter to the region’s GLBT community, apologizing for the church’s historical opposition to GLBT rights and for fostering prejudice and violence against GLBTs... Full Story
Craig lawyers advance new argument in his appeal
ST. PAUL, Minn.—Seeking to have his guilty plea in a bathroom sex sting erased, attorneys for Idaho Sen. Larry Craig argue in a new court filing that the underlying act wasn’t criminal because it didn’t involve multiple victims... Full Story
Researchers examine new way to combat HIV virus
WASHINGTON—The AIDS virus has to hijack human proteins to do its damage, but scientists until now have known only a few dozen of its targets. On Jan. 10 Harvard researchers unveiled a surprisingly longer list, an important first step in the hunt for new drugs... Full Story
Mohler in the running for SBC president
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—A controversial Kentucky Southern Baptist seminary president who has speculated that it would be OK for parents to genetically... Full Story
Editorial
Just a little more than two weeks into the new year, researchers say, most of our New Year’s resolutions are broken. But don’t lose hope—there is a resolution you can still make and keep, and it won’t require you to go on a diet or join a gym.,, Full Story
On Jan. 8 Sen. Hillary Clinton defied the media pundit machine and made history as the first woman to win the New Hampshire Democratic primary for U.S. president.,, Full Story
Freestyle: arts, entertainment & lifestyle
Settling in... For a long winter’s nap
Some grow out of sleepovers. Some don’t, but most likely call them something different in adulthood—tricks, treats, one-nights…
Some eventually get to bring their best friend home for good after enough sleepovers. And that’s when the ratty T-shirts, the cut-off sweatpants, the faded boxers and the retired gym... Full Story
Romolo Roberti: Rediscovered Chicago Artist
The Italian-American artist Romolo Roberti (1896-1988) came to the U.S. with his father in 1911 but when his father returned to Italy young Roberti decided to stay and pursue a career in art rather than acceding to his family’s wishes... Full Story
Otep ascending: an interview with out metal goddess Otep
When you hear heavy metal diva Otep sing, shredding her vocal chords on the dozen tracks of her latest album, “The Ascension” (Koch), you’d never guess that she’s a mild-mannered and fascinating conversationalist. But backstage in...Full Story
In theaters: “There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage)—Paul Thomas Anderson continues his cinematic love affair with California in “There Will Be Blood.” Based on the Upton Sinclair novel “Oil!,” Anderson’s... Full Story
Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, presents The Walkmen with White Rabbits and White Denim at 9 p.m. Call (773) 525-2508. More
Released in 2005 and 2006, respectively, the debut albums by James Blunt and KT Tunstall achieved hit status far beyond anyone’s imagination. Driven by massive hit singles, “Beautiful” for Blunt and “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” for Tunstall, the albums sold well and established both... Full Story
Home
What lies ahead: Chicago’s real estate outlook for 2008
Have we hit bottom yet? That’s the question on the minds of many a seller, developer, investor and buyer. Until they know the answer, many would-be players would rather sit on the sidelines and watch the game from a safe distance. Why sell now... Full Story
Dining
Japanese for love: Karlin says you’ll fall for Ai
To paraphrase the old vaudeville song, “If you knew sushi like I know sushi. Oh! Oh! What a gill…” The first few times I had sushi, I thought, “Well, that’s a nice appetizer, but where’s the meal... Full Story
More News
The problem with making assumptions, of course, is that sometimes things aren’t what they seem. That’s especially true after a few drinks, as an Irish teenager is finding out. The boy, who’s 16, was in court in Dublin last week on charges related to his... Full Story
Feigenholtz proposal would remove barrier to HIV tests
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) filed a bill Jan. 16 to repeal a state law requiring health departments to notify a minor’s school principal when the minor is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS... Full Story
AIDSCare cuts ribbon on new housing for people with AIDS
Community officials and activists attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 10 at the Phoenix apartments, 1251 S. Sawyer, a $6.1-million housing development for homeless individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The new... Full Story
Lambda Legal leader discusses what’s on group’s 2008 docket
Lambda Legal executive director Kevin Cathcart last week detailed the organization’s 2008 docket at their Chicago-area major donors breakfast, held Jan. 8 in the offices of the Kirkland and Ellis law firm... Full Story
Overflow crowd of friends and family remembers Tonna
Family, friends and community members gathered Jan. 12 at University of Illinois at Chicago to pay respects to and remember the life of Lisa Tonna. Tonna, who served as interim director of Lesbian Community Cancer Project and directed... Full Story
State’s attorney candidates square off in heated debate
A debate Jan. 10 between the six Democrats and one Republican vying to succeed retiring Cook County State’s Attorney Dick Devine sparked heated exchanges over public corruption, police shootings, racial issues and budgetary needs... Full Story
Women voters flocked to Hillary’s side in New Hampshire
WASHINGTON—Women returned solidly to Hillary Rodham Clinton’s side, helping her overcome Barack Obama’s advantage among the large independent voting bloc in New Hampshire’s Democratic primary Jan. 8, an exit poll found... Full Story
Watchdog group asks IRS to look into anti-gay organization
AUSTIN—A Texas watchdog group has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate a nonprofit organization they say violated state law by involving pastors in Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election campaign... Full Story
Indiana anti-gay amendment is up for fourth time
CLIP Full Story
Bishop banned from duty for leading secession attempt
INDIANAPOLIS—An effort to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage faces a pivotal hurdle in the Indiana General Assembly this year, but whether it advances could hinge on the willingness of Indiana House leaders to take it up in a session in which property taxes are... Full Story
Bishop banned from duty for leading secession attempt
FRESNO, Calif.—The Episcopal Church has banned a California bishop from practicing his religious duties until March after he led his congregants to secede from the national church... Full Story
Drug-resistant superbug spreading among gay men
A new drug-resistant strain of MRSA, the so-called flesh-eating bacteria, has been found to be spreading among gay men in San Francisco and Boston and may now be moving into gay populations in other major cities, researchers said Jan. 14... Full Story
Freetime
According to a new survey on lesbian and gay behavioral patterns by psychologists at Queen Mary University/London, straight women, lesbians and gay men are crappy drivers; i.e., all three tend to rely on local landmarks to navigate... Full Story
While the thunderous bangs of Thor’s Hammer of Thunder can be heard in distant wars, we here in America are more concerned about Britney Spears’ parenting skills—or lack of them. And that’s how it should be as Jupiter flushes the toilet on Mercury... Full Story
If you have the urge to grab some pom-poms, do a cartwheel or splits, form a human pyramid or cuddle up with a varsity football player when you listen to “Proof of Youth” (Sub Pop) by The... Full Story
“Hurrah: A Year of Ta-Dah” (Universal/Motown)—The concert/doc “Hurrah: A Year of Ta-Dah” asks the musical question, “Could Jake Shears be more gorgeous (or is that filthy/gorgeous)?” Dripping sweat in silver pants... Full Story
On This Day in 1977: Pudgy and the Sam Hill Trio perform at the Matchmaker, 740 W. Madison. This disco opened in November 1976 opposite the Holiday Inn in Greek Town and boasted an all-male burlesque revue... Full Story
CFP reviews “Link V: The Evolution” & “Drive”. Full Story
Theater
Written at the peak of Shaw’s powers, this unashamedly brilliant historical imagining restores to life Jeanne d’Arc, the lady lark who rallied France to victory during the 100 Years War by lifting the siege of Orleans and crowning King Charles in the cathedral at Rheims... Full Story
While Express clothing stores across the city push darker hues of blue in their seasonal sales, it is the ensemble members of The Gift Theatre’s “White People” who are truly showing Chicago drama enthusiasts how to wear a perfect shade of gray... Full Story
22nd Annual Young Playwrights Festival
Every year I try to make this show one of the first reviews. The one-acts, culled and workshopped from 700 contributions by Chicago teen dramatists, in effect reinvent the theatrical wheel, returning drama to its source in make... Full Story