January 23, 2008
Clinton and Obama trade charges as rhetoric heats up
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama accused each other of repeatedly and deliberately distorting the truth for political gain Jan. 21 in a highly personal, finger-wagging debate that ranged from the war in Iraq to Bill Clinton’s role in the campaign... Full Story
Opinion
About a month ago, I was traveling to my mom’s house in Virginia, listening to a liberal political talk show where the host was encouraging his listeners to call in about the Democratic candidates... Full Story
Chicago, like many other large cities, has been plagued with numerous charges of police misconduct—torture, unnecessary shooting, drunken brawling, beating up civilians, including a 120-pound female bartender. Somehow, the Office of Professional... Full Story
Nation Report
Partnership bill passes first test in New Mexico House
SANTA FE—A domestic partnership bill proposed by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is beginning to move through the state’s legislature. The New Mexico House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee narrowly approved the measure Jan. 17... Full Story
Maryland voters favor equal rights for gay couples
BALTIMORE—A new poll says most voters in Maryland support some form of legalized same sex unions. The poll for The (Baltimore) Sun by Annapolis-based Opinionworks shows 19 percent of likely voters support gay marriage and 39 percent... Full Story
Kentucky House committee approves anti-bullying bill
FRANKFORT, Ky.—The Kentucky House Education Committee has unanimously approved an anti-bullying bill for schools. It would require school districts to design policies to deal with bullies, but opponents are arguing that the measure could lead to the “teaching of homosexuality... Full Story
Presbyterians support lesbian’s bid for ordination
RICHMOND, Calif.—A Presbyterian deacon who has twice been denied ordination because of her sexual orientation can move forward with her bid to join the clergy. The regional body of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted 167-151 Jan. 15 in support of Lisa Larges’ application, despite the denomination’s long-standing ban on openly gay ministers... Full Story
Spokane man pleads not guilty in sex scandal case
SPOKANE, Wash.—A Spokane man has pleaded innocent to charges of trying to extort money from a former state legislator after a night of sex.
Cody Castagna, 27, pleaded innocent Jan. 14 to three counts of theft, two counts of extortion and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion... Full Story
Iowa Supreme Court upholds gays’ co-adoption rights
DES MOINES—The Iowa Supreme Court says a district court erred by ruling it didn’t have jurisdiction over custody issues involving a lesbian’s adoption of her partner’s children. The case involves Heather Schott and Jamie Schott, who is the children’s natural parent... Full Story
Study says bisexuality is a distinct orientation
SALT LAKE CITY—Bisexuality is not a phase or avoidance of coming out as gay, a researcher has found, but a distinct sexual orientation that remains constant over time... Full Story
Episcopal officials take steps against anti-gay bishop
ITTSBURGH—An Episcopal Church committee says that conservative Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan has “abandoned the communion of this church,” a potential first step toward strip... Full Story
Editorial
In last week’s issue (Jan. 16), this newspaper, like many others around the country, reported on a new strain of MRSA, the staph infection often dubbed “flesh-eating bacteria,” that has been found spreading recently at an alarming rate in gay male populations in San Francisco and Boston... Full Story
At long last, the state portion of the long-term fix for Illinois transit has now been completed with the passage of HB656, and the acceptance by both the House and Senate of the governor’s amendatory veto. There are, however, still several... Full Story
Freestyle: arts, entertainment & lifestyle
Traveling in disguise: Blending in on a warm-weather vacation
“Hey, Chicago.” That’s what I heard often the first year after I left Illinois for Florida. The way I dressed gave me away as a girl from the north country. In time I learned to forego plaids... Full Story
The work of Chicago-born artist and sculptor John Storrs (1895-1956) falls into easily identifiable periods. In the 1920s, influenced by his father, a sculptor and developer, Storrs... Full Story
In theaters: “Cloverfield” (Paramount)—In just the first few minutes of the fast-paced modern monster movie “Cloverfield,” we learn that the title comes from a Department of Defense... Full Story
Talk about an ambitious undertaking. Spanning a 15-year period in which UK rock and pop underwent a series of transitions, “The Brit Box: UK Indie, Shoegaze and Brit-pop Gems of the Last Millennium”... Full Story
Live Performance listing... Full Story
New cars turn heads at Detroit Auto Show
DETROIT—While they may or may not end up in America’s driveways, there were plenty of vehicles turning heads at the North American International Auto Show that opened last week in Detroit, including Hyundai’s new luxury sedan... Full Story
Home
“House Lust: America’s Obsession With Our Homes” (Currency, 272 pages, $24.95), by Daniel McGinn. Despite the nation’s housing slump, Americans love homes. We love designing them, building them, decorating... Full Story
More News
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s chances of winning the GOP presidential nomination may be fading after his loss to John McCain in the South Carolina primary but, like any good politician, if he’s going down he’s going to make damn... Full Story
194 complaints filed under state’s GLBT rights law
It’s been two years since SB 3186, legislation adding GLBTs to the state’s Human Rights Act, went into effect. Since then, nearly 200 men and women have filed complaints alleging... Full Story
Transgender woman pushes challenge in Will County
A transgender woman last week filed papers asking the Illinois Supreme Court to compel the chief judge and the circuit court clerk of the 12th Judicial Court in Will County to...Full Story
The Lesbian Community Care Project at Howard Brown Health Center begins hosting monthly drop-in sessions dedicated to women’s health Jan. 30. The sessions, which are free, are... Full Story
Clinton and Obama trade charges as rhetoric heats up
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama accused each other of repeatedly and deliberately distorting the truth for political gain Jan. 21 in a highly... Full Story
Elder, Steans discuss gay marriage in Rogers Park
Gay marriage was just one of the issues touched on last week when the two candidates vying to fill the seat being vacated by Illinois state Sen. Carol Ronen (D-Chicago) met with community members in Rogers Park... Full Story
McCain moves to the front in GOP race
TALLAHASSEE, Florida—So close to Republican hearts, Florida is a state of bewilderment for the party now. Its changing population, shifting political alliances and states-within-a-state diversity make... Full Story
Indiana marriage amendment won’t come to a vote
INDIANAPOLIS—A bill that would amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage in Indiana won’t get a hearing in a key Indiana House committee, likely dooming its chances of passage this legislative session... Full Story
Gay Argentines marry in Spain to push fight for rights back home
BUENOS AIRES—Two leaders of Argentina’s leading homosexual rights organization were married Jan. 21 in Madrid in defiance of their country’s ban on gay marriage. Cesar Cigliutti and Marcelo Suntheim said... Full Story
FDA says yes to new J&J drug to combat AIDS
WASHINGTON—Tablets of the drug etravirine were approved by the regulatory Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HIV infection in adults who have failed treatment with other antiretrovirals... Full Story
Maragos running for Water Reclamation District seat
“Drinking water will be the precious commodity of the 21st Century,” said Dean Maragos. “We’re sitting on 20 percent of the world’s drinking water right here in the Great Lakes basin”... Full Story
CFP’s Feb. 5 election endorsements
The Chicago Free Press makes a limited number of endorsements in virtually every election cycle. Our endorsements are based on conversations with candidates and community leaders, our coverage... Full Story
Freetime
A large sulfurous cloud of doom and gloom passes overhead this week as cabin fever sets in and a strangulated boredom takes hold of the creative queer mind. However, the stars are here to help... Full Story
Back in the day: Moments in Chicago's GLBT history
1976: The Newberry Theatre, 852 N. Clark St., is raided and four male customers are arrested for public indecency and also the manager for being “the keeper of a disorderly house... Full Story
Babies, it’s cold outside. That’s why you need to spin some scorching dance music to get the feeling back into your virtually frostbitten limbs... Full Story
“Rock Bottom” (Outcast Films)—Filmed over a two-year period, Jay Corcoran’s unflinching doc about crystal meth abuse in the gay community is as troubling and difficult as the crisis itself... Full Story
CFP reviews Dare & Long Dong Silver... Full Story
Theater
One of the biggest nuggets from the “golden age of television” is this 50-year-old treasure by Rod Serling, creator of “Twilight Zone.” But here you’ll find no flights of fancy or twists... Full Story
Douglas Carter Beane is best known for another animal title, “As Bees in Honey Drown,” a slick show that also sent up La La Land phonies and Gotham gargoyles. In “The Little Dog Laughed... Full Story
The simple directness employed by many of the 13 cast members of “Twelfth Night,” the first Shakespearian production undertaken by City Lit Theater, helps create a fine winter’s tale for Chicago’s... Full Story
Dining
Frasca serves Northern Italian with deft touch
When most folks think of Italy, they think of Sicily, the island off the southern coast, near the tip pf the “boot.” But judging all Italian food based upon Sicilian fare is like thinking... Full Story